Howard Stops Barons With 27-Saves
March 23, 2006 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Cleveland Barons News Release
CLEVELAND, OH -- The reigning CCM/Vector AHL Player of the Week, Jimmy Howard, continued his strong play with a 27-save performance leading the Griffins to a 4-1 win over the Barons on Thursday night. Lukas Kaspar scored his 13th goal of the season for Cleveland in the losing effort.
The Barons, looking to spoil the Griffins' bid for 50 regular season wins, scored the game's opening tally for the second consecutive game. Lukas Kaspar converted a power play strike for his 13th goal of the year at the 5:10 mark on assists from... The AHL's leading goal scorer, Donald MacLean, answered for the Griffins with his 53rd of the season while Grand Rapids enjoyed a five-on-three power play opportunity. The period finished fairly even with the Barons being outshot by Grand Rapids, 9-8.
The second period was all about goaltending as Grand Rapids' rookie netminder, Jimmy Howard, made 15-saves on the way to his ninth consecutive victory. With Howard providing the big stops, the Griffins produced the period's only goals on the power play. Eric Manlow and Terry Virtue extended the visitor's lead to 3-1 through forty minutes. Manlow's goal, his 19th of the season, gave Grand Rapids their first lead of the evening at 4:59 of the second period. Virtue's goal came with 2:45 remaining, his first in a Griffins uniform this year. The Barons dominated the period out-shooting Grand Rapids 15-7 in the middle frame but could not beat the first-year netminder out of the University of Maine.
The Griffins won their fifth in-a-row against the Barons and their eighth consecutive overall with a 3rd period insurance goal from Jiri Hudler. The Griffins leading point gatherer totaled his 36th goal of the season on a rebound at the 5:26 mark putting the game away for Grand Rapids. The Barons were outshot 11-4 in the final frame.
The Barons continue a three games-in-three nights stretch tomorrow at Rochester and Saturday at Toronto. Following the weekend roadie the Barons will kick-start the month of April with a five-game home stand to close out the regular season, including a back-to-back weekend series against the Iowa Stars on the 1st and 2nd.
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American Hockey League Stories from March 23, 2006
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