Griffins Game #63 * Road Game #30 * AHL Game #991

Season Series: 4-2-0-0 Home Series: 3-1-0-0 Road Series: 1-1-0-0
All-Time Series: 82-43-9-14 All-Time Home Series: 48-19-4-4 All-Time Road Series: 34-24-5-10

Griffins at Monsters
Seventh of eight meetings overall, third of four at Rocket Arena…Grand Rapids has points in 30 out of the last 39 games overall (22-9-4-4, .667) against Cleveland...In the last five seasons since 2021-22, the Griffins are 21-9-4-4 (.658) against Cleveland and have outscored them 115-102. On the road during that span, Grand Rapids is 8-7-1-2 (.528) against the Monsters with a minus-13 scoring margin (55-42)...The Monsters are 5-5-0-0 in their last 10 games and the Griffins are 4-5-1-0 in their last 10 contests...Cleveland is 17-14-2-0 on the road this season compared to 16-8-4-1 at home...Grand Rapids is 23-7-3-0 at home compared to 21-6-1-1 on the road...Cleveland’s power play ranks 22nd in the AHL at 17.7% and its penalty kill places 10th at 83.0%...Cleveland is tied for 20th with 2.97 goals per game and 12th with 3.03 goals against per game...The Monsters rank ninth with 29.5 shots per game and third with 25.6 shots allowed...The Monsters are led by Luca Del Bel Belluz with 54 points (22-32—54) in 50 games. In net, Ivan Fedotov leads the way with a 2.83 GAA and an .888 save percentage in 42 games (22-14-4). In the AHL rankings, Del Bel Belluz is tied for 12th in points and tied for eighth in power-play goals (9). Fedotov is tied for fifth in wins (22) and tied for first in games played (42)...Head coach Dan Watson suited up for the Cleveland Barons from 2002-04 and calls Cleveland home during the offseason...Tyler Angle skated with the Monsters from 2020-24, logging 100 points (41-59—100) in 200 games. He also suited up for four games with the Columbus Blue Jackets from 2022-24, collecting one goal.  

Last Time Out
The Griffins earned a point in overtime, but ultimately fell 5-4 to the Milwaukee Admirals on Tuesday at Van Andel Arena. Erik Gustafsson recorded three assists in his eighth multi-point outing of the season, while William Lagesson tallied two helpers to earn his 100th AHL point. John Leonard potted his 30th tally in his second-straight 30-goal season. Despite the overtime defeat, the Griffins moved within one point of clinching the Central Division title. Axel Sandin-Pellikka bagged his first AHL goal in his season debut with Grand Rapids, and Michael Brandsegg-Nygard returned from recall and made his first appearance since March 6. 

This Date in Griffins History
2005: Joey MacDonald sets a Griffins record with his 16th consecutive start and earns his 30th win of the season, making 34 saves in a 2-1 victory at San Antonio.

Rewrite the Record Book
With the historic season the Griffins have had, several players have already itched their names into the franchise’s all-time single-season record book. John Leonard ranks among the single-season leaders in shorthanded goals (5, T1st), game-winners (8, 5th), unassisted goals (4, T5th), shootout percentage (.750, T6th) and shooting percentage (.222, 1st). Michael Brandsegg-Nygard is tied for ninth in game-winners (6), Amadeus Lombardi is tied for first in overtime goals (3), and Dominik Shine ranks second in shooting percentage (.210). In net, Sebastian Cossa is tied for eighth in wins (24) and tied for seventh in shutouts (5). Fellow goaltender Michal Postava ranks second in GAA (1.86) and second in save percentage (.932). 

Are We Talking About Playoffs? 
With the Hershey Bears’ 4-1 win over the Rockford IceHogs on Feb. 27, the Griffins clinched a spot in the Calder Cup Playoffs. Feb. 27 marked the earliest clinching date in franchise history (previously March 6) and the earliest for an AHL team since 1993, when the Binghamton Rangers clinched on Feb. 24 with 24 games remaining. Grand Rapids has clinched a first-round bye and has a magic number of one to clinch the division title, a feat not accomplished since the 2014-15 season. The Griffins have led the Central Division for the entire season and are 21 points above second-place Chicago. The Griffins have dropped to second place in the AHL and trail the Providence Bruins by four points in the race for the Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy, awarded to the AHL's regular-season champions. Grand Rapids is 34-9-4-1 against its division rivals and has outscored them 169-106, suffering its first regulation defeat against the division on Jan. 9 against Texas. The Griffins’ 34 wins are the most divisional victories since 2016-17 (40-20-1-3). Eight of the remaining 10 games for Grand Rapids will be against the Central Division (80.0%). 

