GETTING OVER THE HUMP

GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS 5 at Milwaukee Admirals 1

Feb. 26, 2014

MILWAUKEE — Three-point games by Teemu Pulkkinen and Calle Jarnkrok helped the Grand Rapids Griffins defeat the Milwaukee Admirals 5-1 and earn vital points in the Midwest Division on Wednesday at BMO Harris Bradley Center.

The win helped the Griffins (33-17-2-3, 71 pts.) extend their lead over the second-place Chicago Wolves and third-place Rockford IceHogs in the Midwest Division, in which only 6 points separate the top three teams.

The game marked the second consecutive meeting between the Griffins and Admirals. Grand Rapids picked up the win Sunday with a 1-0 shootout victory.

An early tally by Andrej Nestrasil ensured the game wouldn’t mirror Sunday’s matchup, in which neither team scored in regulation. Nestrasil netted the puck into the upper right corner off a cross-ice pass by Jarnkrok at 4:14.

Adam Almquist was sent to the box for hooking at 14:21, and was joined by Cory Emmerton less than a minute later to provide the Admirals with 1:04 of five-on-three play. The Griffins didn’t allow the Admirals any opportunities, and Grand Rapids didn’t have to use its penalty killing unit again.

At 15:24 of the second period, Nestrasil and Jarnkrok struck again to double the Griffins’ lead. A forced turnover at the Grand Rapids’ blue line led to a breakout play, and Nestrasil found an open passing lane and sent the puck to Jarnkrok in front of Marek Mazanec’s net. Jarnkrok buried his 14th goal of the season in the lower left corner.

Trevor Parkes made it 3-0 when David McIntyre sent a shot from the left circle and Parkes was alone at the edge of the crease to pop in the rebound at 17:13.

Just 59 seconds into the third period, Pulkkinen slammed a slapshot from the right circle and the puck banged off the right post into the net. Nine seconds later, Pulkkinen scored a nearly identical goal from the same position after stealing the puck from the faceoff. Pulkkinen’s two markers tie him with Mitch Callahan as the team’s leading goal scorer (21).

Kevin Henderson spoiled Petr Mrazek’s hopes at a second-straight shutout when he tucked a wrister into the right goal post at 11:31. Mrazek finished with 20 saves, while Mazanec turned away 23 shots.

The Griffins will take on the Abbotsford Heat at 10 p.m. EST on Friday at Abbotsford Entertainment and Sports Centre in the first matchup of a two-game series.

Three Stars: 1. GR Jarnkrok (game-winning goal, two assists); 2. GR Pulkkinen (two goals, assist); 3. GR Nestrasil (goal, assist)