Griffins Game #16 * Road Game #8 * AHL Game #276

Season Series: 3-0-0-0 Home Series: 0-0-0-0 Road Series: 3-0-0-0
All-Time Series: 48-32-7-5 All-Time Home Series: 24-14-2-4 All-Time Road Series: 24-18-5-1

Griffins at Stars
Fourth of eight meetings overall, fourth of four at the H-E-B Center at Cedar Park...In the last five seasons since 2021-22, the Griffins are 16-14-4-1 (.529) against Texas with a minus-eight scoring margin (114-106)...Also since 2021-22, Grand Rapids is 10-6-3-0 (.605) against the Stars on the road with a plus-three margin (69-66)...Texas is 2-6-1-0 at home this season compared to 3-3-1-0 on the road...The Stars are 5-4-1-0 in their last 10 games after beginning the season 0-5-1-0...Texas’ power play ranks last in the AHL at 4.3% (2-for-47), while Grand Rapids places 10th at 24.5% (12-for-49)...The Stars’ penalty kill ranks 27th at 76.9% (40-for-52) and the Griffins place second at 88.6% (39-for-44)...The Griffins rank first with 4.20 goals per game and Texas is tied for 28th at 2.19 goals...Defensively, the Stars are tied for 17th at 3.00 goals allowed per game and Grand Rapids ranks first at 1.93...A six-year captain of the Stars, Curtis McKenzie is in his 10th campaign with Texas. With Texas, McKenzie has 377 points (155-222—377) in 511 regular-season games...Sheldon Dries made his pro debut with the Stars on Oct. 6, 2017 at Chicago and totaled 30 points (19-11—30) in 70 games during his rookie season with the club...Texas’ Cross Hanas was a second-round pick by the Red Wings in 2020 (55th overall) and played in three seasons with the Griffins from 2022-25, showing 50 points (26-24—50) in 146 games...The Stars’ netminder Remi Poirier ranks second in minutes played (733:00), 11th in GAA (2.37) and tied for 16th in save percentage (.911)...Texas’ Antonio Stranges hails from Ann Arbor, Michigan, and spent his youth career with Little Caesars in Detroit. 

This Date in Griffins History
2018: Filip Hronek becomes the first player in Griffins history to score an overtime goal in consecutive games, connecting on a one-timer from the left circle to finish off a 3-2 win at Iowa.

Last Time Out
Eduards Tralmaks and Dominik Shine each tallied a hat trick, as the Griffins defeated the Texas Stars with an explosive 10-1 victory on Tuesday at the H-E-B Center at Cedar Park. The 10-1 game for Grand Rapids marked the largest margin of victory in the regular season, beating the previous record of eight on Feb. 5, 2016 at Rockford. Shine’s and Tralmaks’ hat tricks were the first of their careers and marked the first time two Griffins tallied three goals in a single game. Thirteen skaters tallied a point while eight notched multi-point efforts. Sebastian Cossa recorded his 50th win as a Griffin, becoming just the eighth goaltender in franchise history to reach the mark. The Griffins’ points percentage of .900 remained the best in the league.

Hungry for More 
The Griffins have continued their franchise-record start with a 13-1-0-1 ledger and 27 points through 15 games, beating out the previous record of 24 points in 2000-01 (11-2-2). Two of the three best starts in franchise history have come under head coach Dan Watson, as last season’s 23 points through 15 games tied for the third best (12-2-1-0). Before last Friday, the Griffins remained the only team in North American pro hockey without a regulation loss (NHL, AHL, ECHL, SPHL, FPHL). The perfect 8-0 start was the best by an AHL team in four years, and Grand Rapids was the league’s last undefeated team for the first time since the 2000-01 IHL season. The Griffins’ 6-0-0-1 start on the road is the best since 2004-05 (7-0), and the 7-1 start at home is the best since 2009-10 (8-0). 

