TWO FOR TOOTOO

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Jordin Tootoo registered his first two-goal game since 2011 and Tom McCollum blanked the Chicago Wolves for more than 59 minutes as the Grand Rapids Griffins posted a 3-1 win on Wednesday at Van Andel Arena.

Tootoo’s effort marked his first multi-point outing as a member of the Detroit Red Wings organization. His last two-goal performance (part of a three-point night on April 5, 2011 vs. Atlanta) and two-point game (two assists on Feb. 25, 2012 vs. San Jose) each came while he wore a Nashville Predators uniform.

McCollum, making his 15th start in the last 16 games, came within 36 seconds of what would’ve been his second shutout of the season. But he still made 33 saves and lowered his already sparkling goals against average to 2.16, tying his Chicago counterpart, Jake Allen, for the sixth-best mark in the AHL.

The Griffins (26-10-1-2) will conclude their six-game home stand with a Friday-Saturday set against the Abbotsford Heat, whom they lead by a scant three points in the Western Conference race. Game time each night is 7 p.m.

The teams totaled 35 shots through more than 30 minutes of play with nothing to show for their efforts, until the Griffins finally broke through at the 12:41 mark of the second period. From the right point, David McIntyre fired a puck on net that was tipped by both Mitch Callahan’s stick and Tootoo’s knee before sliding just inside Allen’s left post.

Allen kept it a 1-0 game by making a brilliant glove save on a shorthanded breakaway by Landon Ferraro with just under two minutes to play in the period, and the Wolves’ fortunes got a boost soon after when Chicago was awarded 1:13 of a 5-on-3 power play, including 1:04 to start the third period on a fresh sheet of ice.

But the Griffins shut down the Wolves’ power play with nary a scoring chance, before Tootoo scored his second goal of the night at the 2:45 mark by chipping Ferraro's centering pass past Allen.

With Chicago (20-14-1-2) trailing 2-0 and struggling to find an opportunity to pull Allen for an extra attacker in the waning minutes, Xavier Ouellet blistered a shot from the left point that the netminder never saw through a screen with 1:35 remaining.

Michael Davies spoiled McCollum’s shutout bid at 19:24 by getting ahead of the Griffins’ defenders, charging the net and potting Christian Hanson’s blind feed from the end boards.

Allen finished with 30 saves but couldn’t prevent the Griffins from extending their lead atop the Midwest Division to 12 points over his club.

Three Stars: 1. GR Tootoo (two goals); 2. GR McIntyre (two assists); 3. GR McCollum (W, 33 saves)