Monsters beat Griffins, 4-3, in shootout thriller
Nov. 1—The Monsters were less than one second from beating the Griffins in regulation on Nov. 1. The crowd at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse was getting ready to celebrate.
In the end, the 5,143 fans in attendance did get to celebrate a 4-3 thriller the Monsters won in a shootout. They just had to delay the party a little bit.
The Griffins' Tim Gertinger was credited with a power play goal with the Grand Rapids net empty and 0.7 seconds to play to tie the score 3-3. The goal had to be reviewed by the referees to make sure it was scored before time expired.
After a scoreless five-minute overtime in which the home team was outshot, 6-1, the Monsters' last two skaters scored after the Griffins scored first in the shootout that followed the overtime.
The 4-3 final looks like any other victory in the standings. Coach Trent Vogelhuber was pleased with the result, but not how the Monsters got there.
"We have to find a way to close those out," Vogelhuber said. "We still had an opportunity to win the game and we did.
"Energy-wise, I didn't think our group had a whole lot. Everything is processed-based, not necessarily results. This was arguably our worst game of the year. We gave up way too many chances. We weren't physically engaged enough. I thought we got a little bit lucky to win that one. Good teams find a way to win when they're not at their best and we did."
Yegor Chinakov scored two power play goals in the second period and assisted on a goal by Trey Fix-Wolansky in the first period. Chinakov also scored the Monsters' first goal in the shootout. Chinakov was loaned to the Monsters by the NHL Blue Jackets on Oct. 25.
"It's been a long time since he's played a game, going all the way back to March when he got injured (lower body) last year," Vogelhuber said. "He has a lethal shot, which we all knew. I'm glad he was able to find the back of the net a couple times."
Vogelhuber chose to have the Griffins go first in the overtime. Elmer Soderbloom scored for the visitors. Fix-Wolansky's shot was stopped by Grand Rapids goalie Sebbastian Cosa.
Monsters goalie Jet Greaves stopped the next Grand Rapids shooter and then Chinakov tied the shootout 1-1. Greaves made a spectacular left pad save to stymie the Griffins' Jonathan Berggen, then Miakel Pyythia scored the game-winner for the Monsters.
