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McCollum Whitewashes Wild 3-0

McCollum Whitewashes Wild 3-0
Aubry scores career high 10th goal in win…
By Jason Kasiorek
www.griffinscentral.com
February 26th, 2016

Thomas McCollum celebrated his own bobble head night by stopping all 29 shots he faced and shutting out the visiting Iowa Wild 3-0. The suddenly surging Robbie Russo scored the game winner in the first period and the Griffins got insurance tallies from Martin Frk (22) and Louis-Marc Aubry (10). Grand Rapids turned in back to back wins over the 7th place Wild, outscoring them 7-1.

Back and forth first period, very few scoring chances. Grand Rapids trying to establish the hitting game early with some big hits along the boards. Robbie Russo opened the scoring with a low shot from the line that beat Michalek through traffic for his third of the season. Mitch Callahan beat Fortunas to a loose puck on the forecheck, setting up Grand Rapid’s first sustained pressure. Callahan, Aubry and Campbell cycles the puck and generated several scoring chances on Michalek. Aubry got knocked down and Campbell returned the favor, sending the hitter to the ice in a heap. Sick spinorama by Miele to get the puck to the net for a great chance. Shots on goal: GR 12 – Iowa 6.

Bertuzzi with a great chance in front. Michalek made the initial stop, but the puck was loose in the crease. Players from both teams tried to get to the puck but it was blown dead prematurely as the official lost sight of the puck. Lab be tried to obstruct Tangradi but got run over instead. Aubry took a pass from Jensen, backed into the circle and lifted a shot in over Michalek for his 10th of the campaign. It appeared Cleary interfered with Michalek, and the goal was reviewed but allowed to stand. Grand Rapids dodged a bullet when Iowa failed to convert in front of a wide open net. Campbell nice short handed rush, then another chance as he raced the netminder to a loose puck and the two collided. Michalek stole a goal with a quick glove on a wicked shot by Mantha. Sprouts heavy blast from the point just deflected wide of the net. Shots on goal: GR 17 – Iowa 12.

Frk took a feed from Miele in the circled then fired a howitzer of a shot through Michalek for a power play goal. Gabriel attacked Mantha while the big forward was setting up for a shot from the circle. Mantha didn’t drop the gloves, earning Grand Rapids a power play. Bertuzzi fanned on a back door chance, then Andersson had a great chance on the doorstep. Tangradi and Labbe dropped the gloves late in a grappling match. Neither really was able to do much damage before they were broken up. The whistle sounded in the end of a 3-0 win. Shots on goal: GR 13 – Iowa 11. For the game: GR 42 – 29.

Lines:
Callahan – Andersson – Zengerle
Tangradi – Miele – Mantha
Bertuzzi – Nosek – Frk
Cleary – Aubry – Campbell

Pairings:
Lashoff – Jensen
Ouellet – Russo
Paetsch – Sproul

Starter: McCollum
Backup: Coreau

Scratches:
#10 Hoggan
#23 Grant – Injury
#32 Hirschfeld – Seizure
#44 Rechlicz
#49 Chouinard

PP:
Callahan – Miele – Mantha
Paetsch – Frk

Bertuzzi – Tangradi – Zengerle
Russo – Sproul

PK:
Aubry – Nosek
Lashoff – Jensen

Andersson – Campbell
Ouellet – Russo

Observations:

The team played without defenseman Jakub Kindl who had been traded to The Florida Panthers (NHL) late this afternoon. Good luck in Florida Jakub!

Andy Miele looked like he had been shot out of a cannon tonight. He put on a clinic, working the dangle, and was at his shiftiness best, stealing the puck and finding the seams to break free.

Louis-Marc Aubry and Colin Campbell may have been the two most dangerous forwards for the Griffins. They had several chances shorthanded. The fourth line in general saw lots of ice tonight and were double shifted at time in the latter stages of the game.

Official Game Sheet

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