May 3, 2021

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Chase Pearson scored twice in less than two minutes during the second period on Monday to rally the Grand Rapids Griffins from a 0-2 deficit in an eventual 3-2 shootout loss to the Rockford IceHogs at Van Andel Arena.

The Griffins closed out their season series against the IceHogs with a 4-1-2-1 record, including three home setbacks that came after regulation time.

Evan Barratt crashed the crease to chip the puck past Kaden Fulcher at 9:20 of the first period, after Chad Yetman won a battle for it along the end boards and sent a pass out front.

Yetman pushed the IceHogs’ advantage to 2-0 at 9:58 of the second, ripping a shot upstairs from the slot off a drop pass from Andrei Altybarmakian.

Pearson lit the lamp twice in a span of 1:58 to knot the score. Sprung on a mini break by a Turner Elson feed in the neutral zone, he blasted a shot past Matt Tomkins’ glove at 13:20 to put the Griffins on the board. Then, after a boarding penalty to Dmitry Osipov gave Grand Rapids its second power play, he slammed a rebound into a yawning cage from the left side at 15:18 to make it a 2-2 game.

After a scoreless third period in which the IceHogs outshot the Griffins 11-5 the game progressed to overtime, where Dominic Turgeon and Jared McIsaac rang shots off iron. In the shootout, Tim Soderlund and Cody Franson both solved Fulcher, while only Riley Barber was able to answer against Tomkins.

Notes

• Pearson logged his second two-goal game and fifth two-point outing of the season.
• The Griffins surrendered a season-high 39 shots to the IceHogs, with Fulcher’s 36 saves also representing a high-water mark for Grand Rapids goalies this season.

Box Score
Rockford 1 1 0 0 - 3
Grand Rapids 0 2 0 0 - 2

1st Period-1, Rockford, Barratt 5 (Altybarmakian, Yetman), 9:20. Penalties-served by Barber Gr (bench minor - too many men), 2:52; Osipov Rfd (holding), 11:13.

2nd Period-2, Rockford, Yetman 2 (Barratt, Altybarmakian), 9:58. 3, Grand Rapids, Pearson 6 (Elson, McIlrath), 13:20. 4, Grand Rapids, Pearson 7 (Hirose, Criscuolo), 15:18 (PP). Penalties-Curry Gr (slashing), 3:02; Osipov Rfd (boarding), 13:27.

3rd Period- No Scoring.Penalties-No Penalties

OT Period- No Scoring.Penalties-No Penalties

Shootout - Rockford 2 (Soderlund G, Franson G), Grand Rapids 1 (Turgeon NG, Barber G, Pearson NG).

Shots on Goal-Rockford 11-13-11-3-1-39. Grand Rapids 7-10-5-4-0-26.

Power Play Opportunities-Rockford 0 / 2; Grand Rapids 1 / 2.

Goalies-Rockford, Tomkins 4-7-1 (26 shots-24 saves). Grand Rapids, Fulcher 1-1-2 (38 shots-36 saves).

A-664

Three Stars
1. RFD Yetman (goal, assist); 2. GR Pearson (two goals); 3. RFD Altybarmakian (two assists)

Record / Next Game
Grand Rapids: 12-9-3-1 (28 pts.) / Wed., May 5 vs. Cleveland 7 p.m.
Rockford: 11-15-1-0 (23 pts.) / Fri., May 7 at Iowa 7 p.m. CDT

Photo by Nicolas Carrillo/Griffins