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Eagles shut out the Griffins at Van Andel Arena, 2-0

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Outstanding defense by the Colorado Eagles has put an end to the Grand Rapids Griffins' four-game winning streak.

The Griffins lost, 2-0, in front of 8,322 vocal fans at Van Andel Area on Friday night. Eagles' goaltender Adam Scheel played well, but it was the Eagles' defense that was the primary reason for the shutout. Grand Rapids ended up with 29 shots on goal to the Eagles' 15, including a whopping 17-3 advantage in the final frame. But Colorado made a first-period goal by Wyatt Aamodt on a slapshot and a 2nd-period goal by Jere Innala hold up.

The Griffins thought they had scored for a brief moment with :10 seconds left in regulation, but the scoring lamp behind them did not turn on: the final frustration for their offense. A video review was held after the final horn blew, but the ruling on the ice stood up: no goal.

However, the Griffins get a quick chance for revenge - they will host the Eagles again Saturday night at Van Andel Arena, at 7 p.m.

Grand Rapids was 31-25-12 on the season coming into the game, good for 54 points and first place atop the American Hockey League's Central Division.

1st Period: The Griffins allowed a goal late in the first period, the only marker in the opening 20 minutes. Following a turnover, Wyatt Aamodt took a quick feed and blasted a slapshot from just inside the left point.

[7:16pm] The Griffins' Carson Bantle gets a 2-minute tripping penalty just 2:34 into the game, but GR kills it off. [7:22pm] The Eagles' Adam Scheel with a bit of a sprawling save on a quick Carter Mazur shoulder-high shot 12:31 in the 1st period. [7:26] Joe Snively with a slapshot from the left circle sails just wide of the Colorado cage. The Griffins lead in shots on goal, 4-3, with 7:53 to go in the first. {7:31] With 6:31 to go, the Eagles' forward Ivan Ivan goes to the sin bin for holding. The Griffins have their first power play tonight. The Griffins have been at 33% with the man advantage the past 12 games. The Eagles killed it and then T.J. Tynan takes exception to physical play near his team's goal crease and rams into the Griffins' Gabriel Seger with 4:05 left in the 1st frame. But no penalty is called. [7:38] The Eagles draw first blood with a slapshot from just inside the point by defenseman Wyatt Aamodt at the 17:25 mark, assisted by Oskar Olausson and Tye Felhaber. The Griffins turned over the puck, which was quickly fed to Aamodt. The Griffins lead in shots on goal, 5-4, after 1 period of play.

2nd Period: A tight defensive battle between two defensive-minded teams, but Colorado takes a 2-0 lead to intermission. The Griffins' defense allowed a couple breakaways and paid the price on the scoreboard. The Eagles might have got a break from the zebras, too: they muscled and cross-checked the Griffins quite a bit, but Grand Rapids had the period's only two penalties.

[8:00] 2nd period action underway, and the Griffins get penalized right away, with Antii Tuomisto getting whistled for a 2-minute high-sticking no-no just :46 seconds in the 2nd stanza. However, the Griffins successfully killed it off. [8:05] And then, Tim Gettinger received a two-minute holding penalty at the 2:43 mark. The Eagles muster only a couple shots on goal with the man advantage, and that penalty is killed off, too. The Griffins' PK unit was on the ice the entire time of the penalty. [8:18pm] A tight defensive battle between the AHL's two best defensive teams. Only 16 total shots on goal past the midway point of the game; 8:54 left in the 2nd period - 8 for each team. The Eagles trying to muscle the Griffins, cross-checking and boarding them at every chance but not quite enough to draw a penalty. [8:24] With 5:25 to go in the 2nd period, the Eagle's Jean -Luc Foudy gets a breakaway and dekes Cossa out but rolls the puck just wide of the net. [8:25] The Eagles take advantage of a bad line change a moment later. A good forecheck and Jere Innala lights the lamp off a rebound at the 14:53 mark, assisted by Calle Rosen. The shots on goal for the game are even at 11-11, but the Eagles have a 2-0 lead on the scoreboard. {8:34] The Eagles and Griffins finish the 2nd period with 12 shots on goal apiece for the game. Colorado had 8 in the second period and Grand Rapids had 7.

