2008-09 SCHEDULE RELEASED
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Griffins on Thursday released their schedule for the 2008-09 season, their 13th overall and eighth as members of the American Hockey League.
The primary affiliate of the 2008 Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings will begin its 80-game slate on Saturday, Oct. 11 in Cleveland against the Lake Erie Monsters, marking the debut of new Grand Rapids head coach Curt Fraser. After starting with three straight road contests, the Griffins will welcome the Hamilton Bulldogs to Van Andel Arena on Saturday, Oct. 25 for Griffins Opening Night presented by Northwest Airlines – the latest date for a home opener in franchise history – as they look to extend their perfect streak of opening-night sellouts to 13.
Highlights of the schedule include:
• Twenty-eight prime home dates (15 Fridays and 13 Saturdays), tying for the most in team history;
• The first-ever visits to Van Andel Arena by the Hartford Wolf Pack (Nov. 14), Manchester Monarchs (Nov. 26) and Iowa Chops, who will provide the opposition for the Griffins’ 12th annual New Year’s Eve Bash. The trio are among 19 opponents that comprise the most diverse schedule in franchise history;
• The lone 2008-09 appearance by the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and their new head coach, Grand Haven, Mich., native and former NHLer Dan Bylsma, on Nov. 21;
• Grand Rapids’ eighth annual Matinee Game presented by Lake Michigan Credit Union on Nov. 11 at noon versus the Houston Aeros;
• Numerous holiday home games, including the Wednesday, Friday and Saturday surrounding Thanksgiving (Nov. 26-29), and a pair of contests immediately after Christmas (Dec. 26-27).
Two large segments of the schedule should prove key to the Griffins’ fortunes. From Nov. 26 to Feb. 7, they will play 22 of 33 games within the friendly confines of Van Andel Arena, while from March 22 to April 5, they will face a franchise-record eight-game road trip. Other challenges will include 10 instances of three games in three nights (compared to six last season) and six times in which they’ll play four games in five nights (four in 2007-08). One of those three-in-threes, Feb. 20-22, will mark just the second time in the team’s 13 seasons that the Griffins will play three home games in as many nights.
With five exceptions, all Griffins home games will begin at 7 p.m. In addition to the noon start on Nov. 11 and 4 p.m. faceoffs for three Sunday games, the Dec. 6 contest will start at 8 p.m. due to an arena event earlier that day.
Griffins full-season, mini-plan and group ticket packages for the 2008-09 season are now on sale. For more information, click here or call the Griffins office at (616) 774-4585.
Single-game tickets will go on sale to the public in September.
Griffins 2008-09 schedule options: PDF Outlook Printable Graphic
| Date | Opponent | Time |
| Sat., Oct. 11 | @ Lake Erie Monsters | 7:30 |
| Sat., Oct. 18 | @ Lake Erie Monsters | 1:00 |
| Sun., Oct. 19 | @ Toronto Marlies | 4:00 |
| Sat., Oct. 25 | HAMILTON BULLDOGS | 7:00 |
| Sun., Oct. 26 | NORFOLK ADMIRALS | 4:00 |
| Wed., Oct. 29 | SYRACUSE CRUNCH | 7:00 |
| Fri., Oct. 31 | @ Milwaukee Admirals | 8:00 |
| Sat., Nov. 1 | MILWAUKEE ADMIRALS | 7:00 |
| Fri., Nov. 7 | LAKE ERIE MONSTERS | 7:00 |
| Sat., Nov. 8 | @ Peoria Rivermen | 8:00 |
| Tue., Nov. 11 | HOUSTON AEROS | Noon |
| Fri., Nov. 14 | HARTFORD WOLF PACK | 7:00 |
| Sat., Nov. 15 | @ Quad City Flames | 8:05 |
| Sun., Nov. 16 | @ Milwaukee Admirals | 6:00 |
| Tue., Nov. 18 | @ Milwaukee Admirals | 8:00 |
| Fri., Nov. 21 | WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON PENGUINS | 7:00 |
| Sat., Nov. 22 | @ Chicago Wolves | 8:00 |
| Sun., Nov. 23 | @ Iowa Chops | 6:05 |
| Wed., Nov. 26 | MANCHESTER MONARCHS | 7:00 |
| Fri., Nov. 28 | CHICAGO WOLVES | 7:00 |
| Sat., Nov. 29 | ROCHESTER AMERICANS | 7:00 |
| Sun., Nov. 30 | @ Chicago Wolves | 4:00 |
| Fri., Dec. 5 | TORONTO MARLIES | 7:00 |
| Sat., Dec. 6 | HAMILTON BULLDOGS | 8:00 |
| Fri., Dec. 12 | @ Manitoba Moose | 8:30 |
| Sat., Dec. 13 | @ Manitoba Moose | 8:30 |
| Wed., Dec. 17 | SYRACUSE CRUNCH | 7:00 |
| Fri., Dec. 19 | MILWAUKEE ADMIRALS | 7:00 |
| Sat., Dec. 20 | MILWAUKEE ADMIRALS | 7:00 |
