GRAND RAPIDS (Interstat) — Michal Postava stopped 36 of 37 shots, and the Grand Rapids Griffins held off the Manitoba Moose 2-1 on Friday at Van Andel Arena. Grand Rapids scored once in the first period and once early in the second before Manitoba answered in the third. The announced attendance was 9,371. Postava, a 6-foot-1, 205-pound goaltender from Valasske Mezirici, Czechia, was the game’s top star after a busy and timely performance. The Griffins improved to 2-1, and the Moose also moved to 2-1.

Cameron Butler gave Grand Rapids a 1-0 lead at 15:54 of the first period, with assists from Kienan Draper and Jacob Bryson. The goal came after Manitoba’s Brayden Yager was sent off for hooking at 8:23. Grand Rapids nearly added to its lead before the intermission, but the Moose killed off a tripping penalty to Ronnie Attard at 17:59. Manitoba managed pressure early, but Postava was sharp in net and did not allow a first-period goal.

Grand Rapids made it 2-0 at 2:11 of the second period when William Lagesson scored. Seconds later, the game turned physical. Manitoba’s Tyson Empey and Grand Rapids’ Cameron Butler received five-minute fighting majors at 2:20. Manitoba’s Kevin He was then called for slashing at 2:51, and Grand Rapids’ Chase Stillman went off for tripping at 5:32. The Griffins could not convert on their power-play chances, and the Moose began to generate more shots, but Postava remained steady. Grand Rapids carried the two-goal lead into the third period.

Manitoba broke through at 4:17 of the third when Noah Gregor scored, with Parker Ford assisting. Gregor’s goal trimmed the deficit to 2-1 and gave the Moose renewed energy. Manitoba pushed for an equalizer, and Gregor finished with six shots on goal. Grand Rapids’ Wilmer Skoog was called for holding at 13:15, giving Manitoba a late power play, but the Moose could not beat Postava. The Griffins survived the final minutes and closed out the one-goal win.

Postava finished with 36 saves on 37 shots. Gregor led Manitoba with one goal and six shots. Lagesson scored once on three shots for Grand Rapids, while Butler had one goal, one shot and five penalty minutes. Bryson added one assist and two shots, Ford contributed one assist and three shots, and Draper had one assist. Noah Dower Nilsson and Dominik Shine each recorded four shots for the Griffins. Chase Stillman had three shots and two penalty minutes.

Manitoba’s Gregor, a 6-foot, 175-pound center, was the Moose’s most persistent threat. Lagesson, a 6-foot-2, 214-pound defenseman, scored on one of his three shots. Butler, a 6-foot-4, 215-pound right wing, scored on his only shot and added five penalty minutes. Bryson, a 5-foot-9, 176-pound defenseman, assisted on the opener and put two shots on net. Ford, a 5-foot-10, 186-pound right wing, picked up the lone assist and had three shots. Draper, a 6-foot-2, 208-pound right wing, had one assist. Dower Nilsson, a 6-foot-1, 197-pound left wing, and Shine, a 5-foot-11, 180-pound right wing, each recorded four shots. Stillman, a 6-foot-1, 185-pound right wing, had three shots and two penalty minutes.

The result left both teams at 2-1. Manitoba had won its previous two games, both at home against Chicago, by scores of 8-3 and 3-0. Grand Rapids had won 5-2 at Cleveland before falling 5-4 in overtime at Cleveland. The Moose will continue their road schedule next, while the Griffins will return to action on their upcoming slate. Grand Rapids’ penalty kill delivered when needed, and its early scoring proved to be the difference in a tight contest.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Grand Rapids 4, Manitoba 3. Its ELO system had given Grand Rapids a 68.8 percent probability to win.