Griffins Game #9 * Road Game #7 * AHL Game #126

Season Series: 2-0-0-0 Home Series: 0-0-0-0 Road Series: 2-0-0-0
All-Time Series: 50-35-7-10 All-Time Home Series: 32-11-3-4 All-Time Road Series: 18-24-4-6

Griffins at IceHogs

Third of eight meetings overall, third of four at the BMO Harris Bank Center…After going 3-7-2-3 in 15 visits to Rockford from 2017-20, Grand Rapids is now 2-0 at the BMO Harris Bank Center this season...The 13 shots allowed by the Griffins in their 3-1 win here on Feb. 18 were one more than Grand Rapids' franchise record for fewest allowed in a game...Griffins head coach Ben Simon served as an assistant in Rockford for two seasons (2011-13)…Rockford head coach Derek King played in Grand Rapids from 1999-01 and 2002-04. He is the franchise’s all-time leading playoff scorer (16-25—41) and ranks fifth in regular season points (73-130—203).

Last Time Out

While playing only one game in a span of 10 days, the Griffins certainly made it count last Wednesday in Rockford, spoiling the IceHogs’ 1000th game by riding five unanswered goals and a six-goal second period to a 9-4 win…Max Humitz, Riley Barber and Tyler Spezia each had two goals to pace a Griffins attack that threatened several franchise records and saw 14 players record points. Humitz added an assist for his first points as a pro and a three-point night that tied for the Griffins’ season-high…Patrick Curry also netted his first pro goal and AHL point, while Donovan Sebrango earned his first AHL point with an assist…The Griffins’ last nine-goal outing was a 9-1 win at Rockford on Feb. 5, 2016. They came within two goals of matching of their team record, set in an 11-6 victory at – you guessed it – Rockford on Jan. 19, 2013…The Griffins’ six season-period goals fell one short of their franchise record for a period, set on Nov. 27, 2010 during the second period of a 10-8 win at Chicago…Despite approaching their franchise record for shots in a road period (23) during both the first (22) and second (21) stanzas, the Griffins finished the game with 49 shots, two shy of their record for a road game (51).

Breeding Contempt

Tonight's contest is the second of the Griffins’ four straight games against the IceHogs, a run that will conclude with games in Grand Rapids this Saturday and next Tuesday. This marks just the third time in the Griffins' history that they'll play four consecutive regular season games against the same opponent. The Manitoba Moose were the foe on both prior occasions, in November 2006 and November 1997.

It’s a Start

The roar of a Griffins crowd will be partially restored starting this Saturday when the team begins welcoming 750 fans per home game, pursuant to the most recent order from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Griffins 2021-22 season ticket members are being given the first opportunity to purchase tickets to home games during the remainder of the 2020-21 season. Other fans can sign up for Griffins Nation, the team’s official email newsletter, to receive priority access to 2020-21 tickets whenever limited seats are made available for sale throughout the season. This Saturday’s game against Rockford is sold out, and the Van Andel Arena box office will not be selling tickets that night.

This Date in Griffins History

2020: A 4-1 home win over Iowa proves to be the Griffins’ final game of the 2019-20 campaign, as the COVID-19 pandemic forces the suspension and eventual cancelation of the remainder of the AHL’s season.

Millennium Griffins

The Griffins’ next victory will mark the 1000th regular season win in the franchise’s 25 seasons of play. Grand Rapids holds an all-time record of 999-686-27-61-116 (0.583) heading into game No. 1890 tonight.

