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Heeter Blanks Monsters 5-0
Griffins netminder stops all 35 Cleveland shots...
By Jason Kasiorek
www.griffinscentral.com
January 21st, 2017
Cal Heeter came up with a big game against central division rivals, the Cleveland Monsters, stopping 35 shots to record his first shutout of the season. He had help from the Griffins vaunted offense, with five different players adding tallies. Martin Frk (14), Eric Tangradi (4), Evgeny Svechnikov (12), Matthew Ford (4) and Dylan Sadowy (4) provided more than enough offense for the win. Special teams also played a large role with the Griffins killing off both Monsters man advantages, while adding two powerplay markers of their own.
No notes on the first period. Frk scored his 14th. Shots on goal: GR 9 - Cle 9.
Matt Ford got highsticked in the corner and went down in a heap. The Griffins ended up with a four minute powerplay. Great defensive play by Martin Frk to breakup a shorthanded breakaway without taking a penalty. Tangradi on the doorstep chipped in a shot off the crossbar for a two-goal lead and a powerplay goal. Stellar save by Heeter to slide and over and take away the back door shot on a bang-bang play. Evgeny Svechnikov showing great patience around the net, holding the puck until he saw his shot and then blazing it through Forsberg five-hole to extend the lead to three. Gallant attacked Hicketts at the line, hitting him a wicked two-handed that looked more like a golf swing. This drew a crowd and touched off a scrum that looked like it was going to boil over into a line brawl. Frk clanked a big shot off the crossbar and wide of the net. Svechnikov with a big rip from the top of the circle. Tyler Bertuzzi rang a long shot off the crossbar. Ford in front of the net tipped a Svechnikov shot past Forsberg for a powerplay goal. Four-on-four for almost two minutes when Tangradi went off for holding. Allen set up Sadowy for a great chance and he redirected it just wide. Scramble in front of Forsberg as Dan Renouf tried to find an opening to put the puck in. Broadhurst got behind the defense and was taken down, leading to a penalty shot. Heeter took the net away and Broadhurst fired it wide. Shots on goal: GR 17 - Cle 12.
Grand Rapids powerplay looking abysmal midway through the third. The Monsters had more shorthanded chances than the Griffins had powerplay chances. Heeter with a big save and then played it up ice to key a breakout. Heeter with a big save on Moutrey right at the edge of the paint. Cleveland really pressing to break the goose egg late in the period. The Griffins sent the 4th line out on a late powerplay and Sadowy had a good chance to the side of the net. Grand Rapids with a 4-on-2 and Sadowy redirected it in over Forsberg and off the crossbar to make it 5-0. The last minute ticked down and Heeter notched his first shutout of the season. Shots on goal: GR 8 - Cle 14. For the Game: GR 31 - Cle 35.
Lines:
Ford - Criscuolo - Svechnikov
Bertuzzi - Nosek - Frk
Tangradi - Street - Callahan
Sadowy- Turgeon - Campbell
Pairings:
Paetsch - Hicketts
Lashoff - Allen
Renouf - Russo
Starter: Heeter
Backup: Pasquale
Scratches:
#11 Cleary - Veteran
#17 Caito
#21 Borkowski
#22 Aubry
#28 Lorito - Injured
PP:
Tangradi - Nosek - Callahan
Frk - Street
Bertuzzi - Criscuolo - Svechnikov
Ford - Russo
PK:
Callahan - Street
Paetsch - Renouf
Ford - Nosek
Lashoff - Allen
Observations:
Can't say enough about the game Cal Heeter played tonight. he was cool under pressure and made some big stops at key times. It is such a contrast to watch him in the net compared to batterymate Pasquale. Pasquale is very positional and doesn't move so much and he is a bigger guy that takes up a lot of the net. Heeter by contrast is much narrower and is constantly in motion and very animated.
Evgeny Svechnikov had another very good performance and easily could have scored a couple more goals. He was very dangerous around the net tonight, picking up the puck and firing it from anywhere, a real terror for Forsberg.
Conor Allenlooked like a guy that want to come out of the lineup again, playing with a lot of jump and really moving up into the play.
Note to Robbie Russo - Shoot the puck! It is so frustrating watching him at the point on the powerplay and they set him up for a one-timer and he stops and thinks a minute and then passes the puck to someone else.
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