Kevin Lankinen made a career-high 42 saves to win his fourth straight start in the Rockford IceHogs’ 5-2 victory over the Grand Rapids Griffins on Saturday at the BMO Harris Bank Center.
Brandon Hagel and Alexandre Fortin each had a goal and an assist for Rockford, who killed off four penalties and split the home-and-home against the Griffins after a 5-2 loss Friday in a chippy set between the Blackhawks and Red Wings AHL affiliates.
Nick Moutrey scored a shorthanded goal, and rookies Philipp Kurashev and MacKenzie Entwistle also tallied. Defenseman Lucas Carlsson recorded two assists.
Evgeny Svechnikov scored both goals for Grand Rapids, which has lost two of its last three games. Filip Larsson made 15 saves.
Moutrey jump started Rockford’s three-goal start when he stole a pass from Gregor MacLeod at the blue line then fired a wrist shot past Larsson’s glove side at 13:29. Kurashev doubled the lead only 64 seconds later with a shot below the left faceoff circle. Fortin found Entwistle alone in front of the net for a tap-in to make it 3-0 at 14:30 of the second period.
Svechnikov ended Lankinen’s shutout 1:55 later with a wrister from the left circle to trim Rockford’s lead to 3-1 heading into the third.
Rockford needed only 17 seconds in the third to regain its three-goal lead when Jacob Nilsson found Hagel open at the right post for a tap-in tally.
Joe Velano, who had two assists, drove to the net by Chad Krys and ran into Lankinen then Svechnikov stuffed the loose puck into the net at 3:15.
Carlsson sent a stretch pass to Fortin, who fired his first goal of the season into the net with four minutes remaining.
What’s next?
Rockford has a week off before starting a Texas road trip Saturday, Nov. 23 in Cedar Park against the Texas Stars.