March 16, 2021

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Twice in four nights at Van Andel Arena, the Grand Rapids Griffins dominated the shots on goal category against the Rockford IceHogs but went to overtime tied at 1-1. And twice in four nights, Dylan McLaughlin repaid goalie Matt Tomkins for his efforts by scoring in the extra session, this time just 19 seconds in to give the visitors a 2-1 win on Tuesday.

The result spoiled a solid performance from Calvin Pickard, who was reassigned to the Griffins from the Detroit Red Wings’ taxi squad on Monday. He finished with 20 saves in his first game with Grand Rapids in more than a year and his first full game in North America this season.

The Griffins converted a Rockford turnover into a 1-0 lead 10:26 into the first period. From the right corner, Alec Regula threw the puck into the circle where it was picked off by Dylan McIlrath, who immediately found Chase Pearson on the doorstep for a redirection past Tomkins.

Gabriel Gagne pulled the IceHogs even during a scramble around Pickard’s net 1:15 into the second, tapping McLaughlin’s feed from the left side into a yawning cage.

Despite out-shooting Rockford 15-9 in the second, 16-3 in the third and 47-21 during regulation, the Griffins could not break through Tomkins again, failing on five power play chances for the game.

That enabled McLaughlin to repeat his heroics from Saturday, as he found a loose puck in the right circle and immediately roofed it over Pickard on the first shift of overtime.

Notes

• The Griffins have earned points in all four home games this season (2-0-2-0), plus four straight outings (2-0-2-0) and eight of their last nine games overall (6-1-2-0), as well as in each of their five clashes with Rockford (3-0-2-0).
• After setting his career-high with 42 saves in the IceHogs’ 2-1 overtime win on Saturday, Tomkins trumped that total with 46 stops tonight.
• In the five-game season series, Grand Rapids has now out-shot Rockford by a massive 200-96 margin.
• Turner Elson made his 200th regular season appearance as a Griffin, one game after McIlrath did the same.

Box Score
Rockford 0 1 0 1 - 2

Grand Rapids 1 0 0 0 - 1

1st Period-1, Grand Rapids, Pearson 2 (McIlrath), 10:26. Penalties-Krutil Rfd (tripping), 0:27; Krutil Rfd (high-sticking), 7:43; Lashoff Gr (tripping), 17:59.

2nd Period-2, Rockford, Gagne 1 (McLaughlin, Franson), 1:15. Penalties-MacLeod Gr (slashing), 6:18; G. Mitchell Rfd (interference), 13:17.

3rd Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Lindstrom Gr (tripping), 4:15; Barratt Rfd (slashing), 5:43; McKay Rfd (high-sticking), 10:50.

OT Period-3, Rockford, McLaughlin 2 (Phillips), 0:19. Penalties-No Penalties

Shots on Goal-Rockford 9-9-3-1-22. Grand Rapids 16-15-16-0-47.

Power Play Opportunities-Rockford 0 / 3; Grand Rapids 0 / 5.

Goalies-Rockford, Tomkins 2-5-1 (47 shots-46 saves). Grand Rapids, Pickard 0-0-1 (22 shots-20 saves).

A-750

Three Stars
1. RFD Tomkins (OTW, 46 saves); 2. RFD McLaughlin (OT/GW goal, assist); 3. GR McIlrath (assist)

Record / Next Game
Grand Rapids: 6-3-2-0 (14 pts.) / Fri., March 19 vs. Chicago 6 p.m.
Rockford: 5-8-1-0 (11 pts.) / Fri., March 19 vs. Iowa 6 p.m. CDT

Photo by Nicolas Carrillo/Griffins