A 4-3 shootout loss to end the regular season not only soured any momentum Grand Rapids could have heading into the postseason, but also kept them from clinching the Midwest Division. Chicago won the division as a result. Photo/Grand Rapids Griffins.
[dropcap]A[/dropcap] 4-3 shootout loss Saturday night to the Lake Erie Monsters didn’t just end the regular season for the Grand Rapids Griffins on a sour note, but also dashed any hope of clinching the Midwest Division title for the second consecutive year.
The game-winning goal for the Monsters came during the shootout when Monsters’ Brett Clark had his shot initially stopped, but the puck hit the crossbar and bounced of goalie Tom McCollum’s back to seal the Griffins’ fate. Grand Rapids (46-23-2-5), who led the Midwest Division since November 3, fell behind Chicago by one point in the standings, giving the division to the Wolves.
Despite the loss, Grand Rapids refused to go down easy in Saturday night’s season finale. After losing the last home game of the year, Grand Rapids was looking to rebound and head into the postseason with some momentum.
The opening frame was scoreless, despite plenty of opportunities on both sides of the ice. During the second of two power plays in the first period, Landon Ferraro had a couple of chances from the doorstep and point-blank ranges, but failed to capitalize. Lake Erie’s Mike Sgarbossa went one-on-one with McCollum but his shot rattled off the pipes and failed to net the puck.
Michael Heard broke the deadlock 5:18 into the second period with a wrister shot right above McCollum’s glove in a two-on-one rush. Andreas Athanasiou would answer a little over a minute later, scoring his first professional goal in just his second professional game. He knocked the puck in from the left post to tie the game after Adam Almquist quickly dropped a pass from Teemu Pulkkinin to Athanasiou.
Athanasiou struck again 53 seconds later, rushing the net and fought for the shot. The puck popped free to Andrej Nestrasil at the top of the crease, who rolled the shot along the goal line. The shot was ruled at first a no-goal, but Nestrasil was awarded his 15th goal of the season to take the lead. Anthanasiou earned his third point in two games with the assist.
With 1:11 left in the second period, Lake Erie (32-33-1-10) knotted things up again. Troy Bourke dropped a pass to a charging David van der Gulik, who tapped it in.
Bourke helped again in the third after redirecting a shot from Daniel Maggio to put the Monsters on top 3:57 in. Ryan Sproul evened the score again from the blue line, sending a wrist shot into the top left corner during a four-on-four play.
PLAYOFF LOOK
The fourth-seeded Griffins will face the fifth-seeded Heat Friday in the first round of the playoffs. Photo/Grand Rapids Griffins
Grand Rapids, who takes the fourth-seed in the Western Conference, will face fifth-seeded Abbotsford Heat Friday for the first of a best-of-five series to begin their Calder Cup defense.
The Griffins have never faced the Heat in the postseason but hold the season advantage over Abbotsford, going 3-1 this year. Grand Rapids split a pair at Van Andel Arena on Jan. 17 (3-0 W) and Jan. 18 (2-3 L) before earning a sweep in British Columbia on Feb. 28 (4-3 SOW) and March 1 (5-2 W).
Additionally, the Griffins will also face an old friend in defenseman Chad Billins. Billins was an integral part of the Griffins championship team from last year as a rookie, and has established himself as the top scorer for the Heat, posting 41 points (10-31-41).
The schedule for the first round is below along with information to watch or listen to the games.
