Grand Rapids beat Toronto, 3-1, Wednesday afternoon. Photo/Grand Rapids Griffins
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Grand Rapids Griffins looked to redeem themselves in Toronto after a 4-0 shutout loss to the Milwaukee Admirals at Van Andel Arena last Saturday night.
As the season enters the last two months of the regular season, points are at a premium. They are now 3-1 since the All Star break and currently ranked third in the Midwest Division behind the Milwaukee Admirals and in seventh place in the Western Conference. Every point matters in the very competitive Western Conference.
Even though Grand Rapids and Toronto haven’t been rivals as long as their Original Six NHL affiliates have, when attending or even watching these games, you may have to do a double take because both teams have NHL talent not just on the ice but even the coaches on the bench.
As the first period got under way, the Toronto Marlies took an early 1-0 lead at the 2:51 mark. Marlies right winger Matt Frattin ripped a wrist shot from the top of the right circle past Grand Rapids goalie Jonas Gustavsson.
At the 15:37 mark of the first the Griffins tied the game at 1 on the backhanded goal by Teemu Pulkkinen past Toronto’s goalie Christopher Gibson. That goal gave him his 25th goal of the 2014-15 campaign.
No goals were scored in the second period but both goalies were put to the test, especially Griffins goalie Jonas Gustavsson. Gustavsson is on a rehab assignment from the Detroit Red Wings. The shots at the end of the second were 11-9 in favor of Toronto.
Entering into the third period, no team seemed to have taken an advantage. Just about five minutes passed the midpoint of the period Griffins center Andy Miele notched the game winning goal passed Gibson to give Grand Rapids a 2-1 lead.
With just a minute remaining in the third Marlies head coach Gord Dineen pulled Gibson for an extra attacker in hopes of tying the game. Griffins left winger Teemu Pulkkinen took a pass from center Andy Miele and notched his 2nd goal of the game and 26th of the season to put the game out of reach for Toronto.
With his 25th and 26th goals of the season Teemu Pulkkinen earned his 50th point of the season and is the AHL’s leading score of the 2014-15 season.
Both goalies played a phenomenal game. Griffins goalie Jonas Gustavsson earned the win turning away 30 of 31 shots faced while Marlies goalie Christopher Gibson got the loss stopping 27 of 29 shots faced.
Grand Rapids returns home to take on the Rochester Americans in a two game home stand. The puck drops at 7pm at Van Andel Arena.
