MILWAUKEE, WI. -- The Grand Rapids Griffins showed no rust after a nine-day layoff in beating the Admirals on their home ice in Milwaukee, in Game 1 of the American Hockey League Central Division finals Wednesday night, 4-2.
The Admirals did outshoot the Griffins, by a wide margin, 28-14. Grand Rapids goaltender Sebastian Cossa was credited with 26 saves. Admirals netminder Troy Grosenick turned aside 10 of 13 shots directed at him. But the Griffins made more of their shots count, never trailing in the first game of the best-of-five playoff series. The Griffins only allowed four shots on goal in the opening period. Milwaukee outshot G.R., 24-8, over the next two periods.
A crowd of 3,266 witnessed the contest at UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena. Game 2 will be played there on Monday night. You can listen to on 96.1 The Game. The pre-game talk-up will begin at 7:45 p.m. EDT.
Grand Rapids had to wait nine days to play its next game after defeating the Rockford IceHogs in the opening playoff round in early May. The Admirals were coming off an exhilarating first-round series, rallying from a two-games-to-none deficit against the Texas Stars to skate away with a 3-2 series win.
Here are some moment-by-moment game notes:
[10:26pm] The Griffins win the opening game of the AHL Central Division finals, 4-2, at Milwaukee, which outshot the Griffins in the game, 28-14. Joel L'Esperance scored the final (power play) goal with :34 seconds left to go. Marco Kasper and Albert Johansson notched the assists on a nice give-and-go. That was sweet for the Griffins, which had been 0-for-9 on postseason power play opportunities before L'Esperance lit the lamp - his first of the playoffs.
Carter Mazur would have had another goal in the final moments, but Marc Del Gaizo hooked him to the ice when he was wide open and skating in on an empty net, after the Admirals had pulled their goalie for an extra attacker.
Kasper was named the Player of the Game after he racked up a goal and two assists.
[10:10pm] Marco Kasper scores to give the Griffins a 3-2 lead with 9:57 left in regulation. Brogan Rafferty and William Wallinder get the assists. Wallinder with a good move to get the puck up ice, and then Kasper converted by lifting the puck over Admirals goalie Troy Grosenick's trapper.
[10:06pm] A wild scramble in front of the Griffins' net, and somehow GR goalie Sebastian Cossa keeps the disc from crossing the goal line. That was the good news for Grand Rapids, but the bad is that Milwaukee is going on a power play, following a tripping call against Carter Mazur 7:34 into the final frame. However, the Griffins' killed off the power play.
[9:30pm] The second period ends tied at 2-2. The Admirals lead in shots on goal, 16-10. Grand Rapids has had two leads, but the Admirals have pulled even after each Griffins goal.
[9:25pm] The Admirals have tied the game 16:18 into the second stanza, 2-2, moments after the Griffins failed to capitalize on a power-play opportunity. Right wing Phil Tomasino credited with the goal. That's his fourth marker in the playoffs, so far. Ozzy Wiesblatt and Fedor Svechkov with the assists.
[9pm] Zach Aston-Reese scores for the Griffins 3:50 into the 2nd period, to take a 2-1 lead at the Milwaukee Admirals. Assisting on the goal were Marco Kasper and Dominik Shine. Shots on goal even at 10-10 at 9:20pm ET.
[8:41pm] Griffins 1, Admirals 1 after one period in downtown Milwaukee. The Game. Bob Kaser announcing. The Griffins with six shots on goal after 1 period. The Admirals only had four shots on goal, but LaHeureux beat Sebastian Cossa with a one-timer on the breakaway.
[8:35pm] Zach LaHeureux scores for the Admirals 15:35 in the opening period, tying the game at 1-1. Ryan Ufko and Juuso Parssinen with the assists.
[8:10pm EDT] The Grand Rapids Griffins draw first blood in the AHL Central Division hockey finals at the Milwaukee Admirals. Carter Mazur scored the game's first goal at 4:48. Austin Czarnik and Jonatan Berggren with the assists. The Griffins had a nine-day layoff waiting for the outcome of the Milwaukee/Texas opening-round playoff series.
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