Street’s ot winner gives Griffins sweep of home ice pair

Ben Street took a drop pass from Eric Tangradi and snapped it home 7:02 into the second overtime period to lift the Grand Rapids Griffins into a 2-0 lead in its American Hockey League Calder Cup Championship series at Van Andel Arena on Saturday (June 3, 2017).

The goal was the second of the night and sixth of the post season for Street ending a back and forth contest that saw a host of lead changes, the Griffins ultimately topping the visiting Syracuse Crunch 6-5.

After a crazy 10-goal regulation session, the goaltenders took over in the extra periods, combining to stop 37 straight shots before Street managed to snap one by Mike McKenna in the Syracuse Crunch net, his 56^th shot of the night. Coreau was nearly as busy in the Griffins’ goal, making 46 saves on the night.

Griffins held a 2-1 margin after a period but teams were even at 3-3 heading to the third. Tomas Nosek’s 10^th of the post season put his team in front again 24 seconds into the frame but the Crunch battled back to wipe out deficits twice in the period.

The final goal came from Michael Bournival, of the Crunch, his seventh of the playoffs with 4:45 to play in regulation.

Along with Street’s pair and the other by Nosek, the Griffins got other goals from Martin Frk, Evgeny Svechnikov and Tyler Bertuzzi. Other Syracuse goals were scored by Yanni Gourde, Joel Vermin, Erik Condra and Cory Conacher.

The series shifts to upstate New York for the next three games, beginning on Wednesday (June 7) when the Griffins look to take a commanding 3-0 lead.