Grand Rapids goalie Petr Mrazek moves to block a puck against Milwaukee at the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids Wednesday, November 7, 2012. The Griffins beat the Admirals 4-2. (Cory Morse | MLive.com)

(Cory Morse | MLive.com)

Griffins vs Admirals 11/7/12 15 Gallery: Griffins vs Admirals 11/7/12

GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Petr Mrazek doesn’t see much difference between playing in the ECHL and the AHL, but the Grand Rapids Griffins sure have noticed.

The 20-year-old goalie, playing in his third AHL game, made his home debut Wednesday and saved the Griffins early before the team woke up late in a 4-2 victory against Milwaukee before a matinee crowd of 6,112 at Van Andel Arena.

Mrazek endured 12 shots in the first period before the defense settled down, and Joakim Andersson scored on a power play with eight minutes left in the third period for the go ahead goal en route to the Griffins’ third consecutive victory.

“He’s playing incredible,” Andersson said of the rookie goaltender. “All three games since he got here … He saved the game for us maybe in the first period when he made some real good saves.“

The win put the Griffins over .500 for the first time this season at 5-4-1-1. Milwaukee falls to 4-6-0-0.

Mrazek turned in victories at Texas and Houston over the weekend, allowing single goals in each. Against Milwaukee, he allowed a goal off a slap shot by Jonathon Blue facing a 5-on-3 late in the first that tied the score at 1-1, and was helpless on a redirect by Juuso Pyuustinen midway through the second.

Of the four goals he has allowed in three games, two have come with the Griffins having two players in the penalty box.

“It was a great feeling because we won and it was my first game here so I’m very happy, Mrazek said.

He was called up after turning in a .944 save percentage and a 2.02 goals against average in three games in Toledo. He joined the Griffins the day they left on a three-day, three-game trip to Texas.

“I don’t think it’s that difference between the two (AHL and ECHL) in that my job is to stop the puck,” he said. “But it’s AHL, and the game is faster and the players smarter.”

Coach Jeff Blashill said Mrazek was part of the turnaround.

“We’ve done a good job of limiting our mistakes,” he said, “and Petr Mrazek has made some big saves in net at big times and, in the end, that makes a difference.”

Against Milwaukee, the Griffins defense stepped up and limited the Admirals to 14 shots the final two periods after 12 in the first.

Andersson’s goal was a breakthrough. The Griffins were 0 of 7 on the power play before Andersson’s tipped in a shot from the right point by Gustav Nyquist.

"Recently our power play's been struggling a little bit," Blashill said. "We had a hard time getting into the zone, and so we're going to have to work on that. But I thought it did build as the game went along and, thankfully, we were able to capitalize on the last one."



Notes

Gustav Nyquist scored on an empty net in the closing seconds for the two-goal difference. The Griffins have already had eight games decided by one goal …… Griffins defenseman Brennan Evans got the best of Anthony Bitetto in a brief fight late in the second period … Mike Knuble, a 14-year NHL veteran who lives in Kentwood, joined Bob Kaser on the radio broadcast … The 11 a.m. start was the earlier start ever for a Griffins home game. The team entered the game 7-3-0-1 in matinee games at Van Andel Arena ... The concourse before the game was crowded with educational displays, college information booths and business representatives as part of a job fair … The Griffins host Rockford at 7 p.m. Friday.

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Griffins 4, Admirals 2

Milwaukee 1 1 0 - 2

Grand Rapids 1 1 2 - 4

1st Period-1, Grand Rapids, Sheahan 1 (Ferraro, Billins), 13:54 (SH). 2, Milwaukee, Blum 1 (Beck, Ekholm), 15:56 (PP). Penalties-Bang Mil (high-sticking), 7:34; Andersson Gr (boarding), 11:58; Almquist Gr (hooking), 14:37; Raedeke Gr (cross-checking), 14:55.

2nd Period-3, Grand Rapids, Pare 4 (Billins, Evans), 6:15. 4, Milwaukee, Puustinen 1 (MacLellan, Watson), 12:38. Penalties-Smith Gr (holding), 3:56; Latta Mil (boarding), 4:06; Bartley Mil (boarding), 7:20; Bitetto Mil (fighting), 13:27; Evans Gr (slashing, fighting), 13:27; Beck Mil (cross-checking), 14:29.

3rd Period-5, Grand Rapids, Andersson 3 (Billins, Nyquist), 11:28 (PP). 6, Grand Rapids, Nyquist 6 (Andersson, Tatar), 19:30 (EN). Penalties-Beck Mil (tripping), 0:33; Ekholm Mil (slashing), 4:02; Tatar Gr (hooking), 8:12; Valentine Mil (roughing), 11:06; Mueller Mil (goaltender interference), 19:52.

Shots on Goal-Milwaukee 12-9-5-26. Grand Rapids 3-11-12-26.

Power Play Opportunities-Milwaukee 1 / 6; Grand Rapids 1 / 8.

Goalies-Milwaukee, Smith 2-6-0 (25 shots-22 saves). Grand Rapids, Mrazek 3-0-0 (26 shots-24 saves).

A-6,112