Battling Through
The Griffins have lost six of their last eight games and eight of the last 12 contests since Feb. 25. In those 12 games, Grand Rapids has averaged 2.92 goals per game while allowing 3.08 goals. The Griffins have continued their historic campaign with a 44-13-4-1 ledger and 93 points through 62 games and possessed the second-best record in the AHL’s 90-year history through 55 games. Grand Rapids reached 90 points (56 games) for the first time since 2017-18 (93 pts., 76 games). The team saw its franchise-record tying 15-game win streak from Nov. 22-Dec. 27 come to an end in overtime on Dec. 31, which also tied for the sixth-longest run in AHL history. In addition, the Griffins’ 19-game point streak from Nov. 22-Jan. 7 (18-0-1-0) ended on Jan. 9, which tied for the longest run in franchise history. The Griffins are 21-6-1-1 on the road and 23-7-3-0 at home. The 17-game points streak on the road from Oct. 10-Jan. 23 (15-0-1-1) set a new AHL record, eclipsing the 2010-11 Milwaukee Admirals’ 16-game run (10-0-4-2). Grand Rapids ranks second in the AHL in points (93) and has a 21-point cushion over Chicago for first place in the Central Division.   

Hitting the Road 
Only three of the final 10 games for the Griffins will be in Grand Rapids at Van Andel Arena. In addition, only two of the eight regular-season games in April will be played at home. Grand Rapids has fared well on the road with a 21-6-1-1 record. However, the Griffins are currently on a two-game losing skid on the road for the first time this season. The Griffins, who have outscored their opponents 105-66 in foreign territory, rattled off a 17-game road points streak from Oct. 10-Jan. 23 (15-0-1-1), which set a new AHL record, eclipsing the 2010-11 Milwaukee Admirals’ 16-game run (10-0-4-2). The seven remaining road games are tied for the second most in the AHL. 

Important Starts
Playing with a lead has been crucial for the Griffins this season, as they are 33-1-1-0 when scoring the game’s first goal compared to 11-12-3-1 when conceding the opening tally. In addition, Grand Rapids is 20-0 when leading after the first period and 3-6-2-1 when trailing after the opening frame. When trailing after the second stanza, the Griffins are just 4-10-0-1 compared to 31-0 when leading after the second. 

What’s The Password?
The Griffins’ defense remains the best in the AHL, as it ranks first with 2.15 goals allowed per contest. Grand Rapids posted its eighth shutout of the season on Feb. 15 against Texas, which are the most since 2016-17 (8). The Griffins shut out their opponent in two straight games from Jan. 17-21 in addition to posting consecutive shutouts from Dec. 21-27. Prior to this season, the last time Grand Rapids logged two straight shutouts was Feb. 15-17, 2018. The Griffins have allowed more than two goals just 21 times all season (33.9%) but have averaged 3.40 goals allowed in their last five outings. In addition, the team’s penalty kill is first in the AHL at 86.0%. In net, Sebastian Cossa sports a 2.25 GAA with a .918 save percentage and five shutouts, while rookie netminder Michal Postava possesses a 1.86 GAA, a .932 save percentage and two shutouts. 

United Nations
The Griffins’ lineup on Tuesday against Milwaukee included players from nine different birth countries, a first in the franchise’s 30-year history: Canada (3 players), Czechia (3), Finland (1), Latvia (1), Norway (1), Poland (1), Sweden (5), Thailand (1), and the United States (4). 

