Four goals allowed in the third period led to the Lake Erie Monsters (18-20-2-1) seeing their three-game unbeaten-in-regulation streak snapped at the hands of the Grand Rapids Griffins (16-16-4-3).  The Monsters suffered their eighth shutout of the season, losing by a 5-0 score Friday night at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids.

Griffins defenseman Brendan Smith had the lone goal of the first two periods. With Grand Rapids on the power play, Smith walked up the right side of the offensive end, firing a wrist shot from the circle that beat Monsters goalie Gerald Coleman for the eventual game-winner at 7:28 of the first period.

At 17:55 of the second period, Griffins goalie Joey MacDonald denied the Monsters Mark Olver on a penalty shot attempt that could have tied the game.

With a 1-0 lead entering the third period, Grand Rapids extended the lead to 3-0 with goals from Brent Raedeke and Gustav Nyquist in the first 2:28 of the frame.

Jamie Johnson added an insurance marker for the Griffins to make it 4-0 at 13:20 of the third period, and Chris Minard added the fifth Griffins goal with 27 seconds left in the game.

Starting his second game since joining the Monsters last week, Coleman is 1-1-0 after a loss in which he stopped 34 of 39.  MacDonald stopped all 21 shots he faced in the shutout win for Grand Rapids.

The Monsters return to the ice Saturday night at Quicken Loans Arena. They will host Oklahoma City to finish out the weekend three-in-three, with the puck dropping at 7:30 PM.

NOTES: Cameron Gaunce and Patrick Rissmiller had three-game assist streaks snapped in the loss… Mark Olver’s two-game point streak snaps with the shutout loss… Gaunce, who leads the Monsters with a +14 rating this season, and Patrick Bordeleau, were the only Monsters who did not have a minus rating in the game; both were even… The Monsters have been shutout eight times this season, including a November 2nd shutout in Grand Rapids at the hands of goalie Joey MacDonald and the Griffins.