Griffins Hold On for 3-2 Win Over Monsters in Tight Defensive Battle

Sebastian Cossa made 22 saves to hold a one-goal lead as the Grand Rapids Griffins beat the Cleveland Monsters 3-2 in a tight defensive game at Van Andel Arena. The victory improved the Griffins to 38-7-2-1 and kept the club in first place in the Central Division, while Cleveland fell to 25-16-6-1 and remains third in the AHL’s North Division.

Grand Rapids struck early when Dominik Shine opened the scoring at the 1:02 mark of the first period. Cleveland answered later in the opening frame when Owen Sillinger converted on the power play to tie the game 1-1 with Mikael Pyyhtiä credited with the assist. Sheldon Dries restored the Griffins’ lead at 11:49 of the first, sending Grand Rapids to the first intermission up 2-1.

The lone goal of the middle period arrived at 16:52 when Michael Brandsegg-Nygård pushed the lead to 3-1 through 40 minutes. Cleveland mounted a third-period push and got within one when Brendan Gaunce scored at 4:07 of the final frame, a play set up by Luca Pinelli and Stanislav Svozil, but Grand Rapids held on for the 3-2 regulation win.

Goaltending numbers underscored how close the game was: Grand Rapids’ Sebastian Cossa recorded the win with 22 saves and is listed with a 22-4-2 record after the game. Cleveland netminder Ivan Fedotov also stopped 22 shots in defeat and is shown with a 17-10-4 mark. The matching save totals reflected a game decided by timely offense rather than a busy crease for either netminder.

The result adds to the long-running competitive history between the clubs; this matchup was the 138th meeting between the franchises and follows earlier-season fireworks when the Griffins ended the Monsters’ franchise-record 10-game win streak on Dec. 1. Those historical touchpoints deepen the regional rivalry and give extra weight to single-goal outcomes like Wednesday’s contest at Van Andel Arena.

From a roster and business angle, Grand Rapids’ 38-7-2-1 ledger and Cossa’s 22-4-2 record reinforce the Griffins’ value proposition for a midmarket AHL club: strong home results and reliable goaltending feed attendance momentum and NHL-caliber depth evaluation. Cleveland’s 25-16-6-1 mark and Sillinger’s power-play scoring highlight a club with offensive upside that will be pressing for divisional positioning down the stretch.

Game sheets, photos and highlights will be posted following video processing for the contest played on Feb. 18, 2026 at Van Andel Arena. Fans tracking playoff race permutations should note Grand Rapids’ continued climb in the Central Division and Cleveland’s need to convert opportunities into more than late pushes if the Monsters are to climb from third in the North.