GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS 3 at Milwaukee Admirals 2
MILWAUKEE – The Grand Rapids Griffins punched their ticket to the 2017 Calder Cup Playoffs with a 3-2 victory over the Milwaukee Admirals on Sunday at UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena. Entering play with their magic number at two, the Griffins (43-18-1-4) secured their fifth consecutive postseason berth to match a club record lasting from 1999-00 through 2003-04, marking the earliest date that the franchise has clinched a playoff spot in 11 years since clinching on March 12, 2006. The result also keeps Grand Rapids three points above Chicago in the Central Division standings with two games in hand. The Griffins were in complete control throughout the opening period, outshooting the Admirals by a 16-6 count.
Ben Street started the scoring 3:36 into the contest when he took a pass from Eric Tangradi at the Milwaukee line and sent a wrist shot from the left circle past the blocker of Marek Mazanec. Milwaukee (39-22-3-3) answered back on its first power play chance as Pontus Aberg lifted a wrist shot from the left circle off the inside of the right post and in with 3:12 gone in the second. Grand Rapids was fortunate not to allow a shorthanded goal near the halfway mark when Aberg intercepted Jared Coreau’s clearing attempt only to have Street block his weak attempt on an otherwise vacated goal.
Mitch Callahan capitalized on the man advantage to put the Griffins back in front with 20.2 ticks left in the middle period. After Brian Lashoff’s wrist shot from the right point was fought off by Mazanec, the rebound deflected off a Milwaukee stick to Callahan in the slot for a shot inside the left post to become the eighth Grand Rapids skater to net 15 or more goals this season. Aberg evened the score for a second time when his wraparound attempt pinballed off the underside of Coreau’s left pad and right skate before trickling over the goalline at the 8:58 mark of the third.
Evgeny Svechnikov recaptured the lead for the Griffins, scoring what proved to be the game-winner with 8:26 remaining. Dylan McIlrath’s centering pass out of the right corner reached Svechnikov in front for a shot that grazed a piece of Mazanec’s blocker-side shoulder but still found the top right corner. The hosts were given a late opportunity on the man advantage after Lashoff was called for hooking at the 17:49 mark and eventually pulled Mazanec to create a 6-on-4 advantage in skaters with just over a minute left.
However, tempers boiled over with 35 seconds on the clock as Mike Ribeiro and McIlrath got into a confrontation while the latter was in his own bench area. McIlrath received an interference minor, but Ribeiro was slapped with minors for slashing and roughing as well as a misconduct to negate the power play. Milwaukee called timeout and pulled Mazanec again with 25.6 seconds to go, but failed to create any meaningful chances as the Griffins held on for their sixth win in 10 meetings against the Admirals this season. Both sides finished 1-for-6 on the power play.
Coreau blocked 23 shots for his team-leading 16th win of the campaign while Mazanec turned away 29 shots in defeat to earn third-star accolades.
The Griffins return to Van Andel Arena on Wednesday for a 7 p.m. rematch against the Admirals.
Notes: Nathan Paetsch skated in his 350th Griffins game while Tangradi played in his 350th AHL contest…
With the primary assist on Street’s goal, Tangradi extended his point streak to seven consecutive games, registering nine points (4-5–9) in that span…Street has 13 points (8-5–13) over his last 12 games.
Three Stars: 1. MIL Aberg (two goals); 2. GR Street (goal, assist); 3. MIL Mazanec (L, 29 saves)