| Sun., Dec. 21 | @ Rochester Americans | 6:05 |
| Fri., Dec. 26 | PEORIA RIVERMEN | 7:00 |
| Sat., Dec. 27 | LAKE ERIE MONSTERS | 7:00 |
| Tue., Dec. 30 | @ Peoria Rivermen | 8:00 |
| Wed., Dec. 31 | IOWA CHOPS | 7:00 |
| Fri., Jan. 2 | @ Hartford Wolf Pack | 7:00 |
| Sat., Jan. 3 | @ Manchester Monarchs | 7:00 |
| Wed., Jan. 7 | ROCKFORD ICEHOGS | 7:00 |
| Fri., Jan. 9 | PHILADELPHIA PHANTOMS | 7:00 |
| Sat., Jan. 10 | PHILADELPHIA PHANTOMS | 7:00 |
| Wed., Jan. 14 | @ Hamilton Bulldogs | 7:30 |
| Fri., Jan. 16 | MANITOBA MOOSE | 7:00 |
| Sat., Jan. 17 | @ Rockford IceHogs | 8:05 |
| Mon., Jan. 19 | @ Rockford IceHogs | 8:05 |
| Wed., Jan. 21 | TORONTO MARLIES | 7:00 |
| Fri., Jan. 23 | QUAD CITY FLAMES | 7:00 |
| Sat., Jan. 24 | QUAD CITY FLAMES | 7:00 |
| Fri., Jan. 30 | ROCHESTER AMERICANS | 7:00 |
| Sat., Jan. 31 | ROCHESTER AMERICANS | 7:00 |
| Wed., Feb. 4 | @ Quad City Flames | 8:05 |
| Fri., Feb. 6 | CHICAGO WOLVES | 7:00 |
| Sat., Feb. 7 | LAKE ERIE MONSTERS | 7:00 |
| Sun., Feb. 8 | @ Toronto Marlies | 4:00 |
| Tue., Feb. 10 | @ Milwaukee Admirals | 8:00 |
| Fri., Feb. 13 | @ Syracuse Crunch | 7:30 |
| Sat., Feb. 14 | @ Toronto Marlies | 4:00 |
| Wed., Feb. 18 | @ Rochester Americans | 7:05 |
| Fri., Feb. 20 | MANITOBA MOOSE | 7:00 |
| Sat., Feb. 21 | LAKE ERIE MONSTERS | 7:00 |
| Sun., Feb. 22 | SAN ANTONIO RAMPAGE | 4:00 |
| Fri., Feb. 27 | @ Syracuse Crunch | 7:30 |
| Sat., Feb. 28 | @ Lake Erie Monsters | 7:30 |
| Sun., March 1 | @ Toronto Marlies | 4:00 |
| Wed., March 4 | ROCKFORD ICEHOGS | 7:00 |
| Thu., March 5 | @ Houston Aeros | 8:05 |
| Sat., March 7 | @ San Antonio Rampage | 8:00 |
| Wed., March 11 | PEORIA RIVERMEN | 7:00 |
| Sat., March 14 | PEORIA RIVERMEN | 7:00 |
| Sun., March 15 | MILWAUKEE ADMIRALS | 4:00 |
| Fri., March 20 | TORONTO MARLIES | 7:00 |
| Sat., March 21 | TORONTO MARLIES | 7:00 |
| Sun., March 22 | @ Lake Erie Monsters | 5:00 |
| Wed., March 25 | @ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins | 7:05 |
| Fri., March 27 | @ Norfolk Admirals | 7:15 |
| Sat., March 28 | @ Philadelphia Phantoms | 7:05 |
| Sun., March 29 | @ Philadelphia Phantoms | 5:05 |
| Fri., April 3 | @ Hamilton Bulldogs | 7:30 |
| Sat., April 4 | @ Hamilton Bulldogs | 7:00 |
| Sun., April 5 | @ Rochester Americans | 6:05 |
| Fri., April 10 | HAMILTON BULLDOGS | 7:00 |
| Sat., April 11 | @ Peoria Rivermen | 8:00 |
All Times Eastern
Dates, Opponents and Times Subject to Change
Games Broadcast on WOOD 1300 AM (Exception: Nov. 11 on WTKG 1230 AM)
Grand Rapids Griffins
2008-09 Schedule Breakdown
Season Opener: Sat., Oct. 11 at Lake Erie Monsters
Home Opener: Sat., Oct. 25 vs. Hamilton Bulldogs
2009 AHL All-Star Classic: Sun., Jan. 25 and Mon., Jan. 26 in Worcester, Mass.
Home Finale: Fri., April 10 vs. Hamilton Bulldogs
Season Finale: Sat., April 11 at Peoria Rivermen
By Conference
Western – 68 (34 home, 34 road), Eastern – 12 (6 home, 6 road)
By Division
North – 36 (18 home, 18 road), West – 32 (16 home, 16 road), East – 8 (4 home, 4 road), Atlantic – 4 (2 home, 2 road)
By Opponent
Lake Erie, Milwaukee and Toronto – 8 games each (4 home, 4 road)
Hamilton, Rochester and Peoria – 6 games each (3 home, 3 road)
Chicago, Manitoba, Philadelphia, Quad City, Rockford and Syracuse – 4 games each (2 home, 2 road)
Hartford, Houston, Iowa, Manchester, Norfolk, San Antonio and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton – 2 games each (1 home, 1 road)
By Day (Home)
Friday – 15, Saturday – 13, Wednesday – 8, Sunday – 3, Tuesday – 1
By Day (Road)
Saturday – 14, Sunday – 10, Friday – 7, Wednesday – 4, Tuesday – 3, Monday and Thursday – 1
By Month (Home)
January – 9, November and December – 8, March – 6, February – 5, October – 3, April – 1
By Month (Road)
February and March – 8, November – 7, January – 5, October, December and April – 4
Longest Home Stand
5 games: Jan. 21-31 and March 11-21
Longest Road Trip
8 games: March 22-April 5 (franchise record)
Three Games in Three Nights
10 times: Nov. 14-16, 21-23 and 28-30, Dec. 19-21, Feb. 6-8, Feb. 20-22, Feb. 27-March 1, March 20-22 and 27-29, April 3-5
Four Games in Five Nights
6 times: Nov. 14-18 and 26-30, Dec. 17-21, Feb. 4-8 and 18-22, March 25-29
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