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Lashoff's Overtime Winner Downs Wolves 2-1
McCollum stands tall in late rally...
By Jason Kasiorek
www.griffinscentral.com
December 22nd, 2012
Thomas McCollum played one of is strongest games of the season in handing the Chicago Wolves their fourth loss against the Griffins this season. The fourth year netminder stopped 31 shots for the win, surrendering only a screened powerplay goal in the third. Adam Almquist had a pair of assists on the night while Ferraro (9) and Lashoff (2) provided the margin of victory. The win was Grand Rapids' third straight, keeping them in 1st place in the division with a 16-9-1-1 record.
Things got off to an auspicious start when McCollum left the net to track down a puck in the corner and then had to dive back into the crease when the puck drifted toward the open net. Ferraro had a great scoring chance on a shorthanded breakaway midway through the period. Sheahan just about snuck a shot through five hole on yet another shorthanded breakaway on the same penalty. Climie stood tall for Chicago when he stopped a rocket of a shot from Andersson camped out in the slot to keep the game scoreless. Shots on Goal: GR 11 - Chi 14.
Smith took a stick in the face and fell to the ice stunned. He gutted it out out thought and blocked a shot before clearing the puck and heading to the bench. Later in the period a huge hit by Grant created a great chance for Smith who collected the loose puck in the slot and whistled a shot into Climie. Shots on Goal: GR 8 - Chi 10.
The Wolves Archibald, screening McCollum on the powerplay. tipped a shot past him to break a scoreless tie early in the third. McCollum got knocked down hard by Schroeder in traffic around the net. On the ensuing powerplay, Ferraro knotted the score at one when he rifled a shot from the circle past Climie, high stick-side, on a great pass by Almquist. Andersson took the puck up ice, split the defense and fired a point blank shot on Climie. Tatar crashed the crease and poked the puck home, but it was ruled that the whistle had blown before it entered the net. Shots on Goal: GR 8 - Chi 7.
Midway through the overtime, Tatar gained the zone, and fed Almquist in the slot. Almquist showed great patience in drawing the defenders to him before hitting Lashoff in the circle. Lashoff fired a low shot into the net for the overtime game winner. Shots on Goal: GR 1 - Chi 1. For the Game: GR 28 - Chi 32.
Lines:
Hoggan - Ferraro - Nestrasil
Tatar - Andersson - Nyquist
Pare - Sheahan - Jurco
Grant - Glendening - Callahan
Pairings:
Evans - Billins
Paetsch - Smith
Almquist - Lashoff
Starter: McCollum
Backup: Mrazek
Scratches:
Raedeke
Parkes
Aubry
Fournier
Nicastro
PP:
Tatar - Andersson - Nyquist
Smith - Billins
Pare - Sheahan - Ferraro
Paetsch - Almquist
PK:
Ferraro - Andersson
Paetsch - Smith
Andersson - Callahan
Almquist - Evans
Sheahan - Ferraro
Glendening - Nyquist
Observations:
McCollum has long suffered a reputation for having a wandering attention span, and getting down on himself after allowing a goal. Those days may be over as he has turned in three impressive wins and a shutout in his last four starts (the other being a blowout 5-0 loss). He was focused and stymied the Wolves all night.
As Sheahan gets more and more comfortable, different parts of his game seem to stand out. Tonight it was his lightning quick release. He can get a shot off seemingly in an instant with a lot of power on it. He is particularly dangerous in front of the net or in the left wing circle.
Great to see Lashoff with the game winner. He has played well as of late and quietly had an exceptional game. While you tend to not notice him much, he is solid in his own end, and moves the puck well up ice.
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