Griffins Game #46 * Home Game #24 * AHL Game #670

Season Series: 3-0-0-0 Home Series: 1-0-0-0 Road Series: 2-0-0-0
All-Time Series: 4-1-0-0 All-Time Home Series: 2-0-0-0 All-Time Road Series: 2-1-0-0

Griffins vs. Gulls
Fourth of four meetings overall, second of two at Van Andel Arena…The Griffins have won four in a row against San Diego and the streak started when the Gulls made their inaugural visit to Van Andel Arena on Nov. 20, 2015 (7-4 W)...Grand Rapids and San Diego are squaring off for the first time since the 2015-16 campaign…The Griffins claimed the first two meetings of the season in southern California, recovering from a two-goal deficit to win 4-3 on Dec. 11 and taking a 3-2 shootout victory on Dec. 17…Grand Rapids holds a 28-11-2-0-0 all-time record (0.707) against Anaheim’s AHL affiliates, including 22-10-2-0-0 against the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks, 2-0-0-0 against the Iowa Chops and 4-1-0-0 against San Diego…Eric Tangradi was selected in the second round, 42nd overall, of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft by Anaheim but did not suit up for any clubs in the organization…Tangradi scored the first goal of his Griffins career at San Diego on Oct. 10, 2015…Rookie defenseman Alec McCrea hails from San Diego and Gulls first-year forward Brent Gates Jr. is a Grand Rapids native...The Griffins post an 11-12-1-3 record (0.481) against current teams in the Pacific Division, including a 6-5-0-1 mark (0.542) at home...Tonight marks the 18th time the Griffins have hosted a team from California, including playoffs...Grand Rapids is 9-7-0-1 (0.559) all time against Golden State teams at Van Andel Arena.

Last Time Out (Friday): Gulls 3 at Griffins 4 OT - Recap
Grand Rapids played its 10th game of the season tied after regulation and third in a row...Matt Ford delivered the game-winner on a 5-on-3 power play 1:06 into overtime...Filip Zadina netted his fifth career multi-goal AHL outing while skating in his first Griffins game since Dec. 4...The Griffins have a shorthanded goal in back-to-back games after Chase Pearson scored at 2:11 of the second period…Pearson is on a career-high four-game point streak (2-2—4)...Taro Hirose recorded three helpers and has distributed six during his three-game assist streak...Dominic Turgeon’s penalty shot try in the second period was the Griffins’ first since Chris Terry’s unsuccessful attempt on Feb. 9, 2019 vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton...Calvin Pickard stopped 33 shots and won his fourth straight start...Grand Rapids finished 2-for-6 on the power play, the Griffins’ second time this homestand they have banked multiple PPGs (3-for-7 vs. Manitoba, Jan. 11).

Status Update
The Griffins are on a season-high eight-game point streak (6-0-0-2) and have moved into sole possession of fourth place in the Central Division standings. The eight-game run is the team’s longest since reeling off points in nine consecutive (7-0-1-1) from Nov. 17-Dec. 7, 2018. The Griffins are back above the 0.500 mark for the first time since sitting 9-8-1-1 heading into play on Nov. 23. Grand Rapids is 5-0-0-2 in its eight-game homestand, which wraps up tonight against San Diego. The Griffins will then pause for the all-star break. Tonight is Grand Rapids’ eighth home game in a span of 16 days. The Griffins will then skate just once in the next 10 (next Friday at IA) and only twice in the next 13 (Feb. 5 at MIL).

First Things First
Grand Rapids’ lineup last night featured all six of the Red Wings’ recent first-round draft picks (Moritz Seider 2019, Filip Zadina 2018, Joe Veleno 2018, Michael Rasmussen 2017, Dennis Cholowski 2016, Evgeny Svechnikov 2015). Adding in Dylan McIlrath (New York Rangers 2010) and Matt Puempel (Ottawa Senators 2011), Grand Rapids’ lineup hosted eight former first-round draft selections. Prior to this season, the Griffins never had more than five first-rounders (regardless of drafting team) play for them during an entire season, much less in one game. From 2002-15, the Griffins had only seven Detroit first rounders total suit up for them: Jakub Kindl (2005-11; 14-15), Niklas Kronwall (2003-06), Dylan Larkin (2015 playoffs only), Anthony Mantha (2014-15), Tom McCollum (2009-15), Riley Sheahan (2011-14) and Brendan Smith (2010-13).

