Of Red Wings prospect-related note in North America on Thursday:
In the OHL, Landon Miller stopped 31 of 32 shots as the Soo Greyhounds won 4-1 over the North Bay Battalion…
And in the AHL, the Grand Rapids Griffins earned 3 of a possible 4 points in a back-to-back set of games against the Texas Stars, dropping a 3-2 OT decision to Texas on Wednesday night. The Griffins’ website posted a recap, photo gallery and highlight clip:
CEDAR PARK, Texas — The Grand Rapids Griffins secured a point but fell to the Texas Stars in overtime 3-2, concluding their season-high six-game road trip at the H-E-B Center at Cedar Park on Wednesday.
Sheldon Dries tallied his team-high 12th goal of the year and his fifth in the last six games. Austin Watson scored during a power play, increasing his point streak to three (3-1—4). The Griffins’ power-play goal marked their seventh in the last 10 outings. Sebastian Cossa manned the net for Grand Rapids and saved 23 shots, maintaining a .920 save percentage and a 2.28 goals-against average through 17 appearances (10-5-2).
The Stars jumped out to a 5-0 shot advantage in the first period before Antonio Stranges put Texas ahead 1-0 at 10:37. Both teams earned a power play in the frame but failed to convert.
The Griffins came out firing in the second period, as they swung the shot pendulum in their favor, 14-7. However, a 2-on-1 breakaway allowed Matej Blumel to extend the Stars’ lead at 9:51. Grand Rapids quickly answered, as Dries tallied the Griffins’ first goal of the contest with 8:48 remaining in the second. A backhanded pass from William Lagesson set Dries up on the doorstep and he buried the chance. At 13:24, Grand Rapids tied the game 2-2 with a power-play goal from Watson. Cross Hanas passed to Watson along the goal line where he fired the puck over the shoulder of Magnus Hellberg.
Both teams failed to score in the final period of regulation, sending the game to overtime despite a flurry of chances on either side.
Grand Rapids threatened to skate off with the win, but a turnover allowed the Stars to walk into the Griffins’ zone 2-on-1 and Cameron Hughes found the back of the net, as Grand Rapids fell 3-2.
Here’s a look forward from MLive’s Tyler Kuehl:
The Griffins return for a pair of games this weekend at Van Andel Arena, starting off with a marquee matchup on Friday night with the Admirals.
The Nashville Predators’ primary affiliate is coming off a loss to the Chicago Wolves on Wednesday. Milwaukee (12-7-1-3) has dropped four of its previous five games.
This will be the fourth of eight meetings between the longtime rivals this year. Grand Rapids has won each of the first three meetings, including a 3-2 shootout win last month.
