FLAMES TOO HOT TO HANDLE

MOLINE, Ill. – The Quad City Flames scored four unanswered goals in the second period, while forwards Krys Kolanos and Kris Chucko combined for eight points to hand the Grand Rapids Griffins a 6-1 loss at the I Wireless Center Sunday evening.

Having also won the previous three meetings this season, Quad City became the first opponent in Griffins history to sweep a season series of at least four games.

The Flames jumped out to an early 1-0 lead when Kolanos somehow snuck the puck behind Adam Berkhoel from a terrible angle in the left corner just 1:17 into the game. Ryan Oulahen notched the equalizer for Grand Rapids at 12:30 during a power play, snapping a one-timer past Curtis McHlhinney from the high slot off a behind-the-net feed from Darren Helm.

Entering the second frame, Quad City once again put heavy pressure on the Griffins and netted another early-period tally only 1:01 in. Chucko was the beneficiary of a goal mouth scrum as he crashed the net and pounded the puck into the goal after Berkhoel stopped the initial wrap-around attempt by Kolanos.

Matters got much worse for Grand Rapids during the second period, as it faced a 5-1 deficit heading into the third. Quad City took a 3-1 lead by scoring during a 3-on-3 rush when Derek Couture sent a cross-ice pass to Tomi Maki, who sent a quick shot into the mesh at 8:38.

From there, Kolanos and Chucko continued to wreak havoc on the Griffins’ defense and both scored their second goals of the contest. At 12:43, Kolanos lit the lamp by blasting a shot into the upper left corner from the right circle, only moments before setting up Chucko right off a face-off at 15:43.

After making 21 saves on 26 shots through two periods, Berkhoel was chased from the crease after two periods and Dan Turple entered in relief at the start of the third to make his Griffins and American Hockey League debut. But lady luck kept ignoring Grand Rapids in the final 20:00, as the Griffins had a goal waved off due to a jarred net and the Flames tallied once more at 9:21 to complete the 6-1 final. David Van der Gulik was credited with the goal.

In his AHL debut, Turple stopped six of seven shots through the closing stanza and McHlhinney finished his near perfect performance with 28 saves. The Griffins will continue their three-game road trip Wednesday in Hamilton in a 7:30 p.m. tilt with the Bulldogs.