PATRICK'S DAY

Utica Comets 1 at GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS 5

Jan. 23, 2015

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Griffins proved to be less-than-gracious hosts on Friday during the Utica Comets’ inaugural visit to Van Andel Arena, as they rode an impressive 29-save performance by Pat Nagle to a 5-1 victory.

The former Ferris State Bulldog’s first AHL win snapped the Griffins’ first 0-4 slump in almost four years and gave the North Division-leading Comets their first three-game skid (0-2-0-1) of the season.

Before heading into the AHL All-Star break, the Griffins (20-16-3-1) will wrap up this week’s three-game home stand on Saturday with a 7 p.m. tilt against the Iowa Wild.

Making just his third career AHL start and first as a Griffin, Nagle started strong by stopping all 11 shots that came his way during the opening period. He took a 1-0 lead to the locker room thanks to Mark Zengerle, who collected a stretch pass from Alexey Marchenko at the Utica blue line, gained a step on his defender and launched a shot from the top of the circles that glanced off the left post behind Joacim Eriksson and into the net at the 10:48 mark.

Nagle, a fourth-year pro who made his Griffins debut in relief last Saturday in Hamilton, was victimized by a fluky play 8:14 into the second. From the right circle, Utica’s Nicklas Jensen scooped a backhand floater toward the far post, and the puck bounced off the right shoulder of Dustin Jeffrey, over Nagle and just under the crossbar to tie the game. Referee Nic Leduc reviewed the replay before ruling it as a good goal.

Another review at the end of the period confirmed a goal in the Griffins’ favor, after Mitch Callahan jammed a rebound past Eriksson a split-second before the horn sounded for a 2-1 Grand Rapids advantage through 40 minutes.

A power play goal by Marek Tvrdon pushed the Griffins’ cushion to two at the 9:18 mark of the third. Eriksson couldn’t handle Scott Czarnowczan’s long shot from the left boards, and Tvrdon was waiting to knock it home as it teetered along the goal line.

Tomas Nosek added a pair of empty-netters -- shorthanded at 15:55 and even-strength at 19:01 – for the final margin, as Grand Rapids improved to 10-3-1-1 in its last 15 games at Van Andel Arena.

Eriksson stopped 32 of 35 in the loss for Utica (24-10-5-1), whose 10 regulation losses are tied with Oklahoma City and Manchester for the fewest in the AHL.

Three Stars: 1. GR Nagle (W, 29 saves); 2. GR Callahan (game-winning goal); 3. GR Zengerle (goal)

Utica Comets 1 at GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS 5

Jan. 23, 2015

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Griffins proved to be less-than-gracious hosts on Friday during the Utica Comets’ inaugural visit to Van Andel Arena, as they rode an impressive 29-save performance by Pat Nagle to a 5-1 victory.

The former Ferris State Bulldog’s first AHL win snapped the Griffins’ first 0-4 slump in almost four years and gave the North Division-leading Comets their first three-game skid (0-2-0-1) of the season.

Before heading into the AHL All-Star break, the Griffins (20-16-3-1) will wrap up this week’s three-game home stand on Saturday with a 7 p.m. tilt against the Iowa Wild.

Making just his third career AHL start and first as a Griffin, Nagle started strong by stopping all 11 shots that came his way during the opening period. He took a 1-0 lead to the locker room thanks to Mark Zengerle, who collected a stretch pass from Alexey Marchenko at the Utica blue line, gained a step on his defender and launched a shot from the top of the circles that glanced off the left post behind Joacim Eriksson and into the net at the 10:48 mark.

Nagle, a fourth-year pro who made his Griffins debut in relief last Saturday in Hamilton, was victimized by a fluky play 8:14 into the second. From the right circle, Utica’s Nicklas Jensen scooped a backhand floater toward the far post, and the puck bounced off the right shoulder of Dustin Jeffrey, over Nagle and just under the crossbar to tie the game. Referee Nic Leduc reviewed the replay before ruling it as a good goal.

Another review at the end of the period confirmed a goal in the Griffins’ favor, after Mitch Callahan jammed a rebound past Eriksson a split-second before the horn sounded for a 2-1 Grand Rapids advantage through 40 minutes.

A power play goal by Marek Tvrdon pushed the Griffins’ cushion to two at the 9:18 mark of the third. Eriksson couldn’t handle Scott Czarnowczan’s long shot from the left boards, and Tvrdon was waiting to knock it home as it teetered along the goal line.

Tomas Nosek added a pair of empty-netters -- shorthanded at 15:55 and even-strength at 19:01 – for the final margin, as Grand Rapids improved to 10-3-1-1 in its last 15 games at Van Andel Arena.

Eriksson stopped 32 of 35 in the loss for Utica (24-10-5-1), whose 10 regulation losses are tied with Oklahoma City and Manchester for the fewest in the AHL.

Three Stars: 1. GR Nagle (W, 29 saves); 2. GR Callahan (game-winning goal); 3. GR Zengerle (goal)