Feb. 4, 2022

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The American Hockey League’s top power play was on full display at Van Andel Arena on Friday, as Ontario Reign recorded three goals on the man advantage to defeat the Grand Rapids Griffins, 5-2. Joe Veleno lit the lamp in his first Griffins game since Nov. 13 due to being recalled to the Detroit Red Wings.

This was the first meeting between the two clubs since April 3, 2019, and the first match up in West Michigan since Nov. 16, 2018. Dan Renouf scored his first goal of the season in the second period. Former Griffin Martin Frk notched the game-winner in his first return to Van Andel Arena as a visitor. Frk joined Tomas Jurco and Andrej Nestrasil as the only Griffins Calder Cup alumni to beat Grand Rapids in their first game back in West Michigan (11-3-0-0). The Griffins are now winless in their last seven games (0-6-1-0).

In the first period, Ontario opened the score with a power play goal at 9:57. T.J. Tynan found Jaret Anderson-Dolan at the right post, and he fired the puck into the left corner of the net.

The Reign continued their scoring in the second with 16:23 remaining. Austin Wagner skated down the left boards and sent a backhander past the glove of Calvin Pickard, giving the visitors a 2-0 advantage.

Grand Rapids recorded its first tally of the night at 4:34. Renouf stole the puck from the Reign and sent a one-timer through the five hole, cutting the deficit to one.

Ontario scored on another man advantage with 11:22 remaining in the middle frame. Tynan slipped the puck through traffic to Frk at the bottom of the left circle. Frk then sent a laser into the right corner of the net to give the Reign a 3-1 lead.

At 1:43 in the final stanza, Ontario increased its advantage to four when Samuel Fagemo went left-to-right down the slot and sent the disc through the legs of Pickard.

The Griffins bagged their own power play goal with 15:04 remaining. Jonatan Berggren connected with Veleno at the right wing. Veleno managed to send the rubber past the glove of netminder Matthew Villalta, stopping Grand Rapids’ four-game scoring drought on the power play.

Ontario’s third goal on the man advantage came at 8:57 in the third. Alex Turcotte at the left circle sent the puck into an open left side of the net, giving the Reign a 5-2 victory.

Notes

• Grand Rapids is now 11-14-1-3 against current Pacific Division teams.
• Despite the score line, the Griffins outshot the Reign 37-28.
• Grand Rapids remained winless against Ontario in the all-time series (0-3-0-0).

Box Score
Ontario 1 2 2 - 5
Grand Rapids 0 1 1 - 2

1st Period-1, Ontario, Anderson-Dolan 15 (Tynan, Spence), 9:57 (PP). Penalties-Martin Gr (cross-checking), 5:39; Renouf Gr (interference), 9:03; Turcotte Ont (hooking), 15:00.

2nd Period-2, Ontario, Wagner 10 (Dudas, Spence), 3:37. 3, Grand Rapids, Renouf 1 4:34. 4, Ontario, Frk 20 (Tynan, Spence), 8:38 (PP). Penalties-Hirose Gr (tripping), 8:30; Strand Ont (interference), 15:02.

3rd Period-5, Ontario, Fagemo 14 (Turcotte, Vilardi), 1:43. 6, Grand Rapids, Veleno 4 (Berggren, Hirose), 4:56 (PP). 7, Ontario, Turcotte 6 (Madden, Fagemo), 8:57 (PP). Penalties-Wagner Ont (roughing), 3:25; Criscuolo Gr (tripping), 7:25; Gaunce Ont (roughing), 12:10; Martin Gr (roughing), 12:10; Turcotte Ont (slashing), 12:18; Veleno Gr (slashing), 12:18; Madden Ont (hooking), 19:23.

Shots on Goal-Ontario 7-12-9-28. Grand Rapids 12-16-9-37.
Power Play Opportunities-Ontario 3 / 4; Grand Rapids 1 / 4.
Goalies-Ontario, Villalta 14-3-3 (37 shots-35 saves). Grand Rapids, Pickard 13-10-5 (28 shots-23 saves).
A-7,586

Three Stars
1. ONT Turcotte (power play goal, assist); 2. ONT Jordan Spence (three assists); 3. ONT Tynan (two assists)

Record / Next Game
Grand Rapids: 15-17-5-2 (37 pts.) / Sat., Feb. 5 vs. Ontario 7 p.m.
Ontario: 24-7-3-2 (53 pts.) / Sat., Feb. 5 at Grand Rapids 4 p.m. PST

Photo by Nicolas Carrillo/Griffins