Michael Bournival scores in shootout for Bulldogs 4-3 win over Griffins

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Michael Bournival was the only player to score in the shootout Saturday as the Hamilton Bulldogs edged the Grand Rapids Griffins 4-3 in American Hockey League action.

Blake Geoffrion, Aaron Palushaj and Gabriel Dumont all scored in regulation for Hamilton (1-0-0). Robert Mayer stopped 17-of-20 shots before turning aside five Griffins in the shootout.

Jeff Hoggan had a power-play goal in the third period to tie the game for Grand Rapids (0-1-1). Francis Pare and Trevor Parkes also scored, while Tom McCollum turned aside 33-of-36 shots before stopping 3-of-4 Bulldogs in the shootout.

Hamilton scored twice in the final three minutes of an otherwise tight opening period. Geoffrion slipped a backhand past McCollum while falling to the ice in the slot at the 17:09 mark, before Palushaj deflected the puck into the net.

Grand Rapids' Landon Ferraro fed a pass into the right circle to Trevor Parkes, who whipped a shot behind Mayer at the 46-second mark of the second for the first short-handed goal of his career.

A point-blank try by Brendan Smith was stopped by Mayer, but Pare knocked in the rebound at the left post to make it 2-2 just 5:24 into the second.

Hamilton used a goal from its fourth line to pull back on top at 4:53 of the third, as Dumont's shot from along the goal-line managed to elude McCollum.

The Griffins clawed back to forge a tie, with Hoggan beating Mayer on a backhand from the slot at 9:39.

Both goaltenders made four saves to send the game to a shootout.

Hamilton went 0 for 6 on the power play, while Grand Rapids was 1 for 3.