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Heat Burns GR in 4-3 Overtime Loss
Kolanos and Wilson take down former team...
By Jason Kasiorek
www.griffinscentral.com
December 21st, 2011
Former Griffins Krys Kolanos and Clay Wilson continued to be thorns in the side of the Grand Rapids team, scoring 3 goals and setting up the fourth in a 4-3 overtime win for the Abbotsford Heat. The Griffins peppered goalie Danny Taylor with 46 shots, but couldn't overcome the offense of Kolanos and Wilson. At the other end of the ice Joey MacDonald absorbed the OT loss, making 26 saves on 30 shots. The Griffins got goals from Brent Raedeke (3), Tomas Tatar (8) and Joakim Andersson (8).
The Griffins were ready to play from the opening whistle, putting Abbotsford on it's heels. Exelby took a hit to make a play and was laid out on his butt, but he didn't miss a shift. Smith got wiped out in the crease and MacDonald tried to go after the Heat player but was tied up with Smith and couldn't get out of the crease. Great give and go between Brunnstrom and Andersson, with Taylor just getting a glove on the shot. Former Griffin Clay Wilson dropped the gloves and grabbed Tatar in front of the Heat net. Tatar threw him to the ice and continued to punch him until the officials intervened. Shots on Goal: GR 17 - Abb 9.
Amadio left his man in front to challenge for the puck behind the net. One quick pass and Kolanos in front snapped a shot behind MacDonald. Smith snuck a low shot through traffic with Parkes and Callahan digging for garbage in front. Raedeke got credit for the goal. Kolanos stole the puck and scored his second of the night, continuing his personal grudge match against his former employers the Griffins with five goals in the last five periods he has played against them. Callahan went down in front of the Heat bench and was chopped at by a seated Robins, the second cheap shot of the night he got away with. Tatar came late and one-timed a back door pass that snapped the twine behind Taylor to knot the score at two. The period ended with a big scrum in front of MacDonald but cooler heads prevailed. Shots on Goal: GR 14 - Abb 14.
Andersson converted a feed from Nyquist early in the third to give the Griffins their first lead of the game. The leaf was short-lived as former wings draft pick Quintin Laing scored from Kolanos and Wilson to forge another tie. The Griffins had a great shorthanded chance on a 2-on-1 with Andersson and Pare, but Taylor gloved it. Brunnstrom made a great play to spin into the zone with the puck on his stick and fired a shot that rolled right up Taylor and just outside the post. Grand Rapids really pressured the net late in the period on the powerplay. Lashoff stung Bouma with a point shot that left the Heat forward on the ice. Shots on goal: GR 14 - Abb 6.
OT
Overtime didn't last long as the teams traded scoring chances. Wilson scored the game winner when he fired a low shot from the circle past MacDonald. Shots on goal: GR 1 - Abb 1. For the Game: GR 46 - Abb 30.
Lines:
Nyquist - Andersson - Brunnstrom
Parkes - Raedeke - Callahan
Aubry - Ferraro - Coetzee
Tatar - Johnson - Pare
Pairings:
Janik - Smith
Lashoff - Pyett
Exelby - Amadio
Starter: MacDonald
Backup: Pearce
Scratches:
Ehrhardt - Shoulder (back soon)
Estoclet
Piche
PP:
Tatar - Johnson - Pare
Janik - Smith
Brunnstrom - Andersson - Nyquist
Lashoff - Pyett
PK:
Andersson - Pare
Janik - Pyett
Ferraro - Tatar
Exelby - Lashoff
Raedeke - Callahan
Observations:
Grand Rapids certainly deserved a better fate than they received. They played well enough to win, but couldn't do it.
Exelby had a tough night statistically, but set the physical tone early.
Andersson looked very good on an all Swedish line with Nyquist and Brunnstrom. They really looked to have some great chemistry, and Andersson was involved offensively, showing off some creative flair.
Parkes continues to impress since returning from the ECHL. He used his speed and size to go to the net and create chances, and was tough to play against. It is only a matter of time before the puck starts to go in for him.
Tatar looked very fired up this game, and really drove to the net with the puck. He scored a big goal and played physical, even dropping the gloves. The more he is involved, the better this team will be.
The Aubry-Ferraro-Coetzee line had another strong game using its speed to give the Heat fits.
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