Joffrey Lupul helped Cincinnati start strong and end strong, potting a hat trick to lead the Mighty Ducks to a 5-4 win in Grand Rapids on Tuesday night.
Lupul got his first two goals of the night 43 seconds apart as Cincinnati raced out to a 3-0 advantage just 3:43 into the game.
The Griffins battled back, eventually tying the score when Eric Manlow and Eric Himelfarb scored 76 seconds apart during a five-minute power play.
Stanislav Chistov put the Ducks back in front at 9:11 of the third period, but that lead lasted barely over a minute until Himelfarb tied it back up with his second goal of the night.
That deadlock lasted exactly 90 seconds before Lupul completed his hat trick with a blast from the left circle at 11:53, giving Cincinnati its fourth straight win.
The loss dropped Grand Rapids to 0-5-0-1 in its last six games.
Elsewhere on Tuesday:
In front of 17,898 fans at the HSBC Arena in Buffalo, the eighth-largest crowd in AHL history, Ryan Miller made 27 saves to backstop Rochester to a 2-0 win over Edmonton… Shane Joseph scored with 1:05 left in regulation and Ryane Clowe added the winner in overtime as Cleveland got past Manitoba, 3-2… Chris Hajt‘s goal at 5:08 of the third period gave Portland a 3-2 win in Bridgeport, ending a nine-game road winless streak… Tom Kostopoulos recorded a goal and two assists to lead Manchester past Utah, 6-0… Mike Glumac scored twice during a wild second period as Worcester held off Hartford, 4-3.
