Central Division wins AHL All-Star Classic for second year in a row

Grand Rapids Griffins forward Matt Lorito scored in the fourth shootout round to give the Central Division a 1-0 win in the championship game of the 2017 AHL All-Star Challenge at a sold-out PPL Center on Monday night.

ALLENTOWN, Pa. – Matt Lorito of the Grand Rapids Griffins was the lone scorer in the shootout as the Central Division beat the Atlantic Division 1-0 on Monday in the championship of the American Hockey League’s All-Star Classic.

Michael Leighton and Anton Forsberg combined to stop three shots in the six minutes of regulation time for the Central before turning aside all four skaters in the shootout.

Zane McIntyre and Tristan Jarry made two saves in net for the Atlantic.

The AHL All-Star Challenge is a round-robin tournament among the league’s four divisions, played at 3-on-3. The first six games are 10 minutes in length, followed by the six-minute championship final. The victory was the second in as many years for the Central Division

Lorito, Cleveland Monsters forward Oliver Bjorkstrand and Iowa Wild forward Alex Tuch all had two goals and an assist for the Central Division on Monday night.

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