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Wolves Whack Outgunned Griffins 5-3
Filppula nets two in losing effortÉ
By Jason Kasiorek
www.griffinscentral.com
January, 22nd, 2011

Two former Griffins got the best of their former team for the second night in a row, with Darren Haydar scoring a goal and Drew MacIntyre notching the win. MacIntyre always seems to save his best games for Grand Rapids, and tonight was no exception as he made 35 saves to out-duel Joey MacDonald again. Ilari Filppula scored two goals and travis Ehrhardt filling in on the wing scored his 4th of the season in the loss. The Griffins, already missing 7 regulars, lost center Cory Emmerton this morning on recall to the parent Detroit Red Wings where he scored in his NHL debut.

Mahacek beat MacDonald with a riser from the slot, that he appeared to be screened on, to open the scoring just past the 7 minute mark of the first. The Wolves looked to have scored again a minute later, but the puck never crossed the line, and play continued. Esposito bowled over MacDonald in the crease with a big hit giving the Griffins another powerplay. Amadio laid a huge open ice hit on Deveaux, sending the Wolves' center flying. Shots on Goal: GR 10 - Chi 6.

Kozek chipped a shot in over MacDonald in the second to take 2-0 lead. Ehrhardt came from behind the net to pick up a rebound and slammed it home back door past MacIntyre to get the Griffins on the board two minutes later. Just over a minute later Davies restored the two goal lead when he threw the puck out in front and watched it go in off MacDonald's skate. Deveaux ran MacDonald and Amadio had enough, dropping the gloves and pummeling him. The game started to get rough at this point as both teams started to hit and scrum after the whistles. Ehrhardt tried to to dig the puck out of a pile along the boards and touched off a big scrum. Filppula cut the lead to one just shy of the thirteen minute mark on the powerplay when he picked up the second rebound and banged it home back door for his 14th of the season. Shots on Goal: GR 13 - Chi 11.

Deveaux made it 4-2 midway through the third , tipping in a point shot with a borderline high stick. Things are now getting ugly as the Wolves score again to make it 5-2 on a goal by former Griffin Darren Haydar. The Griffins are unable to take advantage of a 5-on-3 powerplay for a full two minutes, but manage to score just after the penalties expire, Filppula's second of the game. Owens is doing a good job of stirring up trouble after the whistle by MacIntyre. MacDonald is pulled in the last minute for the extra skater, but the Griffins are unable to get another goal. Shots on goal: GR 15 - Chi 6. For the Game: GR 38 - Chi 23.

Lines:
Owens - Andersson - Ehrhardt
Minard - Filppula - Coetzee
#5 Hedden - Johnson - Pare
Rankin - Raedeke - Keefe

Pairings:
Kolosov - Janik
Amadio - Pyett
Meech - Piche

Starter: MacDonald
Backup: Grumet-Morris

Scratches:
Tardif - Concussion Straub - Knee Smith - Shoulder Lashoff - Ankle McCollum - Finger

PP:
Minard - Filppula - Johnson
Pare - Meech

Owens - Andersson - Coetzee
Janik - Pyett

PK:
Owens - Andersson
Janik - Pyett

Johnson - Filppula
Kolosov - Meech

Observations:

MacDonald has got to be pretty upset with the way he was treated in this game. I lost count of the number of times he was hit, knocked down, and flat out run over with very few calls to show for it.

Filppula had a great game with 7 shots on goal and two goals to show for it.

Ehrhardt also had a great game playing up front and did not look out of place scoring a goal. His positioning and footwork make him stand out as a defenseman, but his game is really coming around.

Minard also was very dangerous tonight and should have had a couple of goals, but is as snakebit as I have ever seen.

Meech had another in a long string of strong outings. he moves the puck so well and is such a fluid skater he almost looks like a forward out there.


Official Game Sheet