FLAMES WIN IN SHOOTOUT
MOLINE, Ill. – Krys Kolanos scored two goals in regulation and netted the game-clincher in a shootout to lead the Quad City Flames to a 5-4 victory over the Grand Rapids Griffins Wednesday at the I Wireless Center.
After Brandon Prust forced overtime for Quad City, knotting the score at 4-4 with 1:44 remaining in regulation, a scoreless extra period led to Grand Rapids’ seventh shootout of the season (3-4). The Flames converted three of four attempts in the shootout, while Mark Hartigan was the Griffins’ lone scorer in four rounds.
Grand Rapids (15-18-2-4) returns home for a two-game weekend set with the Peoria Rivermen at Van Andel Arena. The puck drops at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
The Griffins got off to a fast start, lighting the lamp just 1:24 into the tilt. From the left wing, Carl Corazzini sent a backhand pass to a charging Hartigan, who beat Matt Keetley for an early 1-0 lead. The opening minutes’ frantic pace continued, but not in the Griffins’ favor as Tomi Maki evened the score for the Flames at 6:41 and Kolanos gave Quad City its first lead 41 seconds later. After a scramble in front of the net that led to Kolanos’ tally, Jimmy Howard received attention from the medical staff and did not return to the game.
Awarded a power play later in the first, Grand Rapids knotted the score briefly when Mark Cullen tipped a Kyle Quincey shot into the upper right corner of the net at 18:43. Quad City, however, would need a mere 17 seconds to answer as Kolanos solved Adam Berkhoel to give the Flames a 3-2 edge.
Fifteen minutes and change into the middle stanza, a two-man advantage yielded Derek Meech’s first goal since joining the Griffins on assignment for conditioning from the Red Wings. More importantly, the marker drew Grand Rapids even at 3-3 heading into the final frame.
With the Griffins shorthanded, Tom Galvin picked a fortuitous time to notch his first goal of the season, taking the feed from Cullen and going upstairs to push Grand Rapids in front 4-3 at 13:31.
The Griffins’ penalty killers put on another stellar performance, turning away each of Quad City’s six power play chances. Grand Rapids has not allowed a power play goal in three consecutive games, adding a shorthanded goal in each of its last two contests.
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