Stuffing the Net
The Griffins exploded for 10 goals last night against Texas, which were the most goals scored since Jan. 19, 2013. The Griffins rank first in the AHL with 4.20 goals per game and have outscored their opponents 63-29. The 63 goals are the tied for the most in franchise history through the team’s first 15 games (63 in 2005-06). The Griffins have outscored their opponents 30-13 at home, while possessing a 33-16 advantage on the road. Grand Rapids has its largest scoring margin against its opponents in the third period (25-12). In addition to ranking first in goals, the Griffins place eighth in shots per game (30.4) and have reached 30 or more shots six times (40%). John Leonard leads the team with 12 goals, and Dominik Shine and Eduards Tralmaks are tied for second with nine. 

Historic Run
John Leonard has 20 points and 12 goals through his first 12 games as a Griffin. Leonard’s career-best 10-game point streak set a franchise record to begin both a season and a Griffins career. His career-high six-game goal streak from Oct. 11-Nov. 2 tied with teammate Austin Watson, Jiri Hudler, Kip Miller and Pavol Demitra for the third-longest run in franchise history. Leonard is first in the AHL in goals, third in points per game (1.67), and tied for third in points. Last season, he ranked among the league leaders in points (61, T10th), goals (36, T2nd), power-play goals (10, T9th), short-handed goals (5, T1st) and shots (252, 2nd). Throughout his six-year AHL career since 2020-21, Leonard has 191 points (95-96—191) in 261 games. 

Future is Bright 
Sebastian Cossa, the 15th overall pick in 2021, is off to a 6-1-0 start this season with a 1.58 goals-against average and a .941 save percentage. In the AHL rankings, Cossa ranks first in GAA, second in save percentage and tied for eighth in wins. Last night in Texas, Cossa recorded his 50th as a Griffins, becoming just the eighth goaltender in team history to reach that mark. He registered his first shutout of the season on Oct. 24 behind 30 saves in a 4-0 win over Manitoba. It marked his fourth AHL shutout, eighth as a pro, and the first since Oct. 11, 2024.  Last season, Cossa was named to his first AHL All-Star Classic and ranked among the AHL regular-season leaders in games played (41, T8th), minutes played (2,424:37, 7th), GAA (2.45, 11th), save percentage (.911, T13th), and wins (21, T10th). In parts of four seasons with Grand Rapids since 2022-23, Cossa has notched a 50-26-14 mark with four shutouts to go along with a 2.45 GAA and a .911 save percentage in 91 outings. 

Defense Wins Championships
The Griffins’ defense is one of the best in the AHL, as it ranks first with 1.93 goals allowed per contest. Grand Rapids has not allowed more than two goals since Nov. 9 and has averaged just 1.25 goals allowed in its last four games. The 29 goals allowed are tied the fewest in franchise history through the squad’s first 15 games (30 in 2024-25). In addition, the team’s penalty kill places second at 88.6% (39-for-44). Despite ranking first in goals allowed, the Griffins place 24th with 29.5 shots allowed per game. In net, Sebastian Cossa sports a 1.58 GAA with a .941 save percentage, while rookie Michal Postava possesses a 2.15 GAA and a .936 save percentage. The Griffins have three defensemen who have played at least 100 games in the NHL in Justin Holl (396), Ian Mitchell (110), and William Lagesson (107). Last season, the Griffins finished ninth in the AHL with 2.82 goals allowed per game but spent much of the campaign in the top five for goals allowed per contest. 

Just Getting Started 
Michael Brandsegg-Nygard was one of three rookies to make the Detroit Red Wings’ opening-night roster out of training camp. The 15th overall pick in 2024 showed one assist in nine games with Detroit before being assigned to the Griffins on Oct. 27. The Oslo, Norway, native has five points (2-3—5) in his last five appearances with Grand Rapids and has seven points (3-4—7) in 10 AHL games this season. Last year, Brandsegg-Nygard tied for the team lead with three points (2-1—3) in three Calder Cup Playoff games, following his SHL season with Skelleftea. The 20-year-old has also competed with Team Norway in the last two World Championships, totaling a combined nine points (3-6—9) in 12 outings. 

