COUNTDOWN TO THE CALDER CUP PLAYOFFS - APRIL 21

Apr 21, 2013

Western Conference Standings

TEAM	GP	W	L	OTL	SOL	PTS	PCT	GF	GA	PIM	HOME	ROAD	LAST TEN	STREAK	S/O
1. *y Texas	76	43	22	5	6	97	0.638	235	201	923	18-13-2-5	25-9-3-1	5-5-0-0	0-2-0-0	6-6
2. *y Toronto	75	42	23	3	7	94	0.627	233	196	1181	25-8-1-3	17-15-2-4	6-2-1-1	2-0-0-1	3-7
3. *y Grand Rapids	75	41	26	4	4	90	0.600	231	204	1211	21-12-3-2	20-14-1-2	4-4-1-1	0-1-0-0	5-4
4. x Charlotte	76	42	26	4	4	92	0.605	226	202	914	19-16-2-1	23-10-2-3	4-3-2-1	1-0-0-0	3-4
5. x Houston	75	40	25	5	5	90	0.600	212	196	992	21-11-3-3	19-14-2-2	7-3-0-0	4-0-0-0	5-5
6. x Oklahoma City	75	39	25	2	9	89	0.593	237	228	1072	21-11-2-3	18-14-0-6	7-2-0-1	2-0-0-0	4-9
7. x Rochester	75	42	29	3	1	88	0.587	230	208	1068	22-15-0-1	20-14-3-0	6-4-0-0	1-0-0-0	10-1
8. Milwaukee	75	40	28	4	3	87	0.580	194	200	1009	21-12-3-2	19-16-1-1	7-3-0-0	3-0-0-0	3-3
9. Rockford	76	42	31	2	1	87	0.572	246	225	1716	21-17-0-0	21-14-2-1	8-2-0-0	4-0-0-0	5-1
10. ~~Chicago~~	75	37	29	5	4	83	0.553	203	204	1082	20-11-2-4	17-18-3-0	5-5-0-0	0-1-0-0	6-4
11. ~~Lake Erie~~	76	35	31	3	7	80	0.526	211	220	1400	16-16-2-4	19-15-1-3	7-3-0-0	1-0-0-0	6-7
12. ~~Abbotsford~~	76	34	32	4	6	78	0.513	171	198	1070	23-12-2-1	11-20-2-5	5-4-1-0	0-2-0-0	7-6
13. ~~Peoria~~	75	33	34	5	3	74	0.493	183	215	1006	20-12-2-3	13-22-3-0	4-5-1-0	0-2-1-0	6-3
14. ~~San Antonio~~	76	29	38	2	7	67	0.441	195	241	1163	16-17-0-5	13-21-2-2	0-8-1-1	0-9-1-1	3-7
15. ~~Hamilton~~	75	29	40	1	5	64	0.427	158	224	1426	18-16-1-2	11-24-0-3	3-7-0-0	0-1-0-0	3-5

* Division Leader
x = Teams that have clinched a playoff berth.
y = Teams that have clinched first place in their division.
~~Crossout~~ = Teams that have been eliminated from playoff contention.

Homecoming Dates

Yesterday, the Griffins announced that their first home playoff game will be on Wednesday, May 1 at 7 p.m.

The Griffins will start their best-of-five first-round series against a to-be-determined opponent with two games on the road, before hosting the final three games of the series. If necessary following Game 3, Grand Rapids would host Game 4 on Friday, May 3 and Game 5 on Saturday, May 4.

Locked and Loaded

Regardless of any outcomes from today's final games of the regular season, the Midwest Division champion Griffins will enter the AHL's Calder Cup Playoffs as the Western Conference's No. 3 seed.

As of this writing, Grand Rapids would face No. 6 Oklahoma City in the best-of-five conference quarterfinals, marking the teams' first-ever meeting in the postseason.

The Griffins and Barons met four times this season, with each team winning twice on its home ice. Grand Rapids prevailed on Jan. 4 (5-2) and Jan. 23 (5-4 SO) at Van Andel Arena, before Oklahoma City answered with victories on Feb. 8 (3-4) and Feb. 9 (5-7) at the Cox Convention Center.

The Griffins' opponent for their first-round series will be announced later today, along with the dates of Games 1 and 2 on the road.

Worth Repeating

The Griffins have captured their first division title since 2005-06, the sixth in their history and their fourth as members of the American Hockey League. They are returning to the Calder Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2008-09.

Get Your Playoff Tickets (and a Sweet Deal During the Games)!

Tickets are now on sale for the Griffins’ first home game of the 2013 Calder Cup Playoffs, which will take place on Wednesday, May 1 at 7 p.m. (Game 3 of the series against a TBD opponent).

Tickets for "Game A," which are included in Griffins full season ticket packages, are priced at $33, $27, $23, $19, $17 and $15 (additional $2 per ticket on day of game), reflecting a league-wide increase of $1 over regular season prices. Playoff tickets may be purchased in person at The Zone at Van Andel Arena and all Star Tickets locations, by phone at (800) 585-3737, or through griffinshockey.com.

In celebration of the team’s return to the Calder Cup Playoffs, the Griffins are adapting their popular Friday promotion and will offer $2 beers and $2 hot dogs for all home playoff games, including Fridays, from the time doors open until one hour after the start of the game.

AHL Schedule This Week

SUN, APRIL 21 (END OF REGULAR SEASON)
	Adirondack at Albany - 3:00 PM EDT Portland at Bridgeport - 3:00 PM EDT Rochester at Hamilton - 3:00 PM EDT Binghamton at Syracuse - 3:00 PM EDT St. John's at Toronto - 3:00 PM EDT Norfolk at Providence - 3:05 PM EDT Grand Rapids at Chicago - 4:00 PM CDT Manchester at Hershey - 5:00 PM EDT Houston at Oklahoma City - 4:00 PM CDT Milwaukee at Peoria - 5:05 PM CDT