GRIFFINS FALL TO WILD BY ONE

GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS 1 at Iowa Wild 2

Dec. 10, 2017

DES MOINES, Iowa – The Grand Rapids Griffins were looking to rebound from a 7-2 defeat on Saturday night. However, the defending Calder Cup champions fell just short at Wells Fargo Arena to the Iowa Wild, 2-1.

The Griffins (9-13-0-3) finished up a three-game weekend on Sunday night with a loss in each game. Grand Rapids will head back home for a three-game homestand that begins on Wednesday night to face the same Iowa (12-8-5-0) team at 7:00 from Van Andel Arena.

Luke Kunin scored the game’s first goal nearly 11 minutes into the game from the right circle. The center got the puck from Landon Ferraro after the former Griffin made a move around a defender and made a cross-ice pass to Kunin for the 1-0 lead.

The Wild extended the lead at the midway point of the game when Gerald Mayhew added his fifth goal of the season. The 10:07 goal was set up after Nick Seeler took a shot from the blue line. Jared Coreau made the initial save, but the puck bounced off of his right leg to a waiting Mayhew.

Zach Nastasiuk put the Griffins on the board with 7:15 left in the second period. The Barrie, Ontario native scored his first goal of the year in his first game for the Griffins this season. His tally came after Luke Esposito’s blocked shot from the slot deflected towards the right winger to make it 2-1.

No goals were scored in the final frame, but it wasn’t for a lack of trying. The Griffins nearly tripled the Wild in shot attempts, 13-5. Each team had a fruitless power play in the third period, combining for five missed opportunities with the man-advantage throughout the game. Grand Rapids out shot Iowa, 41-30, for the game.

Notes: Eric Tangradi led the Griffins with six shots on goal…No player had a multi-point game.

Three Stars: 1. IA Mayhew (goal); 2. IA Michalek (W, 40 saves); 3. IA Kunin (goal)