Putting the League on Notice
Rookie netminder Michal Postava is 13-6-0 with a 1.86 goals-against average and a .932 save percentage in 20 games. If he had enough minutes played to qualify (37 short), Postava would rank among the league leaders in GAA (1st) and save percentage (T1st). He tied a franchise record by becoming the 10th netminder in team history to post back-to-back shutouts from Jan. 17-21. Postava collected his first AHL shutout on Jan. 17 with 10 saves in a 2-0 victory over Milwaukee and followed that performance with a 19-save blanking of Milwaukee on Jan. 21. Postava logged a shutout streak of 156:20 from Jan. 9-25, which was 3:47 short of breaking the franchise record by Jared Coreau in 2014-15 (160:06). After beginning the campaign 5-0, the 23-year-old suffered his first AHL defeat on Jan. 9 against Texas. Last season, Postava became a Czech Extraliga champion with Kometa Brno, showing a league-best .940 save percentage with a 1.97 GAA and a 10-7 record in 17 playoff games. During the regular season with Kometa Brno, Postava ranked among the Czech Extraliga leaders in save percentage (.921, 5th), GAA (2.39, 11th), wins (23, 4th), games played (42, T2nd) and shutouts (3, T7th). As an undrafted free agent, Postava signed a two-year, entry-level contract with the Detroit Red Wings last summer.   

Ups and Downs
Grand Rapids has been held to under three goals in five of its last eight games and has scored more than three goals four times in its last 12 outings. However, the Griffins have played with 12 forwards just seven times in their last 17 games due to roster limitations. The Griffins are now tied for fourth in the AHL with 3.37 goals per game. The team has outscored its opponents 209-133 and is 33-1-1-0 when scoring the game’s first goal. The Griffins have outscored their opponents 104-67 at home, while possessing a 105-66 advantage on the road. Grand Rapids has its largest scoring margin against its opponents in the third period (82-42). John Leonard leads the team and is tied for second in the AHL with 30 goals, while Dominik Shine ranks second on the roster with 21 and Sheldon Dries and Eduards Tralmaks are tied for third with 20. 

Welcome to the Team 
On March 12, the Detroit Red Wings acquired forwards Michael Milne and Wojciech Stachowiak (VOY-tehk sta-HOH-vee-ak) from the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for defenseman Ian Mitchell. Milne and Stachowiak were both assigned to the Griffins. Milne, a fourth-year pro, has six points (2-4—6), 34 penalty minutes and a minus-15 rating in 38 AHL games this season split between Iowa, Syracuse and Grand Rapids. Throughout his AHL career, Milne has 66 points (32-34—66) and 124 penalty minutes in 195 outings. Stachowiak is in his first AHL season after spending the previous six campaigns in Germany’s top pro league (DEL) with ERC Ingolstadt. Stachowiak has 17 points (9-8—17), 28 penalty minutes and a minus-five rating in 39 games between Grand Rapids and Syracuse this season. Throughout his six-year pro career, Stachowiak has 130 points (58-72—130) and 143 penalty minutes in 291 contests. 

Start Them Young 
Eddie Genborg (YEN-borg), the 44th overall pick by the Detroit Red Wing in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, was signed to an amateur tryout by the Griffins for the remainder of the season and made his AHL debut last Friday at Rockford. The 18-year-old recently finished his Swedish Hockey League campaign with Timra IK, producing 25 points (9-16—25), 24 penalty minutes and a plus-eight rating in 43 outings. Genborg ranked third in points among U20 skaters in Sweden’s top pro league. He also won a gold medal with Team Sweden at this year’s World Junior Championship, logging eight points (3-5—8) in seven games. The Trollhättan, Sweden, native played his entire youth career in his home country with Linkoping from 2020-25. 

