Griffins post convincing 5-0 win over Milwaukee Wednesday night
By Pat Evans –
GRAND RAPIDS – The Grand Rapids Griffins made up for a pair of one-goal losses to the Milwaukee Admirals earlier in the season with a 5-0 win Wednesday at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids.
Special teams played a crucial part for the Griffins as Riley Sheahan and Cory Emmerton scored power-play goals and Mitch Callahan added a short-handed tally. Callahan also added two even-strength goals for a hat trick.
With Jeff Hoggan and Brennan Evans both sitting out for first time since they signed with the Griffins, Grand Rapids native Luke Glendening wore an “A” for the first time in his professional career. The pair of veterans had to sit out because of an American Hockey League roster rule that no more than five veterans can dress for a team.
The Griffins have a logjam of veterans due to the recent Red Wings transactions that sent Patrick Eaves and Jordin Tootoo to Grand Rapids.
Eaves played in his first Griffins game Wednesday night, and recorded one assist.
“If you look at the veterans we have, they all understand the rule, they’re fully aware of it,” Callahan said. “They show great character by not bringing anybody down with them to sit. If you’re a younger guy looking up you have to respect that.”
Although the first period saw neither team score, the Griffins held a significant possession advantage and outshot the Admirals 14-4 in the period.
Early on in the period, Callahan dominated a fight against Mathieu Tousignant to set the games mood.
The puck stayed on the Milwaukee end of the ice for much of the period until Triston Grant took a cross-checking penalty. Even on the penalty kill, the Griffins kept the puck out of their zone and allowed just one shot.
The Griffins — who have struggled on the PK at home — killed off all five man-advantage opportunities.
“When you face (fewer) shots it’s harder to get a shutout,” goalie Petr Mrazek said, who faced and saved 16 shots on the night. “On the end they had some chances there, if they score there, it could have been a totally different game.”
Sheahan started the scoring 1:49 into the period. Ryan Sproul sent a pass across the ice to fellow defenseman Nathan Paetsch who launched a slap shot from atop the right circle at Milwaukee goalie Magnus Hellberg. The save bounced off Hellberg’s right leg pad and into Sheahan’s stick, who then flipped the puck into the net from the middle of the left circle.
About eight minutes later, shorthanded, Glendening took the puck up the right side and shot the puck at Hellberg, who couldn’t collect the rebound. Callahan then punched the puck through Hellberg’s legs.
“It might of been the nicest one,” Callahan said of his first goal. “They were all pretty bad goals. I got pretty lucky being around the net tonight.”
The lead was the the first two-goal lead for either team in the season series. Milwaukee won both previous games — 3-2 Oct. 18 in Grand Rapids and 2-1 Nov. 13 in Milwaukee.
Milwaukee missed two opportunities in the second period, one with about 13:45 left in the period, when an Admiral missed an open net on a rebound. The second opportunity came on a power play with about 7:15 left in the period, with a loud clank off the left goal post.
Just :49 into the third period Grand Rapids forward Cory Emmerton slipped a power-play shot through Hellberg’s five-hole. Assists went Patrick Eaves — in his first game since clearing waivers from Detroit — and defenseman Adam Almquist.
With 9:52 left in the third period, Sheahan was skating up the left side, shot the puck and Callahan deflected the puck into the net.
“The scoring just speaks to the depth of our forwards and the talent we have on defense,” head coach Jeff Blashill said. “I can really put any line out there and feel really confident they can play against whatever line they face.”
Griffins added a late tally with 1:03 left in the third when David McIntyre flipped a puck up and over Hellberg and found its way in as a scrum almost pushed the net off its pegs. The goal was credited to Callahan following the game to complete the hat trick.
“The fact we played well form the drop of the puck, that’s a great illustration of the character of our locker room,” Blashill said. “We skated very well. When we skate that hard, we’re a handful.”
It was the seventh time this season the Griffins have put up at least five goals.
“We’re doing the little things right,” Callahan said. “If we continue to improve on defense we’ll continue to get more opportunities to score.”