The Grand Rapids Griffins “earned a point” on Wednesday, rallying from a 2-0 deficit en route to a 3-2 overtime loss to the Texas Stars.
Defensemen Dan Renouf and Brian Lashoff scored second-period markers to help Grand Rapids earn a point, and Jared Coreau stopped 26 of 29 shots in his return to the Griffins’ crease.
Grand Rapids heads to San Antonio for one more game in Texas prior to the team’s season finale on Saturday in GR (against the Cleveland Monsters).
The Griffins’ website posted a game recap:
GRIFFINS FALL IN OVERTIME, 3-2
GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS 2 at Texas Stars 3 OT
April 11, 2018
CEDAR PARK, Texas – A breakaway goal by Travis Morin proved to be the difference on Wednesday night as the Texas Stars defeated the Grand Rapids Griffins, 3-2, in overtime from the H-E-B Center.
The Griffins (40-25-2-7) and Stars (37-24-8-5) each remain in third place of their respective divisions with the result.
Grand Rapids is back in action on Thursday night when they visit the San Antonio Rampage at the AT&T Center. The puck will drop at 8:00 p.m. EDT.
The first period came and went without a goal scored, but each team had a quality chance.
Matt Puempel had a clear shot from the left circle that was swallowed up by Texas goaltender Mike McKenna. Then the Stars missed on a 2-on-1 rush that was blocked by the defense before Grand Rapids goaltender Jared Coreau could make a play on it.
Denis Gurianov scored the game’s first goal at the 8:47 mark of the second period. Sheldon Dries forced a turnover in the Griffins’ zone and tapped it to the forward who skated past three defenders for the breakaway. He slipped it between Coreau’s legs for the 1-0 lead.
Nearly three minutes later, at 11:32, Greg Rallo added his fifth goal of the season to give the Stars a two-goal lead. The Ferris State alumnus scored from the left circle after collecting the puck in the neutral zone and skating past two defenders.
A Colin Campbell goal was waved off at the 12:50 mark due to goaltender interference. The original call was maintained after further review.
14 seconds later, with 6:56 left in the period, Dan Renouf scored his second goal in as many games from the left circle. The defenseman lit up the lamp on a pass from Ben Street in the slot.
Brian Lashoff tied the game with 4:20 remaining in the frame. He scored on a one-timer shot from the point with a pass from Dylan McIlrath after a faceoff win in the Texas zone.
The third stanza also didn’t yield a goal. Eric Tangradi missed on a breakaway chance while the Griffins were on their only power play. Joel L’Esperance missed the net wide on a 2-on-1 opportunity with 9:03 left in regulation.
In the extra frame, Morin tallied the game-winning goal 1:44 into overtime after Gavin Bayreuther found him open in the neutral zone. His 10th goal of the season came on a shot that sent the puck flying over Coreau’s left glove.
McKenna finished the game with 25 saves, while Coreau stopped 26 shots.
Each team finished the game 0-for-1 on the power play.
Three Stars: 1. TEX Morin (game-winning goal); 2. TEX Gurianov (goal); 3. GR Renouf (goal)
The Griffins’ website also posted a photo gallery; the Texas Stars’ website posted a recap, a photo gallery and a highlight clip:
Was at the game, my observations.
Warm ups: took the whole family as I had some but one get free tickets so we arrived an hour early. Was immediately impressed with Hronek. Most players were circling the goalie shooting pucks in. Except Hronek you could find him near the half wall just playing with the puck, random passes to teammates and random shots but mostly just playing with the puck. He was kind of dancing with it the whole time. Really fun to watch.
1st period Stars came out strong but neither team really dominated. Griffwings controlled most of the play from about 5 min in til about 5 min left then. Then Stars took over again. Wasn’t much of a period and relatively boring. Renouf, Puempel, Hronek and Campbell stuck out the most. Renouf and Campbell were playing physical using their size effectively. Hronek was hard to take off the puck and made several sound defensive plays. Puempel has a beautiful wrister and played well on all sides of the puck, seemed to know where to be on the ice at all times. Stars had advantage in shots. Svech was pretty invisible and Coreau looked really sloppy in net.
2nd period started far more intense for both teams with some good physical play to start the period off. Lashoff and Renouf being the more visible defensive pair in a good way. Bad turnover by Svech leads to a breakaway, Stars goal 1-0. Griffins were dominating at this point. Lots of zone time but doing their best Red Wings impression with limited shots on goal. Passing the puck around way to much. Stars seemed to gain momentum after the first goal and took over play for the next 3 minutes for a goal again. Defense left Coreau out to dry on this goal but it is also a goal I would prefer Coreau to stop. The goal seem to flip a switch and the Griffins really up’d their play. Throwing shots at the net, making the stars fight for every inch and overall playing a better defensive physical game. GOAL!! or at we thought. Clear goalie interference on Campbell as he was practically behind the goalie in the crease. Goal called back and was the right call. Griffins establish zone control and GOAL!!! Renouf doing his best Kronwall impression by pinching in taking a pass from street and making sure it counts from the left circle. It really was a beautiful sequence to watch. Griffins still controlling the play with lots of zone time and seem to be shooting more than passing with a lot of shots going wide. Hicketts and Hronek being a lot more visible in good ways being the far defensemen in their pairs. Faceoff on the left side of the stars tender. Back to McIlrath who then slides to Lashoff on the right point side. Lash blasts it and GOAL!!! Play goes back and forth for remainder of the period, not many chances going either way. Hronek wasn’t very visible for the first half of the period. As second half approached Hicketts, Hronek, and Puempel were far more visible. Again not much from Svech. Griffins pretty much owned the period with some defensive lapse being the only reason the Stars got goals. Fun period
3rd period starts out pretty boring with not much going on. 5 min in Griffs establish zone time with the Stars boxing them out really well. Hronek was playing great, lots of offense from the kid and him getting a little fiesty, mixing it up and messing with Star players. Could tell he’s trying to get under some skin. Hicketts wa starting to pour it on but they just couldn’t get many shots through or would pull a Red Wings blind pass to an opposing player. Tangradi stepping up and trying to be the difference maker but his line just didn’t have it tonight. Wasn’t much going on in the period. Griffins played the better period but it was a very meh period from both teams.
Overtime Griffins playing well. Good chances from Svech, Street, Puempel, Tangradi and Hronek. I really thought they’d win this game. Bad turnover by the griffins in the O Zone, Stars flip it out of the zone to a player on the rush, throws it at the net. Game over. Stars win on a shot I think Coreau should have stopped.
Fun game all around with some boring parts. It was my first griffwings game and it was awesome to see these guys play in person. From my biased vision they played the better game but defensive lapses and spotty goaltending costed them this game.
Standouts were Renouf, Hronek, Puempel, Street, Lashoff, Campbell
Late standouts were Hicketts, Tangradi, McIlrath, Turgeon
Invisible were Holmstrom, Svech, Russo.
Thanks Benzanato!
As we all focus on the Griffins more, a first-hand account is fun to read.