Record Setters
Below is a list of team and league records that the Griffins have either set or tied this season. 
- Best record in AHL history through 25 games (23-1-0-1, 47 pts.), 30 games (27-1-1-1, 56 pts.), 40 games (32-5-2-1, 67 pts.) and 50 games (40-7-2-1, 83 pts.), while tying for the best start through 35 games (29-3-2-1, 61 pts.)
- Second-best record in AHL history through 55 games (42-9-3-1, 88 pts.)
- Tied second-best record in AHL history through 45 games (35-7-2-1, 73 pts.)
- Reached the 60-point mark in just 32 games, three games faster than any team in AHL history
- AHL record 17-game road points streak from Oct. 10-Jan. 23 (15-0-1-1)
- Tied franchise-record 15-game winning streak from Nov. 22-Dec. 27, which also tied for sixth-longest in AHL history
- Tied franchise-record 19-game points streak from Nov. 22-Jan. 7 (18-0-1-0)
- Franchise-record start with an 8-0 record and was the league’s last undefeated team for first time since 2000-01 IHL season
- Started 6-0 at home for first time since 2009-10 (8-0)
- Franchise record for largest margin of victory (9) on Nov. 25 at Texas (10-1 W) 
- Franchise record for fewest shots in a game (10) on Jan. 17 versus Milwaukee 
- Earliest playoff clinching date in franchise history on Feb. 27 (previously March 6) 

Untouchables
Below are statistical categories in which the Griffins are undefeated in regulation.
- 20-0 when leading after the first period
- 31-0 when leading after the second period 
- 9-0 in games decided by four or more goals
- 37-0-2-1 when scoring at least three goals
- 1-0-1-1 when allowing a shorthanded goal
- 3-0 when allowing 10-19 shots 

The Brick Wall
Sebastian Cossa, the 15th overall pick in 2021, collected his fifth shutout of the season on Feb. 15 against Texas with 26 saves and enjoyed a seven-game point streak from Feb. 3-28 (6-0-1). His career-high five shutouts are the most by a Griffin since 2015-16 (Jared Coreau). Cossa has a 24-7-4 record with a 2.25 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage. He enjoyed a career-high 10-game win streak from Nov. 25-Dec. 27, showing a 1.51 GAA and a .939 save percentage, and a 14-game point streak from Nov. 25-Jan. 13 (12-0-2). In the AHL rankings, Cossa is tied for fourth in GAA, fourth in save percentage, second in shutouts, second in wins and eighth in minutes played (2080:07). Cossa won two straight AHL Goaltender of the Month awards (November and December), becoming the first netminder in franchise history to receive the honor twice in the same season. The 23-year-old also became just the third goaltender in team history to win the award twice in any fashion, joining Jared Coreau (Feb. 2018, Dec. 2015) and Jimmy Howard (Dec. 2007, March 2006). In parts of four seasons with Grand Rapids since 2022-23, Cossa has notched a 68-32-18 mark with eight shutouts to go along with a 2.44 GAA and a .912 save percentage in 119 outings, becoming just the sixth netminder to reach the century mark with the team. 

AHL Leaderboard Tracker 
Michael Brandsegg-Nygard—Tied for 13th in plus-minus (+24), tied for third in game-winners (6), tied for seventh among rookies in goals (16), tied for 12th among rookies in assists (21), ninth among rookies in points (37), third among rookies in plus-minus (+24), tied for eighth among rookies in power-play goals (5), tied for fourth among rookies in shots (126), first among rookies in game-winners (6)
Sebastian Cossa—Tied for fourth in GAA (2.25), fourth in save percentage (.918), second in shutouts (5), second in wins (24), tied for 10th in games played (35), eighth in minutes played (2080:07)
Erik Gustafsson—Tied for 15th among defensemen in power-play goals (2)
Alex Kannok Leipert—Tied for eighth in shorthanded assists (2), tied for third among defensemen in shorthanded assists (2)
William Lagesson—Tied for fifth in plus-minus (+29), tied for second among defensemen in plus-minus (+29)
John Leonard—Tied for second in goals (30), first in shorthanded goals (5), first in game-winners (8)
Amadeus Lombardi—Tied for seventh in game-winners (5)
x Dominik Shine—Tied for 11th in plus-minus (+25)
Antti Tuomisto—Tied for 15th among defensemen in plus-minus (+19)
Austin Watson—Fifth in penalty minutes (146) 

Milestones
On Tuesday against Milwaukee, William Lagesson bagged two assists for his 100th AHL point.  
Tyler Angle—Three assists from 100 as a pro
Carter Mazur—One game from 100 as a Griffin
x Dominik Shine—Four goals from 100 as a Griffin, one unassisted goal from claiming sole possession of the franchise record of 11 

Photo by Cleveland Monsters