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Pare's Hat Trick Helps Rip Rochester 5-2
Players getting hot at just the right time...
By Jason Kasiorek
www.griffinscentral.com
March, 5th, 2011

The suddenly potent Grand Rapids offense scored five goals for the third game in a row to defeat the visiting Rochester Americans 5-2. Slick scorer Frankie Pare led the way with a hat trick (16,17,18) while Tatar (18) and Minard (15) added singles in the winning effort. Minard has scored 6 goals in his last 7 games after a brutal first half slump and has now scored 12 goals in his last 23 games. Jordan Pearce made 25 saves to record his 13th win if the season.

Smith put a point shot on net and Pare picked it up in front, slid it around Plante and scored a pretty goal. The Griffins had several good chances on the powerplay, generating some great scoring opportunities. Minard especially was very active around the net late in the period. Shots on goal: GR 14 - Roc 8.

Rochester got even on a powerplay early in the second. Duck slid the puck over and put a quick shot on net that just snuck through Pearce. Johnson was getting roughed for a whole shift and then turned around and high sticked Baier. Minard stepped in and took a poke at him, and all three went to the box. Emmerton hit Pare on a breakaway, and the shifty forward went in, froze Plante and wristed a shot by him glove side. The Amerks evened things up again when Cullen came up with the puck in a pileup out front that he jammed at until it went in. The Griffins are putting a siege on the Amerks net late in the period. On the thirtieth shot on goal Pare golfed a shot in over Plante and into the top corner of the net for a hat trick. Shots on goal: GR 16 - Roc 10.

Play in the corner with Meech defending, Tardif came in and smoked Cullen. Minard snatched a puck out of midair in the high slot and ripped it over Plante for a 4-2 lead. Plante to the bench for an extra skater with a little less than a minute to go. Tardif got hit from behind as he tried for the empty net and the puck went wide. He got back up and on the next play hit Tatar in front for an empty netter to seal the deal at 5-2. Shots on Goal: GR 12 - Roc 11. For the Game: GR 42 - Roc 29.

Lines:
Tatar - Filppula - Tardif
Minard - Johnson - Mursak
Emmerton - Pare - Andersson
Straub - Raedeke - Keefe

Pairings:
Janik - Pyett
Smith - Ehrhardt
Meech - Amadio

Starter: Pearce
Backup: Spratt

Scratches:
Kolosov - Knee Owens - broken arm Lashoff

PP:
Minard - Emmerton - Mursak
Johnson - Smith

Tatar - Filppula - Tardif
Meech - Pare

PK:
Emmerton - Tardif/Mursak
Pyett/Amadio - Meech

Andersson - Tatar
Pyett - Smith

Mursak - Johnson

Observations:

Great Game! The guys really put the pedal down in the third to close this one out!

Pyett had another tough game on defense. At one point as the last man back he coughed up the puck and allowed a 4 on 1 on Pearce. He also failed to pick up his man several times around the net and allowed some great chances on his own guy.

Nice to see Pare rewarded on the scoresheet, he does work hard for his success.

Minard is really getting hot at just the right time, today, he had a team high 8 shots on goal. He also is scoring goals at a regular rate for the first time this season.


Official Game Sheet