High-Flying Griffins

Eight games into his Griffins career, Riley Barber is already tied for the 23^rd-longest point streak in franchise history with an eight-game run. He has registered a pair of points and at least one goal in each of the last three games, including two-goal efforts on Feb. 26 against Chicago and March 3 at Rockford, and ranks among the AHL’s leaders with seven goals (T4th), 12 points (7-5—12, T6th), seven power play points (T1st) and five power play assists (T3rd)…Dennis Cholowski (2-5—7) and Taro Hirose (1-7—8) each saw his four-game point streak snapped in Rockford last Wednesday. Cholowski’s eight points (3-5—8) on the season tie him for fifth among league defensemen…Turner Elson (1-1—2), Chase Pearson (0-3—3) and Kyle Criscuolo (1-2—3) each have points in consecutive games, and Criscuolo’s six power play points (3-3—6) have him tied for fourth on the circuit…Pearson, Joe Hicketts, Troy Loggins and Givani Smith each had a pair of assists in last Wednesday’s 9-4 win at Rockford, joining Max Humitz (2-1—3), Barber (2-0—2) and Tyler Spezia (2-0—2) among seven Griffins who posted multiple points in that contest.

March Like a Lion

The Griffins posted a winning record for March during each of the previous 12 years – accumulating an 88-48-7-8 mark (0.632) from 2009 to 2020 – and are off to another good start this year thanks to last Wednesday’s 9-4 win at Rockford. Despite traditionally playing the majority of their games away from Van Andel Arena during March, they’ve managed at least a 0.500 road record for the month during each of those dozen years, going a combined 53-29-5-6 (0.629).

That Escalated Quickly

After combining with their opponents to score 26 goals over their first six games, the Griffins and their foes lit the lamp a total of 25 times in Grand Rapids’ last two games: a 9-4 win at Rockford on March 3 and an 8-4 loss at Chicago on Feb. 28. It marked the first time in Griffins history that they were involved in back-to-back games in which either team scored eight goals or more, and the combined offensive output was just one goal shy of their record for goals in consecutive games (26). During the 2012-13 season, Grand Rapids claimed an 11-6 win at Rockford on Jan. 19 before earning a 5-4 shootout win against Oklahoma City…Thanks to the recent offensive outburst, the Griffins now are tied for sixth in the AHL in goals per game (3.50) and rank fourth in shots per game (33.50).

Stingy D

Prior to allowing a combined 12 goals in their last two games, the Griffins had surrendered only a single goal in four straight contests and 11 total goals over their first six games. Despite the recent generosity of its defense, Grand Rapids still ranks seventh in the AHL in goals allowed per game (2.88)…The Griffins have been out shot in only two of their first eight games, and only once have they allowed 30 or more shots, a total that they have reached on six occasions. Grand Rapids ranks third in the AHL in shots allowed per game (25.00).

Party of One

By virtue of their league rankings in goals for (T6th), goals against (7th), shots for (4th) and shots against (3rd), the Griffins are the only AHL team to currently place among the top 10 in all four categories.

Taking Advantage

Following a 2019-20 campaign in which they finished sixth in the AHL’s power play rankings at 20.9%, the Griffins are off to an even better start this season, currently sitting fourth in the league at 30.6%. Grand Rapids has scored at least one power play goal in seven of its eight games thus far and has converted five of nine opportunities (55.6%) in its last two games (2-for-5 at Rockford on March 3, 3-for-4 at Chicago on Feb. 28.

Milestones Within Reach

Griffins – One win for 1,000 regular season victories in franchise history
Kyle Criscuolo – One goal from 50 for his AHL/pro career
Turner Elson — Three games played for 200 as a Griffin
Brian Lashoff – Four assists for 100 as a pro
Gustav Lindstrom - Four points for 50 as a pro
Dylan McIlrath – Two games played for 200 as a Griffin
Dominik Shine – Four points from 50 for his Griffins/AHL/pro career, four games played for 200 as a Griffin
Dominic Turgeon – Four points from 100 for his Griffins/AHL/pro career

We Miss You, Bob!

On Feb. 8, the beloved 21-year Voice of the Griffins, Bob Kaser, underwent successful heart surgery at the Meijer Heart Center in Grand Rapids to repair several blocked arteries. Released from the hospital on Feb. 14, his recovery at home is going well but he is expected to miss the better part of this 30-game shortened season. Everyone in Griffins Nation, the Griffins organization, the AHL, and the Michigan hockey community wishes Bob all the best in his recovery and a quick return to health. We can’t wait until he is back in the booth.

Photo by Todd Reicher/IceHogs