3rd Period:

[8:53pm] 3rd period play underway at Van Andel Arena.

[9:00] The Griffins with a flurry of shots but no goals yet. A shot is redirected just wide of the Eagles' goal and defenseman Connor Mayer ends up face-down on the ice in front of the net. Grand Rapids is up on shots on goal, 21-14, with 8:32 left in regulation. They failed to capitalize on a 2-minute holding penalty to the Eagles' Callen Rosen at the 12:38 mark. The crowd then comes to its feet with a melee behind the Eagle's cage, as tempers flare. Into the penalty box go the Eagles' Chris Wagner (elbowing) and the Griffins' Austin Watson (roughing). The offsetting penalties come 11:18 into the 3rd period, leading to two minutes of 4-on-4 hockey. William Wallinder playing good defense in this game for Grand Rapids. Now just 5 minutes left. Despite 22 shots on goal to the Eagles' 14 in this game, the Griffins have yet to put the puck in the net.

**********GAME NOTES************

-The three stars on the game were announced by public address announcer Eric Zane : 3) Innala; 2) Aamodt; 1) Scheel.

-This was the third game this season between the Griffins and Eagles. Colorado won the first one on Dec. 13 on its home ice, and the Griffins beat the Eagles the next day there, 3-2, in a shootout overtime game.

-The Griffins wore their "Red Wings white" uniforms, with the white tops, red pants and trim. The Eagles were decked out in dark blue shirts and pants.

-The Griffins were on a four-game winning streak and a six-game point streak coming into the contest. They had been averaging four goals per game during the streak.

-Griffins' goalie Sebastian Cossa had a 2.02 Goals Against Average coming into the game. He played well, but got no goal support from the Griffins' offense.

-Per Griffins' public relations:

-Come Out Firing - When the Griffins start hot, things usually turn out pretty well for the team, as - coming into the game - they had a 15-1-2-1 record when scoring the game’s first goal. They also had yet to suffer a regulation loss when leading after the first period (9-0-2-1) or when leading after the second period (14-0-2-0). When Grand Rapids is trailing after the opening frame, it is 3-8-1-0 and 4-9-0-0 when it trails after the second period. 

-The Eagles joined the AHL in 2018 and are the primary affiliate of the Colorado Avalanche...Colorado has qualified for each of the four AHL postseasons since joining the league.

-Defenseman Josiah Didier hails from Littleton, Colorado and played his collegiate years at the University of Denver from 2011-15. In addition, defensemen Antti Tuomisto (2020-22) and Shai Buium (2021-24), and forward Carter Mazur (2021-23) also competed at the University of Denver.

-This Date in Griffins History - 2003: Travis Richards becomes the first player to appear in 500 regular season games as a Griffin in Grand Rapids’ 4-3 win at Milwaukee. Jason Williams nets the Griffins’ lone hat trick of the season. 

-Guess Who’s Back? - Carter Mazur was sidelined for 35 games from Oct. 19-Jan. 22 due to rehabbing an upper-body injury. Mazur made his long-awaited return last Thursday at Manitoba, collecting an assist, and now has four points (1-3—4) in the first six contests of his season. The 70th overall pick by the Detroit Red Wings in 2021 has totaled 47 points (21-26—47) in 72 pro games with the Griffins since 2022-23. Last season, Mazur paced the team’s rookies with 37 points (17-20—37) in 60 regular-season games before tying for second among all skaters on the team with eight points (3-5—8) in nine playoff outings. 

Jere Innala lights the lamp off a rebound for the Colorado Eagles at the 14:53 mark of the 2nd period against the Griffins in Grand Rapids on Jan. 31, 2025, at Van Andel Arena.Photo: Photos by: Steve Katerberg

The Eagles draw first blood against the Griffins with a slapshot from just inside the point by defenseman Wyatt Aamodt at the 17:25 mark of the 1st period.Photo: Photo by Steve Katerberg

A melee in front of the Eagles' goal late in the 2nd stanza, as things got a little "unfriendly" between the two teams on Jan. 31, 2025, in Grand Rapids. The Griffins will host them in a rematch tomorrow (Saturday) night.Photo: Photo by: Steve Katerberg


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