MORE SKATERS, MORE GOALS

MILWAUKEE – The Western Conference-leading Grand Rapids Griffins used a trio of power play goals and a 31-save shutout from Eddie Pasquale to blank the Milwaukee Admirals 3-0 on Friday at UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena.

Special teams separated the two teams as the Griffins finished 3-for-6 on the man advantage to improve their AHL-best power play efficiency to 28.6 percent while the penalty kill stood tall in a 5-for-5 performance. The result gives Grand Rapids its ninth win in 11 games and points in 17 of the last 20 (14-3-1-2).

Evgeny Svechnikov started the scoring on the power play for the Griffins (23-9-1-2) 4:25 into the opening period. Tyler Bertuzzi set up Robbie Russo for a one-timer at the top of the left circle that forced a left pad save from Marek Mazanec, but Svechnikov was positioned at the right circle and buried the rebound inside the right post.

Mitch Callahan gave Grand Rapids a two-goal edge on the man advantage with 1:02 remaining in the first frame. Six seconds into an Adam Pardy delay of game minor, Ben Street’s effort from the right point was deflected by Callahan in the slot and past Mazanec’s blocker-side shoulder for his 11th goal of the campaign.

The visitors took a commanding three-goal lead courtesy of Svechnikov’s second power play tally of the night. Russo faked a slapshot from the point before sliding the puck to Svechnikov for a one-timer from the right circle that whizzed inside the right post at the 6:33 mark of the middle period.

Milwaukee (20-12-2-2) continued to apply pressure in the closing stages, outshooting Grand Rapids 11-4 in the final stanza. However, the hosts were unable to solve Pasquale and the Griffins’ penalty kill, dropping their fourth consecutive game in regulation for the first time since losing five straight from Jan. 22-Feb. 3, 2012.

Tempers boiled over after time expired, culminating in a sequence in which Russo received a major and game misconduct for slashing the legs of Vladislav Kamenev. Eric Tangradi, Kamenev and Jimmy Oligny also registered double-minors for roughing, with Oligny also given a misconduct for continuing the altercation.

Mazanec turned aside 25-of-28 shots in a losing effort. The Griffins continue their four-game road trip on Saturday against the Rockford IceHogs with puck drop from BMO Harris Bank Center set for 8 p.m. EST.

Notes: Tomas Nosek played in his 150th regular season game in a Grand Rapids uniform…The Griffins are 19-2-1-1 when scoring the game’s first goal and 21-3-1-2 when logging a power play goal…Svechnikov became the seventh Grand Rapids skater to register 10 or more goals this season…The Griffins scored three power play markers in a game for the fourth time this campaign, a feat most recently accomplished in a 7-1 win over the Chicago Wolves on Dec. 15, 2016 at Allstate Arena…Russo has six points (1-5–6) in five meetings against Milwaukee this season.

Three Stars: 1. GR Svechnikov (two power play goals); 2. GR Pasquale (W, 31 saves, SO); 3. GR Russo (two assists)