CHARACTER COMEBACK

ALBANY, N.Y. – The Grand Rapids Griffins scored three unanswered goals during the final period, including the game winner from Matt Ellis with 1:19 remaining, en route to their season-high fourth consecutive win over the Albany River Rats Saturday night at the Times Union Center.

Grand Rapids will look to continue their winning streak as they conclude their east coast swing in Philadelphia against the Phantoms Monday night at 7:05 p.m.

Albany struck first just 1:33 into the contest when Shane Willis fired the puck from the right doorstep into the open net past a sprawling Stefan Liv on a set up from Keith Aucoin.

Brett Carson added to the River Rats’ lead at 14:38 as he was breaking towards the net and one-timed a feed from Pat Dwyer into the mesh during a power play. But a mere 11 seconds later Ryan Keller responded for the Griffins on a 35-foot laser that he tucked under the cross bar after receiving the puck from Kip Miller.

Albany earned a two-goal edge just as their sixth consecutive power play chance expired and Miller was in the process of skating back into the defensive zone. Michael Vernace sent a shot towards the net from the point where Ryan Bayda tipped the puck over Liv at 12:44, for the only lamp lighter of the second period.

The Griffins battled back and tied the game in the first half of the final frame. The same duo from earlier found each other again as Keller notched his second goal, capitalizing on second opportunity from in close at 5:50 having first been blocked on a redirection from Miller’s backhand pass.

Shortly after at 6:45 Evan McGrath pounded the equalizer inside the left goal post past Justin Peters on a rebound from Scott Barney’s shot.

The Griffins heavily pressured Albany during the third period out-shooting the River Rats 12-3. Appearing as though the game would go into overtime, Ellis scored the game-winner with 1:19 left on the clock on a wrist shot from the left circle.

Liv earned his second consecutive win, backstopping 17 while Peters finished his busy night with 32 saves.