Grand Rapids finished a six-game home stand Saturday night with a 4-2 record as they fell to the Abbotsford Heat, 3-2.
Grand Rapids end their six-game home stand with a 3-2 loss to Abbotsford, going 4-2 in the stretch. (Photo provided by the Grand Rapids Griffins)
After both teams suffered a slew of penalties in the first, the Griffins allowed a two-on-one rush to the net where the Heat’s Carter Bancks slipped the puck past goalie Tom McCollum with help from Reinhart. A minute later, the game would be tied at 1-1 as Martin Frk dropped a pass to Nathan Paetsch, who rocketed the puck past the Heat goalie from the top of the right circle. This was Frk’s first points in the AHL in 19 games with the Griffins.
Reinhart earned his first goal of the game later in the first as he snuck around McCollum and put the puck between the pipes.
Abbotsford nearly recorded a third goal shortly after, but the official ruled an incidental contact on McCollum to keep the Griffins within one.
Xavier Ouellet evened the tally with a slapshot 4:59 into the second frame, but the Griffins failed to gain the advantage. Later in the period, the Heat would retake the lead after Markus Granlund lifted the puck pas McCollum.
With 90 seconds left in a scoreless third period, the Griffins pulled McCollum out of goal in favor of a sixth attacker. Despite firing a few shots, Abbotsford held Grand Rapids at bay to secure their victory.
Grand Rapids entered the game with a one point first place lead in the AHL but fell to third place following the loss with a 27-11-1-2 record. They still hold an 11 point lead in the Midwest Division.
McCollum made 33 saves and allowed three goals after he earned his second shutout of the season Friday night when they beat the Heat, 3-0.
Grand Rapids will travel to Texas for a weekend tilt on Friday against the Stars and Saturday and then at the San Antonio Rampage Sunday evening. The Griffins next home game will be January 31 when the Chicago Wolves look to even the series at 4-4.