On the Right Trail
Riga, Latvia, native Eduards Tralmaks tallied his first AHL hat trick last night at Texas. He now has six points (5-1—6) in his last five games and is tied for second on the team with nine goals. Last season, Tralmaks ranked first in the Czech Extraliga with a career-best 51 points (23-28—51) in 48 games, adding career-high totals in goals (23), assists (28) and penalty minutes (66). He also competed for Team Latvia at the last two World Championships and posted seven points (3-4—7) in seven games during the 2025 tournament. After spending the previous two campaigns in Czechia, Tralmaks returned to the AHL for the first time since 2022-23. As a free agent out of the University of Maine, Tralmaks signed with the Providence Bruins in 2021 and skated in three seasons with the franchise, compiling 41 points (22-19—41) in 87 contests. 

Angle of Attack
With three rookies making the Red Wings’ roster out of training camp, the Griffins were in need of a forward. Grand Rapids signed Tyler Angle to a one-year contract on Oct. 8, which has proven to be a quality last-second signing. The 25-year-old has four points (1-3—4) in his last five games and is second on the roster with nine assists. In addition, his 10 points (1-9—10) in 15 outings are tied for fourth on the team. Angle spent four seasons with the Cleveland Monsters from 2020-24, showing a combined 100 points (41-59—100) in 200 games. Last campaign, he totaled 27 points (7-20—27) in 47 appearances with Dusseldorfer in the DEL, Germany’s top pro league.

Special Powers
The Griffins scored on the power play in four straight games from Nov. 1-12 (6-for-16, 37.5%), and have since gone 3-for-14 (21.4%) in their last five games. Grand Rapids’ power play ranks 10th in the AHL at 24.5% (12-for-49). However, the Griffins have allowed four shorthanded goals this season, which is tied for the league lead with Ontario. The penalty kill has allowed just one power-play goal in the last eight games (17-for-18, 94.4%) and ranks second overall in the AHL at 88.6% (39-for-44). The 44 times shorthanded are the fewest in the league.    

Good Problem to Have
The Griffins’ roster features seven veterans, including forwards Sheldon Dries, John Leonard, Dominik Shine and Austin Watson, and defensemen Justin Holl, William Lagesson and Ian Mitchell. With seven veterans, the Griffins are one over the playing limit and are required to scratch one of them each game due to the AHL’s development rule. Even with one being scratched for each contest, the veterans on the team have combined for 68 points (34-34—57) in 80 games, which accounts for 44% of the scoring for the team and 56% of the goals. Leonard ranks first among the veterans with 20 points (12-8—20) in 12 games, while Shine (9-6—15 in 12 GP) ranks second, and Dries (4-6—10 in 12 GP) places third.  

Shine On, Captain
On Oct. 9, Dominik Shine was named the 19th captain in franchise history. He is in his 10th season with Grand Rapids, becoming just the third player in team history to reach the milestone (Brian Lashoff 14, Travis Richards 10). Shine has 10 points (6-4—10) in his last seven outings and ranks second on the team with 15 points (9-6—15) in 12 games. On the all-time regular-season franchise leaderboard, Shine ranks third in games played (495), sixth in goals (84), eighth in assists (115), sixth in points (199), sixth in penalty minutes (559), tied for fifth in shorthanded goals (6), tied for fifth in game-winners (13), tied for first in unassisted goals (10), and fifth in shots (831). 

AHL Leaderboard Tracker
Sebastian Cossa—First in GAA (1.58), second in save percentage (.941), tied for eighth in wins (6)
Justin Holl—Tied for sixth among defensemen in plus-minus (+9)
William Lagesson—Tied for third in plus-minus (+12), tied for first among defensemen in plus-minus (+12)
John Leonard—First in goals (12), tied for third in points (20), third in points-per-game (1.67), tied for third in game-winners (3)
Amadeus Lombardi—Tied for 15th in assists (11)
Dominik Shine—Tied for fourth in goals (9)
Eduards Tralmaks—Tied for fourth in goals (9)
Antti Tuomisto—Tied for sixth among defensemen in plus-minus (+9)

Milestones 
Last night in Texas, Sebastian Cossa became the eighth goaltender in franchise history to win 50 games and William Wallinder collected his 100th pro point with an assist. 
Ian Mitchell—One point from 100 in the AHL
Dominik Shine—One point from 200 as a Griffin, One unassisted goal from claiming sole possession of the franchise record of 11

Photos by Logan Foust/Texas Stars