Nov. 11, 2022

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich - Cross Hanas’ overtime tally capped off a Grand Rapids Griffins three-goal comeback and snapped the Toronto Marlies’ six-game winning streak with a 5-4 victory at Van Andel Arena on Friday.

After scoring three goals in the final frame, the Griffins forced an additional five minutes for the second time this season. Hanas shifted around the defense and found himself one-on-one with Dryden McKay at the crease and sent the puck over the netminder for the victory. Pontus Andreasson recorded two of the three goals scored in the third and added the assist on Hanas’ game-winner. The two tallies from Andreasson were his first in North America while fellow Swede Albert Johansson (0-1–1) joined him on the scoresheet with his first point in the AHL. Two of the three losses Toronto has endured have come from the Griffins.

Toronto quickly built a three-goal lead in the initial frame, beginning with Semyon Der-Arguchintsev rifling the puck over the glove of Jussi Olkinuora (20 saves) into the right corner of the net at 6:11. With 6:45 to go in the period, Pontus Holmberg stuffed in a Der-Arguchintsev shot from the left circle on a power play. Also on a power play, Der-Arguchintsev scored his second of the night with an attempt deflecting off Brian Lashoff’s stick and through the five hole of Olkinuora for a 3-0 advantage with 53 seconds left in the first stanza.

In the middle period, Joel L’Esperance cut the deficit to two after gathering a pass from Tyler Spezia at the crease and putting the biscuit into the top shelf at 14:27. William Villeneuve quickly responded for Toronto with a goal scored under the glove of Olkinuora on an odd-man rush 1:08 later, taking a 4-1 lead into the third.

The final-frame frenzy began 1:31 into the stanza, as Hanas spun and slid a pass from behind the net to Andreasson in the slot for a one-timer past McKay to make it 4-2. Jared McIsaac followed at 10:19 with his first of the season from between the circles to cut the lead to one. Andreasson notched the game-tying goal on a power play at 12:52 after deflecting in Hanas’ shot from the left circle to eventually send the game to overtime.

In overtime, Hanas gathered a loose puck in the backend of the Marlies’ zone and shifted past a recovering Toronto defense. Hanas skated toward the right side of the cage, moved to his left and beat McKay over-the-top at 1:04 to snap Toronto’s six-game win streak.

Notes
- Eemil Viro appeared in his 150th game as a professional and his teammate Dominik Shine completed his 300th as a Griffin, in the AHL and as a pro.
- L’Esperance now has seven points (3-4–7) in as many outings.

Box Score
Toronto 3 1 0 0 - 4
Grand Rapids 0 1 3 1 - 5

1st Period-1, Toronto, Der-Arguchintsev 2 (Hollowell), 6:11. 2, Toronto, Holmberg 1 (Der-Arguchintsev, Villeneuve), 13:15 (PP). 3, Toronto, Der-Arguchintsev 3 (Holmberg, McKay), 19:07 (PP). Penalties-Anderson Tor (interference), 3:20; Criscuolo Gr (throwing stick to teammate), 11:34; Bliss Gr (boarding), 17:25.

2nd Period-4, Grand Rapids, L’Esperance 5 (Spezia, Johansson), 14:27. 5, Toronto, Villeneuve 1 (Shaw, Anderson), 15:35. Penalties-Hoefenmayer Tor (roughing, roughing), 2:33; Criscuolo Gr (roughing, roughing), 2:33; Viro Gr (slashing), 3:16; Kral Tor (hooking), 10:36; Slaggert Tor (hooking), 17:10.

3rd Period-6, Grand Rapids, Andreasson 1 (Hanas), 1:31. 7, Grand Rapids, McIsaac 1 (Shine, Criscuolo), 10:19. 8, Grand Rapids, Andreasson 2 (Hanas, Hirose), 12:52 (PP). Penalties-Sebrango Gr (cross-checking), 2:41; Hirose Gr (tripping), 4:56; Gaudette Tor (high-sticking), 11:45.

OT Period-9, Grand Rapids, Hanas 6 (Andreasson), 1:04. Penalties-No Penalties
Shots on Goal-Toronto 9-9-5-1-24. Grand Rapids 7-15-9-2-33.
Power Play Opportunities-Toronto 2 / 5; Grand Rapids 1 / 4.
Goalies-Toronto, McKay 0-0-1 (33 shots-28 saves). Grand Rapids, Olkinuora 3-4-0 (24 shots-20 saves).
A-7,729

Three Stars
1. GR Hanas (game-winning goal, two assists); 2. TOR Der-Arguchintsev (two goals, assist); 3. GR Andreasson (two goals, assist).

Record / Next Game
Grand Rapids: 6-6-0-0 (12 pts.) / Sat., Nov. 12 vs. Toronto 7 p.m.
Toronto: 8-2-1-0 (17 pts.) / Sat., Nov. 12 at Grand Rapids 7 p.m.

Photo by Nicolas Carrillo/Griffins