Grand Rapids beats Bulldogs on controversial goal

By Garry McKay
HAMILTON SPECTATOR

The Grand Rapids Griffins took advantage of a goal that should never have been allowed to beat the Hamilton Bulldogs 3-1 Saturday night at Copps Coliseum.

With the game tied 1-1 8:50 into the third period Griffins centre Justin Abdelkader drove Hamilton defenceman T.J. Kemp into goaltender Marc Denis and with both of them out of the way then knocked the puck into the empty net to put Grand Rapids up 2-1.

The Bulldogs were incensed but referee Ghislain Hebert allowed the goal to stand.
To add salt to the wound Abdelkader also scored into the empty Hamilton net at 19:54 to ice the victory.

Denis didn’t want to get drawn into the controversy of the goal too much but called Hebert ‘gutless’ for not giving him an explanation of why he allowed the controversial goal.

With the win the Griffins take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven AHL North Division semi-final and the series now switches to Grand Rapids for games on Monday, Wednesday and, if necessary, Friday.

After a scoreless opening 20 minutes Ryan White put the Bulldogs up 1-0 at 3:39 of the second when he won a draw in the right faceoff circle and then ripped a rising wrist shot past Jimmy Howard.

It was the only time the Dogs would beat the Griffins netminder, however.
Ville Leino tied the game on a power play at 5:39 of the third.

Bulldogs coach Ron Wilson was upset, not that Abdelkader’s goal was probably illegal, but that his guys weren’t doing the same thing.

“That’s what they’re doing and we’re not doing. They’re going to the net hard and we’re not,” he explained. “They’re paying the price to score goals and we’re not.”

The Bulldogs will need to win at least two of the third games in Grand Rapids to force a Game 6 back in Hamilton on Sunday, April 26.

Hits and misses

Molson Cup Three Stars: 1. Ville Leino, Grand Rapids. 2. Justin Abdelkader, Grand Rapids. 3. Ryan White, Hamilton.

Flamboro Downs Workhorse of the Game (hardest working Bulldog): Alex Henry.
Scratches: Steve Gainey, Andrew Conboy, Max Pacioretty.
Shots on goal: Grand Rapids 29 Hamilton 23.
Power plays: Grand Rapids 1-4. Hamilton 0-5.
Attendance: 2,296.
Up next: Game three in the series is in Grand Rapids Monday at 7 p.m.