Griffins forward Teemu Pulkkinen extends goal streak to 7 games in 4-2 comeback win over Milwaukee. Photo/Grand Rapids Griffins
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Grand Rapids Griffin won for the first time in 2015 in comeback fashion over the Milwaukee Admirals.
The Griffins were trailing in the third period 2-1 when AHL and Griffins leading scorer tied up the game up at 2 and extended his goal streak to an astonishing seven games.
Grand Rapids entered into Friday night’s game coming off a tough shootout loss to the Midwest Division leaders, Rockford. Grand Rapids has been an exceptional team in its last seven games, going 5-1-0-1 and the only blemishes are from losses to divisional foes Chicago and Rockford.
The game started off with both teams going toe to toe that saw each team getting quality scoring chances. At 13:04 Milwaukee lit the lamp with a goal by center Colton Sissons. His goal came off a redirection of a pass from teammate Joe Pendenza.
The period came to an end with the Griffins outshooting the Admirals 13-6 but down 1-0 to Milwaukee.
Just a few minutes into the second period saw a nasty hit on Griffins center Louis-Marc Aubry who was hit in the head by Admirals left winger Michael Liambas as he was trying to keep the puck in the Admirals zone.
A fight broke out between Liambas and Griffins defensemen Brennan Evans. Both received penalties for fighting and Liambas received a match penalty and was sent to the locker room.
As the five minute power play for the Griffins was ending, Griffins left winger Anthony Mantha blistered a shot from the point past Hellberg to tie the game 1-1.
Former Griffin Triston Grant returned to face his former team and early in the third he added his name to the score sheet with an assist on Mark Van Guilders goal. The Admirals center took a short wrister and beat McCollum to give the Admirals the lead 2-1.
Not to be upstaged by his former teammate, at 15:28 of the third when Teemu Pulkkinen extended his goal streak to seven games when he put his one timer over the right shoulder of Hellberg to tie the game 2-2.
About a minute later Landon Ferraro scored his 11th goal of the season when he blocked a shot from Admirals defensemen John Diaby and scored on a breakaway putting a wrist shot past Hellberg’s blocker to give the Griffins a 3-2 lead.
The Milwaukee Admirals pulled Hellberg to give themselves an extra attacker while in the Griffins zone. Brandon Hoggan stole the puck and passed it to Ferraro who scored on the empty net sealing a Griffins victory with only a 1:30 left in the game.
McCollum earned his 8th win of the season while clearing away 24 of 26 shots faced. Hellberg took his 7th loss of the season clearing away 28 of 31 shots faced.
Grand Rapids will face the Charlotte Checkers Wednesday night at Van Andel Arena. Puck drops at 7 p.m.
