Street Stuns Stockton with Late Goal

It was Ben Street’s turn to play the hero as he blew through two defenders and in on goal to roof a shot and give the Griffins a late 2-1 lead over the visiting Stockton Heat. The game was a defensive battle for two periods before Kyle Criscuolo opened the scoring early in the third. Stockton tied it back up less than a minute later where it stayed until Streets late heroics. Eddie Pasquale made 30 stops to pick up his 10th win of the season.

Bryan Lashoff, trying to clear the zone, was taken down from behind leading to a delayed penalty. Big hit by Aubry after the whistle and a big scrum broke out along the endboards. The ensuing Griffins powerplay was ineffective, with almost no chances or shots by either unit. Tomas Nosek into the zone with speed and Lomberg stuck his knee out and sent him flying. Criscuolo walked in front from the corner and snapped a quick shot off Gillies’ pads. Great defensive play by Renouf to reach in and pick Angelidis’ pocket in scoring position right in front of the net. Goal mouth scramble in front of Gillies and Bertuzzi got roughed up and his helmet knocked off. Big stop by Eddie Pasquale with traffic in front. Paetsch cross checked Lomberg in the head and was sent to the box for high-sticking. Steal by Street for a shorthanded chance right in front. Tangradi cut through the slot and fired a hard shot on Gilles. Shots on goal: GR 12 – Stockton 14.

The second period was back and forth with little in the way of sustained pressure by either team until late in the period when things started to heat up. Great chance in front by Sadowy and Gillies made the original stop and the puck lay behind him in the crease. Nosek crept in backdoor but Gillies just recovered and gloved the puck. Grand Rapids with a late powerplay. Bertuzzi walked in and blistered a shot on net that Gillies stopped. Stockton with a dangerous looking shorthanded chance. Conor Allen got knocked to the ice and then got tangled up with a couple of Heat players as tempers flared. Shots on goal: GR 13- Stockton 8.

Great pressure by grand Rapids early, lots of jump and good pace to start the third. Criscuolo up the gut took a nice feed from Bertuzzi, used the defenseman as a screen and flicked the puck past Gillies, stick-side, to open the scoring. The Heat struck right back, less than a minute later, Carroll took a pass from the corner and stroked a shot past Pasquale to even things up at one. Hitting picking up, Criscuolo got smoked in open ice, but got right back up. Callahan tripped by Wotherspoon and another Griffins powerplay. Four-on-Two break for GR and Criscuolo with a weak shot wide of the net. Callahan pushing and shoving after the whistle and several Heat players trying to get at him. Criscuolo crashed the net for a great chance that somehow stayed out. Nice stick by Robbie Russo to poke the puck away and break up a rush. Ben Street spilt the defense, shot in on goal, and roofed it for a 2-1 lead with two minutes and change left in the game. Gillies to the bench for an extra skater with just over a minute left. Renouf with a goal saving shot block that looked like it hurt. Grand Rapids managed to clear and time runs out as the Griffins post a 2-1 win over the Stockton Heat. Shots on goal: GR 14 – Stockton 9. For the Game: GR 39 – Stockton 31.

Lines:
Lorito- Nosek – Frk
Tangradi – Street – Callahan
Bertuzzi – Criscuolo – Svechnikov
Aubry- Turgeon – Campbell

Pairings:
Renouf – Russo
Paetsch – Hicketts
Lashoff – Allen

Starter: Pasquale
Backup: Heeter

Scratches:
#11 Cleary – Veteran
#17 Caito
#21 Borkowski
#29 Sadowy
#55 Ford – Veteran

PP:
Lorito – Nosek – Callahan
Frk – Street

Bertuzzi – Criscuolo – Svechnikov
Criscuolo – Russo

PK:
Callahan – Street
Renouf – Russo

Nosek/Tangradi – Campbell
Lashoff – Allen

Observations:

It looked like the Griffins turned on the light switch in the third period and the intensity level really ramped up.

Strong game by Pasquale stopping 30 shots including several from right in front on nice feeds from the corner or side boards. He had to be sharp.

Svechnikov another very good game, very noticable, added an assist to notch points in five straight games. He was credited with 6 shots on goal, but had a couple of others blacked. He also had a shift where he was dominant in taking the puck away and stickhandling it through the Heat using his size and strength to bull through traffic to the net.

Kyle Criscuolo also had a strong showing. He did a good job of getting lost in the clutter and then appearing in scoring position to snap a shot off. He had 6 shots on goal and I am surprised he only scored on one of them. He also showed his toughness, getting roughed up several times, but not letting it sow him down.