KNIGHTS GROUND GRIFFINS

OMAHA, Neb. – The Grand Rapids Griffins were out shot 41 to 20 and incurred 14 penalties as they fell by the score of 6 to 2 to the Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights Saturday night at the Omaha Civic Auditorium. The loss broke the Griffins three game winning streak and dropped their overall record to 32-24-5-2.

Special teams action dominated much of the game as the Griffins and Knights combined for 23 penalties and three power play goals.

The Knights started the scoring, when Brandon Prust took his own rebound and beat Jimmy Howard top shelf at the 3:53 mark.

The Knights held a 1 to 0 lead into the second period where, following two Griffin’s penalties, center Ben Simon tied the score with a shorthanded goal off of a 2 on 1 breakaway setup by Ryan Oulahen. The 5 on 3 shorthanded goal by Simon was the Griffins 18th of the season, tying them with Chicago for the AHL lead.

However, the Griffin’s success was short lived as the Knights rattled off three consecutive goals over the next six minutes. The scoring attack saw Carsen Germyn sandwiching an even strength goal in between two power play goals from Prust and Andrei Taratukhin to give the Knights a commanding 4 to 1 lead.

A late second period goal by Dustin Boyd chased starting goalie Jimmy Howard from the game, just one night after he blanked the Knights for his fifth shutout of the season.

Jamie Tardif extended his point streak to six games with a power play goal late in the third period off a beautiful setup from Jonathan Ericsson and Jeff Campbell. But it was not enough as the Knights added a late third period goal of their own and took home a dominating 6 to 2 victory.

The Griffins continue their push for the playoffs as they travel home to host the Iowa Stars on Wednesday March 14 at 7 p.m.