GRIFFINS TRIPPED UP IN FINALE

Bakersfield Condors 3 at GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS 2

April 16, 2016

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Despite two power play goals by Ryan Sproul, the Grand Rapids Griffins dropped a 3-2 decision to the Bakersfield Condors on Saturday at Van Andel Arena to conclude their 20th regular season.

The fourth-place Griffins (44-30-1-1) will now face the Central Division champion Milwaukee Admirals in the first round of the 2016 Calder Cup Playoffs. The best-of-five division semifinals will kick off with Game 1 at the BMO Harris Bradley Center this Friday, April 22 at 8 p.m. EDT.

The Griffins used their first man-advantage to jump on top 3:44 into the game, with Sproul blasting a one-timer from the point high into the net of a screened Laurent Brossoit.

Bakersfield (31-28-7-2) evened the score with 4:35 left in the frame. Braden Christoffer stole the puck from Andy Miele at the Condors’ blue line and sped up the left side on a 2-on-1 before centering a pass for Kyle Platzer, who flipped the puck over a diving Tom McCollum.

The visitors took their first lead midway through the second, when Zach Boychuk ripped a shot past McCollum from the slot at 11:02 after taking Jordan Oesterle’s backhand feed from the end boards.

Sproul’s second power play goal of the night made it a 2-2 contest early in the third, as he blasted Miele’s pass into the near corner from the right circle 39 seconds into the period. But a misplay of the puck by McCollum in the final minutes quickly ended up out front on the stick of Brad Hunt, who whipped it home at 17:46 to give the Condors the victory in the final game of their inaugural AHL season.

McCollum ended the night with 18 saves while Brossoit took the victory behind 31 stops.

Notes: With tonight’s near-capacity crowd of 10,506 – the Griffins’ fifth straight in excess of 10,000 – Grand Rapids finished the campaign with an average attendance of 8,543, its largest since the 1999-2000 season (8,819) and a 5.7% increase from 2014-15 (8,082). The Griffins have realized average attendance increases at Van Andel Arena for six consecutive years and nine of the last 10 seasons.

Three Stars: 1. GR Sproul (two power play goals); 2. BAK Hunt (game-winning goal); 3. BAK Brossoit (W, 31 saves)

Bakersfield Condors 3 at GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS 2

April 16, 2016

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Despite two power play goals by Ryan Sproul, the Grand Rapids Griffins dropped a 3-2 decision to the Bakersfield Condors on Saturday at Van Andel Arena to conclude their 20th regular season.

The fourth-place Griffins (44-30-1-1) will now face the Central Division champion Milwaukee Admirals in the first round of the 2016 Calder Cup Playoffs. The best-of-five division semifinals will kick off with Game 1 at the BMO Harris Bradley Center this Friday, April 22 at 8 p.m. EDT.

The Griffins used their first man-advantage to jump on top 3:44 into the game, with Sproul blasting a one-timer from the point high into the net of a screened Laurent Brossoit.

Bakersfield (31-28-7-2) evened the score with 4:35 left in the frame. Braden Christoffer stole the puck from Andy Miele at the Condors’ blue line and sped up the left side on a 2-on-1 before centering a pass for Kyle Platzer, who flipped the puck over a diving Tom McCollum.

The visitors took their first lead midway through the second, when Zach Boychuk ripped a shot past McCollum from the slot at 11:02 after taking Jordan Oesterle’s backhand feed from the end boards.

Sproul’s second power play goal of the night made it a 2-2 contest early in the third, as he blasted Miele’s pass into the near corner from the right circle 39 seconds into the period. But a misplay of the puck by McCollum in the final minutes quickly ended up out front on the stick of Brad Hunt, who whipped it home at 17:46 to give the Condors the victory in the final game of their inaugural AHL season.

McCollum ended the night with 18 saves while Brossoit took the victory behind 31 stops.

Notes: With tonight’s near-capacity crowd of 10,506 – the Griffins’ fifth straight in excess of 10,000 – Grand Rapids finished the campaign with an average attendance of 8,543, its largest since the 1999-2000 season (8,819) and a 5.7% increase from 2014-15 (8,082). The Griffins have realized average attendance increases at Van Andel Arena for six consecutive years and nine of the last 10 seasons.

Three Stars: 1. GR Sproul (two power play goals); 2. BAK Hunt (game-winning goal); 3. BAK Brossoit (W, 31 saves)