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Stars Outshine Griffins In 6-4 Win
Texas Rallies for four unanswered goals...
By Jason Kasiorek
www.griffinscentral.com
January 13th, 2011
The Griffins managed to kill off a five minute penalty and still end the first period with a to goal lead, but it was all downhill from there as the visiting Texas Stars scored four unanswered goals to rout the Griffins 6-4. Willie Coetzee opened the scoring for GR with his 8th of the campaign before the Stars sandwiched a pair of powerplay goals around Joakim Andersson's shorthanded tally. Chris Conner and Gustav Nyquist had the other goals for the Griffins. Thomas McCollum had a shaky outing between the pipes stopping 31 shots in the losing effort.
Smith stung Garbutt with a point blast. Coetzee opened the scoring when he shot in on the wing and lasered a shot from the circle off the post and past Raycroft. Wathier and Amadio came together along the boards and then dropped the gloves for a spirited match. They were still trying to get at each other right up until Amadio got the boot, drawing an extra major for interference. Texas scored early into the powerplay on a puck that went in off Tatar's stick. Nyquist and Andersson got a shorthanded two on one and both went to the front of the net where Nyquist hit Andersson for the tap in. Texas got the goal right back to tie the game, still on the powerplay. The Griffins regained the lead on a pretty tic-tac-toe passing play between Coetzee, Conner and Ferraro that ended up in the net off Conner's stick. Nyquist made it 4-2 late in the period, showing good perseverance to keep poking at the puck until it went in. With the exception of the five-minute penalty to Amadio, the Griffins carried the play most of the period. Shots on Goal: GR 8 - Tex 15.
Texas took advantage of a turnover to notch a shorthanded goal early in the second to cut the lead to one. McCollum then let in a softy from the slot from Wathier that had MacDonald look down the bench at Fraser to see if he was going in. Tom was then saved by the post to keep in knotted at four. Aubry got the puck and drove to the net for a quality scoring chance, but was taken down with no call. Tatar made a great play to hit Pare through traffic, Pare then put the puck on the tape of Johnson at the back door. Raycroft just got over to make the stop. Great aggressive PK by Grand Rapids to kill off a four-minute powerplay. Shots on Goal: GR 13 - Tex 14.
Pyett got tied up with a stars player in the crease allowing a wide-open shot on an obstructed McCollum and the lead for Texas. Exelby laid out Gadzik with a clean open ice hit in the GR zone. Grand Rapids can't get anything going and with time running down on the game, Janik goes to the box leaving GR a man short. McCollum to the bench for another skater but Morin scores an empty netter at the horn to cap off a 6-4 Stars win. Shots on goal: GR 10 - Tex 8. For the Game: GR 31 - Tex 37.
Lines:
Nyquist - Andersson - Brunnstrom
Tatar - Johnson - Pare
Conner - Ferraro - Coetzee
Raedeke - Aubry - Callahan
Pairings:
Smith - Janik
Lashoff - Pyett
Exelby - Piche
Starter: McCollum
Backup: MacDonald
Scratches:
Ehrhardt - Shoulder (Long Term)
Piche - Eye
Parkes
PP:
Nyquist - Andersson - Brunnstrom
Janik - Smith
Tatar - Johnson - Pare
Lashoff - Pyett
Conner - Ferraro - Coetzee
PK:
Tatar - Ferraro
Lashoff - Exelby
Johnson - Conner
Janik - Smith
Pare - Andersson
Raedeke - Callahan
Observations:
Coetzee showed some great chemistry with his junior linemate Ferraro and Chris Conner. He has a great touch around the net and just needs to keep working on his game.
Speaking a Ferraro, he is really starting to come into his own and is really looking like the blue chip prospect he was supposed to be when drafted, erasing some of the doubts of the last couple of injury plagued seasons.
Brian Lashoff had a strong game and got a ton of ice time. He played shorthanded, on the powerplay and at even strength. It appears he has turned the corner on his development and is working his way into the top four, playing more than Pyett.
Callahan also had an effective game playing aggressive and physical. He was especially effective on the Penalty Kill.
Thomas McCollum started out strong but got shaky as the game went on. The key will be to see how he shrugs it off and comes back the next game. Chris Osgood and Jim Bedard were on hand to watch the game, and hopefully can help him recover.
Logan Pyett had a bad game and seemed to have trouble handing the puck the whole game. He bobbled passes, and had a couple of defensive gaffes one of which ended up in his net. He also turned a minor penalty into a four-minute penalty by arguing the call; more is expected from a fourth year defenseman.
Frankie Pare did not have much to show for the ice time he received tonight. The streaky winger needs to engage more and play with some more intensity. The team needs more from him.
I couldn't see the original hit and penalty because there were so many drunk college kids standing up in front of me, but Amadio's meltdown and subsequent ejection certainly did not help the team either.
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