DOWN IN FLAMES

Adirondack Flames 4 at GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS 1

March 22, 2015

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Two impressive Grand Rapids home streaks were snapped on Sunday, as the Adirondack Flames concluded the Griffins’ three-in-three weekend by handing their hosts a 4-1 loss at Van Andel Arena.

The Griffins, whose franchise-record 19-game point streak (15-0-3-1) ended with last night’s 4-3 defeat at Lake Erie, saw their seven-game winning streak and 10-game point run (8-0-2-0) on home ice snuffed by a Flames team that is fighting for its postseason life.

Grand Rapids (38-19-6-2) continues to lead the Midwest Division but finds itself in second place in the Western Conference by a single point after being leap-frogged by Utica, while Adirondack (31-24-6-2) is now tied with Hamilton for the eighth and final playoff spot in the conference.

The Griffins will face a pair of battles between the two most recent Calder Cup champions this Friday and Saturday, when they visit Austin to take on the Texas Stars. Friday’s game is set for 8:30 p.m. EDT.

A strange play enabled the Flames to score the game’s first goal just 18 seconds into the contest, the earliest tally surrendered by the Griffins all season. Tom McCollum made a save and dove to his left in an attempt to smother the rebound, but Ken Agostino managed to get his stick blade on the puck and slide it under McCollum before the netminder could control it.

The Flames tacked on two second-period goals to inflate their lead to 3-0. John Ramage connected on a one-timer from the right point during a power play at 4:53, before a turnover deep in Grand Rapids’ zone combined with a nifty deke by Emile Poirier to put the Griffins in a deep hole at the 8:13 mark.

Landon Ferraro finally put the Griffins on the board with the team’s second shorthanded goal in as many nights 6:01 into the third period, as he chased down a loose puck along the left boards in the neutral zone and bore down on the Adirondack net before putting a wrist shot past Brad Thiessen’s glove.

But Grand Rapids couldn’t get any closer, despite pulling McCollum for an extra attacker with more than three minutes remaining, and Ben Hanowski eventually put the puck into the empty net from center ice with 1:55 left for the final margin. As a result, the Griffins suffered consecutive regulation losses for the first time in more than two months, since enduring a 0-4 skid from Jan. 14-21.

Thiessen shut down the AHL’s second-ranked offense by making 37 saves, including 20 during the third period alone, while McCollum made 17 stops and saw his personal 12-game point streak (9-0-3) as a Griffin come to an end. He suffered his first regulation loss in either the AHL or NHL since Dec. 13.

Notes: Griffins captain Jeff Hoggan logged both his 800th pro game and 200th game as a Griffin…This marked Adirondack’s first and only visit ever to Van Andel Arena, as the former Abbotsford Heat will close out their lone season in Glens Falls, N.Y., and relocate to California for the 2015-16 campaign. The Flames will be rechristened as the Stockton Heat.

Three Stars: 1. ADK Agostino (goal, assist); 2. ADK Thiessen (W, 37 saves); 3. GR Ferraro (shorthanded goal)

Adirondack Flames 4 at GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS 1

March 22, 2015

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Two impressive Grand Rapids home streaks were snapped on Sunday, as the Adirondack Flames concluded the Griffins’ three-in-three weekend by handing their hosts a 4-1 loss at Van Andel Arena.

The Griffins, whose franchise-record 19-game point streak (15-0-3-1) ended with last night’s 4-3 defeat at Lake Erie, saw their seven-game winning streak and 10-game point run (8-0-2-0) on home ice snuffed by a Flames team that is fighting for its postseason life.

Grand Rapids (38-19-6-2) continues to lead the Midwest Division but finds itself in second place in the Western Conference by a single point after being leap-frogged by Utica, while Adirondack (31-24-6-2) is now tied with Hamilton for the eighth and final playoff spot in the conference.

The Griffins will face a pair of battles between the two most recent Calder Cup champions this Friday and Saturday, when they visit Austin to take on the Texas Stars. Friday’s game is set for 8:30 p.m. EDT.

A strange play enabled the Flames to score the game’s first goal just 18 seconds into the contest, the earliest tally surrendered by the Griffins all season. Tom McCollum made a save and dove to his left in an attempt to smother the rebound, but Ken Agostino managed to get his stick blade on the puck and slide it under McCollum before the netminder could control it.

The Flames tacked on two second-period goals to inflate their lead to 3-0. John Ramage connected on a one-timer from the right point during a power play at 4:53, before a turnover deep in Grand Rapids’ zone combined with a nifty deke by Emile Poirier to put the Griffins in a deep hole at the 8:13 mark.

Landon Ferraro finally put the Griffins on the board with the team’s second shorthanded goal in as many nights 6:01 into the third period, as he chased down a loose puck along the left boards in the neutral zone and bore down on the Adirondack net before putting a wrist shot past Brad Thiessen’s glove.

But Grand Rapids couldn’t get any closer, despite pulling McCollum for an extra attacker with more than three minutes remaining, and Ben Hanowski eventually put the puck into the empty net from center ice with 1:55 left for the final margin. As a result, the Griffins suffered consecutive regulation losses for the first time in more than two months, since enduring a 0-4 skid from Jan. 14-21.

Thiessen shut down the AHL’s second-ranked offense by making 37 saves, including 20 during the third period alone, while McCollum made 17 stops and saw his personal 12-game point streak (9-0-3) as a Griffin come to an end. He suffered his first regulation loss in either the AHL or NHL since Dec. 13.

Notes: Griffins captain Jeff Hoggan logged both his 800th pro game and 200th game as a Griffin…This marked Adirondack’s first and only visit ever to Van Andel Arena, as the former Abbotsford Heat will close out their lone season in Glens Falls, N.Y., and relocate to California for the 2015-16 campaign. The Flames will be rechristened as the Stockton Heat.

Three Stars: 1. ADK Agostino (goal, assist); 2. ADK Thiessen (W, 37 saves); 3. GR Ferraro (shorthanded goal)