LIGHTNING STRIKES 'DOGS

Hamilton Bulldogs 2 at GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS 3 OT

Feb. 20, 2015

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Andreas Athanasiou’s long-distance breakaway goal 4:45 into overtime on Friday gave the Grand Rapids Griffins an exhilarating 3-2 victory over the Hamilton Bulldogs at Van Andel Arena, extending the team’s recent tear and continuing its climb up the Midwest Division standings.

Following a huge save on a 2-on-1 by Petr Mrazek, who made eight stops in overtime to put an exclamation point on his return from the Detroit Red Wings, Nathan Paetsch chipped the puck to Athanasiou. The speedy center raced 150 feet up the ice before deking former Griffin Joey MacDonald and igniting the crowd of 8,388.

Thanks to their victory and Rockford’s loss to Lake Erie, the Griffins moved into a tie with the IceHogs for second place in the Midwest, just two points behind idle Milwaukee. Grand Rapids, which has just one regulation loss in its last 13 games (10-1-2-0), is now riding an eight-game point streak overall (6-0-2-0) and a six-game run (4-0-2-0) on home ice.

The Griffins (29-17-5-1) and Bulldogs (26-19-7-0) will stage a rematch at 7 p.m. Saturday before a capacity crowd at Van Andel Arena.

The Bulldogs bit first during a power play 5:47 into the opening period. After keeping the puck inside the zone at the left point, Davis Drewiske turned and fired a shot on net that brushed Drayson Bowman on the doorstep, then bounced off and over Mrazek before trickling across the line.

Less than five minutes later, Grand Rapids initially appeared to have tied matters on a shot from the left side by Marek Tvrdon that glanced off MacDonald and into the top of the net. But video review confirmed that the puck actually hit the underside of the crossbar and fell inches from the line before being swept away by Drewiske.

MacDonald, who had authored 13 of his Griffins-record 20 career shutouts at Van Andel Arena, was looking for his first blanking of his old team in four visits as an opponent, and he looked well on his way after turning aside all 24 shots he saw during the first two periods.

Tvrdon, though, notched a goal that counted 4:08 into the third period, ending MacDonald’s bid with a spectacular effort. He stole the puck behind the Hamilton net, skated out and threaded a shot between the netminder and the right post.

Andy Miele, the hero of Wednesday’s incredible overtime win against Milwaukee, continued his torrid streak at the 11:38 mark, streaking across the goal mouth to redirect Ryan Sproul’s blast and put the Griffins on top by a 2-1 count. The goal marked Miele’s third in two games and fifth in the last four, as well as his 12th point in the last eight outings.

Morgan Ellis beat Mrazek on a cannon from the top of the right circle with 2:51 left in regulation to force overtime for the fifth time in the Griffins’ last six home games, a fate that was nearly avoided when Jeff Hoggan maneuvered down the left side and rang a shot off the left post just before the buzzer sounded to end the period.

Mrazek made 33 saves to earn the win in his first game as a Griffin since Nov. 14, while MacDonald was nearly as stellar with 31 stops effort.

Three Stars: 1. GR Athanasiou (overtime goal); 2. GR Miele (goal); 3. GR Mrazek (W, 33 saves)

Hamilton Bulldogs 2 at GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS 3 OT

Feb. 20, 2015

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Andreas Athanasiou’s long-distance breakaway goal 4:45 into overtime on Friday gave the Grand Rapids Griffins an exhilarating 3-2 victory over the Hamilton Bulldogs at Van Andel Arena, extending the team’s recent tear and continuing its climb up the Midwest Division standings.

Following a huge save on a 2-on-1 by Petr Mrazek, who made eight stops in overtime to put an exclamation point on his return from the Detroit Red Wings, Nathan Paetsch chipped the puck to Athanasiou. The speedy center raced 150 feet up the ice before deking former Griffin Joey MacDonald and igniting the crowd of 8,388.

Thanks to their victory and Rockford’s loss to Lake Erie, the Griffins moved into a tie with the IceHogs for second place in the Midwest, just two points behind idle Milwaukee. Grand Rapids, which has just one regulation loss in its last 13 games (10-1-2-0), is now riding an eight-game point streak overall (6-0-2-0) and a six-game run (4-0-2-0) on home ice.

The Griffins (29-17-5-1) and Bulldogs (26-19-7-0) will stage a rematch at 7 p.m. Saturday before a capacity crowd at Van Andel Arena.

The Bulldogs bit first during a power play 5:47 into the opening period. After keeping the puck inside the zone at the left point, Davis Drewiske turned and fired a shot on net that brushed Drayson Bowman on the doorstep, then bounced off and over Mrazek before trickling across the line.

Less than five minutes later, Grand Rapids initially appeared to have tied matters on a shot from the left side by Marek Tvrdon that glanced off MacDonald and into the top of the net. But video review confirmed that the puck actually hit the underside of the crossbar and fell inches from the line before being swept away by Drewiske.

MacDonald, who had authored 13 of his Griffins-record 20 career shutouts at Van Andel Arena, was looking for his first blanking of his old team in four visits as an opponent, and he looked well on his way after turning aside all 24 shots he saw during the first two periods.

Tvrdon, though, notched a goal that counted 4:08 into the third period, ending MacDonald’s bid with a spectacular effort. He stole the puck behind the Hamilton net, skated out and threaded a shot between the netminder and the right post.

Andy Miele, the hero of Wednesday’s incredible overtime win against Milwaukee, continued his torrid streak at the 11:38 mark, streaking across the goal mouth to redirect Ryan Sproul’s blast and put the Griffins on top by a 2-1 count. The goal marked Miele’s third in two games and fifth in the last four, as well as his 12th point in the last eight outings.

Morgan Ellis beat Mrazek on a cannon from the top of the right circle with 2:51 left in regulation to force overtime for the fifth time in the Griffins’ last six home games, a fate that was nearly avoided when Jeff Hoggan maneuvered down the left side and rang a shot off the left post just before the buzzer sounded to end the period.

Mrazek made 33 saves to earn the win in his first game as a Griffin since Nov. 14, while MacDonald was nearly as stellar with 31 stops effort.

Three Stars: 1. GR Athanasiou (overtime goal); 2. GR Miele (goal); 3. GR Mrazek (W, 33 saves)