Prospect round-up: Turgeon scores hat trick in Griffins’ win; Walleye double up K-Zoo; Sulak 1+1+shootout winner, Larsson stops 41

GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS 5 at Manitoba Moose 0
Feb. 17, 2018

WINNIPEG, Manitoba – Dominic Turgeon led the Grand Rapids Griffins to a 5-0 victory with his first career hat trick on Saturday against the Manitoba Moose at Bell MTS Place. Not to be outdone, Jared Coreau notched his second consecutive shutout in three days. This was also the Griffins’ 11th straight game recording a point (9-0-0-2).

The Griffins (28-18-1-6) hit the ice again on Wednesday against the Chicago Wolves from Van Andel Arena at 7 p.m. EST. The Moose (32-13-4-3) are back in action on Monday against the Milwaukee Admirals.

Matt Lorito lifted the puck over two defensemen from the neutral zone to a streaking Ben Street who tapped it down to the ice. He flew past the last Manitoba defender and sent a laser over Jason Phillips right blocker for the 1-0 lead.

Turgeon added to the lead with his 11th goal of the year with 1:44 left in the first period. A 4-on-2 rush led by Turgeon led to the scoring chance. After bringing the puck into the Manitoba zone, the second year pro dropped a pass to a trailing Filip Hronek. The defenseman passed it back to Turgeon who was open in the slot. The quick shot caught the Manitoba goaltender off-guard as the Griffins jumped to a 2-0 lead.

Turgeon tallied his second goal of the game with 3:48 remaining in the second frame. He won a faceoff in the Manitoba zone that led to the puck being corralled by Colin Campbell. A pass to Lorito prompted a one-timer shot. Despite Phillips making the initial save Turgeon collected the rebound at the left post, deked to the right, and tapped the puck past the outstretched left leg of the netminder.

The hat trick was completed three minutes into the final stanza with a shorthanded goal. Campbell forced a turnover near the neutral zone and he made a quick pass down the ice to an open Turgeon. The down-ice delivery led to a wide open breakaway. After a move to the right, Phillips was in a vulnerable position which prompted a move to the left for the easy tap in.

With 2:52 left in regulation, Eric Tangradi intercepted a pass in the Moose zone and skated towards the opposition. Flying up the left board, and around a defender, Tangradi sent a rocket from the left circle over Phillips’ left glove for the 5-0 decision.

Grand Rapids finished 0-for-3 on the power play, while Manitoba went 0-for-4 with the man advantage.

Coreau turned aside 38 shots in victory as Phillips made 37 saves in a losing effort.

Three Stars: 1. GR Turgeon (three goals); 2. GR Coreau (W, 38 saves, SO); 3. GR Lorito (assist)

The Griffins’ website also posted a photo gallery; the Moose’s website posted a recap, photo gallery and highlight clip:

In the ECHL, Christian Hilbrich scored 2 goals and added an assist, Mike Embach had a goal and 2 assists and Pat Nagle stopped 18 of 21 shots as the Toledo Walleye doubled up the Kalamazoo K-Wings, winning 6-3. The Walleye’s website posted a recap:

Walleye overtake Wings

(Kalamazoo, MI) – The Walleye defeated the Wings 6-3 on Saturday night in Kalamazoo. Pat Nagle stopped 18 of 21 shots and is now 23-4-2-1 on the season. The Walleye are 34-13-2-2 on the season and 14-9-2-2 on the road.

Defenseman Parker Reno would keep the puck inside the Kalamazoo zone and Erik Bradford wheeled and fired a perfect shot past Kalamazoo goaltender Joel Martin at 5:39 of the first period to give the Walleye a 1-0 lead. Mike Embach would extend the Walleye lead to 2-0 at 13:31 of the first when his shot from the blue line found the back of the net.

Tyler Barnes picked up the rebound of Christian Hilbrich’s shot on the power play at 3:43 of the second period to make it a 3-0 Walleye lead. Kalamazoo would find the back of the net at 5:13 of the second to cut the Walleye lead to 3-1. Barnes and Simon Denis set up Hilbrich at 8:36 of the second to give the Walleye a 4-1 lead.

Kalamazoo cut the Walleye lead to 4-2 at 4:46 of the third period. Kalamazoo pulled within a goal to make it 4-3 at 15:36 of the third on the power play. Shane Berschbach sealed the deal with an empty net goal at 18:55 of the third to give the Walleye a 5-3 lead. Hilbrich scored his second of the game with an empty net goal at 19:57 of the third to make it a 6-3 Walleye lead.

Fish Tales:

• The Walleye are in Quad City on Sunday for a 5:05 p.m. puck drop against the Mallards. The team returns home on Friday, February 23rd for a 7:15 p.m. puck drop against Atlanta.

• Pat Nagle stopped 18 of 21 shots and is now 23-4-2-1 on the season.

• Christian Hilbrich leads the Walleye with nine points in five games vs. Kalamazoo this season.

• The Walleye 26-2-2 when scoring first.

• The Walleye are 48-43-10 all-time vs. Kalamazoo.

Elsewhere, in the Finnish Liiga, Julius Vahatalo had an assist and 1 shot, finishing at +1 with a 28% faceoff record in 18:05 played during Jukurit’s 4-1 loss to JYP;

Libor Sulak had 2 assists and scored the shootout winner, playing 30:15 in the Lahti Pelicans’ 4-3 shootout win over Assat;