EIGHT IS (NOT) ENOUGH

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Showing little rust from their franchise-record 11-day layoff, the Grand Rapids Griffins extended their historic hex over the Syracuse Crunch with a 4-3 victory on Wednesday at Van Andel Arena.

Rookie Jeff Campbell scored the go-ahead and game-winning goals for Grand Rapids in the second period, as the Griffins earned their ninth straight win against their North Division rival, their longest run of success ever against an opponent.

The Griffins (22-20-4-2), who’ve won six of their last seven home games, will look to end a four-game road skid on Friday in Iowa when they begin a two-game set against the Stars. Game time is 8:05 p.m.

The teams alternated goals in the first period, with the Griffins answering a pair of Crunch tallies. Olivier Labelle opened the scoring by beating Stefan Liv top-shelf during a scramble just 39 seconds in, but Brad Norton notched his first of the season from the high slot at 5:42, when his shot deflected out front and trickled into the net behind Dan LaCosta. The goal snapped Syracuse’s shutout streak at 141:25 and ended LaCosta’s personal run at 161:14.

Adam Pineault then solved Liv with a pinpoint shot from the top of the left circle at 6:49, while Matt Ellis tied matters at 2-2 with a power play goal from the slot at the 10:42 mark.

The Griffins took their first lead 7:21 into the second period when Campbell banged home a rebound from the left side. He followed up by scoring on a deflection with 1:25 left for his second goal of the frame and his team’s third unanswered marker.

Syracuse’s Andrew Murray scored a shorthanded goal with 4:26 remaining in the third to make things interesting, but Liv shut the door the rest of the way, finishing the night with a season-high 39 saves.

LaCosta was credited with 17 stops as the Crunch (18-25-1-5) saw their four-game winning streak end.

With the victory, Griffins head coach Greg Ireland moved within one win of tying Bruce Cassidy (95) for second on the team’s all-time list.