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Mighty Moose Stomp Listless Griffins 4-1
Moose score 4 unanswered goals in 3rd...
By Jason Kasiorek
www.griffinscentral.com
February 10th, 2023
Steven Kampfer notched his fourth goal of the season on a powerplay for the Griffins early in the first to give them a lead. The stellar netminding of Alex Nedeljkovic kept them in the lead despite an apathetic game by the home team for the first 41 minutes until Limoges scored early in the third. The game turned into a rout with Nedeljkovic on the bench for the extra attacker and the visiting Moose added a pair of empty netters to skate away with a 4-1 victory. The loss broke a four-game winning streak for the Griffins and spoiled the debut of Adam Erne, recently assigned by Detroit.
First Period
Good scoring chance for the Moose early in the period, the puck came out of the corner and deflected right between Ned's pad, but he squeezed them together to just make the save. Joel L'Esperance in on the Manitoba net with speed and was hooked, taking away his scoring chance and setting up a Griffins powerplay. Kampfer out by the blueline drifted to the center of the line and let a low shot go that found its way past Holm for a 1-0 lead. A big scrum broke out in front of the penalty boxes as the Griffins took exception to Torgersson boarding Wyatt Newpower. Simon Edvinsson looking very low energy, gave away the puck twice on the Griffins powerplay, allowing a shorthanded chance against. Hirose had a good chance in the circle, but had his stick lifted and lost it. Shots on goal: GR 10 - Man 9.
Second Period
Grand Rapids looking disorganized and out of sync in the second. Having trouble passing the puck cleanly with no fluidity or intensity to their play. Missed passes, passes off skates and drop passes to nobody are the highlights of the period. Big hit by Adam Erne and then Weatherby was whistled for Tripping, leading to a GR penalty-kill. Manitoba with a great chance with possession of the puck right in front of a wide-open cage, but somehow Nedeljkovic got a piece of it to keep it out. Chippy play, sticks up and elbows up as time ticks down on the period. Elmer Soderblom on the doorstep with a great chance but ran out of room to get the shot off. Griffins with a late powerplay, but it was a trainwreck as they couldn't get possession in the Manitoba zone. Albert Johansson fired a big shot from the backend, and Danny O'Regan just missed scoring on the rebound. The moose ended the period killing off yet another penalty, this time for too many men on the ice.
Shots on goal: GR 8 - Man 11.
Third Period
Manitoba finally solved Nedeljkovic just over a minute into the third when Toninato's shot from the point was redirected by Limoges in front. A little over four minutes later, things started to slip away for the Griffins when Harkins picked a corner and beat Nedeljkovic for their first lead of the game. Edvinsson grappling with Toninato behind the net touching off another scrum. Erne playing with some fire had another big hit, stole the puck and centered through traffic, but no one was in front to pick it up. As if things didn't look bad enough, the coach summoned Ned to the bench for an extra skater with 2 minutes remaining. Grand Rapids promptly gave up the puck a couple of times in a row and Reichel hit the empty net with two Griffins down on the ice in front to push the lead to 3-1. In a moment of déjà vu, Ned was again called to the bench and Manitoba scored again for the final 4-1 margin. Shots on Goal: GR 6 - Man 13. For the Game: GR 24 - Man 33.
Starting Lines:
#25 Soderblom - #26 Jasper Weatherby - #73 Adam Erne
#15 Vrana - #56 O'Regan - #9 Luff
#17 Hirose - #27 Czarnik - #11 L'Esperance
#32 Spezia - #22 Pearson - #65 Shine
Pairings:
#40 Newpower = #77 Edvinsson
#33 Johansson - #5 Viro
##37 Sebrango - #40 Newpower
Starter: #34 Nedeljkovic
Backup: #1 Brattstrom
Scratches:
#3 McIsaac
#18 Lashoff - Veteran
#29 Chiasson - Veteran
#71 Hanas - Injury (out for season) shoulder
#82 Craggs - Injured (out for season)
#96 Andreasson
PP:
#15 Vrana - #26 Weatherby - #73 Erne
#25 Soderblom - 20 Kampfer
#17 Hirose - #27 Czarnik - #11 L'Esperance
#9 Luff - #77 Edvinsson
PK:
#17 Hirose - #27 Czarnik
#33 Johansson - #20 Kampfer
#22 Pearson - #65 Shine
#40 Newpower - #77 Edvinsson
Observations:
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