Do You Want to Build a Snowman?
During their eight-game point streak, the Griffins are outscoring opponents 26-17 and outshooting foes 289-232 while operating at 21.9% on the power play (7-for-32) and killing off 19 of 22 penalties (86.4%). Chris Terry (4-3—7) and Taro Hirose (0-7—7) lead the team in points during the run. Calvin Pickard (4-0, 1.74 GAA, 0.943%), Kevin Poulin (0-0-2, 1.85 GAA, 0.929%) and Pat Nagle (2-0, 1.92 GAA, 0.923%) have manned the crease during the stretch.

Staycation
The Griffins are 5-0-0-2 in their eight-game homestand that ends tonight. It is the team’s lengthiest since an eight-game stretch from Oct. 14-Nov. 4, 2006 (4-3-0-1 record). In fact, the only longer homestand Grand Rapids has enjoyed is nine games from Oct. 26-Nov. 18, 2004 (4-4-1-0 record). Taro Hirose (0-7—7), Chris Terry (4-2—6) and Michael Rasmussen (2-3—5) are the Griffins’ point leaders during the home stretch. Calvin Pickard has turned aside 118 of 124 shots (0.952) in his last four home appearances. Since the 2016-17 season, Grand Rapids is 18-6-0-3 (0.722) in West Michigan in January.

Picks and Pucks
Calvin Pickard has won seven of his last eight starts, including four in a row. During his four-game streak, he shows a 1.74 GAA, a 0.943 save percentage and one shutout.

Lights Out
Since the third period on Nov. 27 at Chicago, Grand Rapids has fended off 75 of its last 84 penalties (89.3%), a stretch that spans 24 games. The Griffins have vaulted from 30th in the AHL in penalty killing on Nov. 28 to their current position of 15th.

Net Nagle
Pat Nagle has won three of his last four starts, showing a 1.98 GAA and stopping 93 of 101 shots in that stretch (0.921). His 2.23 season GAA ranks eighth among AHL netminders with more than 500 minutes.

Ford, Terry Heading to All-Star Classic
The AHL announced on Jan. 3 that Chris Terry has been selected to the 2020 AHL All-Star Classic, which will be held tomorrow and Monday in Ontario, Calif. Terry joins Matthew Ford on the all-star team, after the Griffins’ captain was named as one of the two playing captains on Dec. 18. Terry, in his 11th season as a pro and second in Grand Rapids, has earned his fourth straight AHL All-Star bid and fifth overall (2012). He becomes the sixth Griffin ever to be named an all-star in back-to-back years (Matt Lorito 2017-18, Xavier Ouellet 2015-16, Gustav Nyquist 2012-13, Niklas Kronwall 2004-05, Michel Picard 1997-98 in the IHL) and only the third Grand Rapids forward to earn consecutive AHL selections, joining Lorito and Nyquist. A SoCal native, Ford is in his third season as the Griffins’ captain, fourth in Grand Rapids and 12th in the AHL. He becomes the fourth Griffin to be chosen as a playing captain for an AHL All-Star Classic, joining Jeff Hoggan (2016, West), Kip Miller (2007, PlanetUSA) and Travis Richards (2004, PlanetUSA).

Back Up, Terr
2020 AHL All-Star Classic selection Chris Terry leads the team with 11 points (4-7—11) in 11 GP in the new year. He ties for fifth in the AHL in points (41) while pacing the Griffins in goals (17), assists (24), multi-point games (13) and power play goals (9).

Rotating Roster
Kevin Poulin made his Griffins debut on Jan. 4 and became the fifth goaltender to log minutes for Grand Rapids this season, the team’s most since five suited up during the 2014-15 campaign (Pat Nagle, Jonas Gustavsson, Petr Mrazek, Jared Coreau, Tom McCollum). Including those five goalies, the Griffins have used 38 players already this season. Here is how the current usage stacks up to the final player counts in recent seasons: 2018-19 – 41 players, 2017-18 – 32, 2016-17 – 39, 2015-16 – 37 and 2014-15 – 39. Since the AHL’s season began on Oct. 4, the Red Wings have recalled or assigned a player from or to Grand Rapids a total of 69 times.

This Date in Griffins History
2002: Left wing Jody Hull, a veteran of 736 NHL games, joins the Griffins on a conditioning assignment from the Ottawa Senators. That night, the Griffins score seven unanswered goals in a 7-1 romp at Norfolk, as Chris Bala joins Petr Schastlivy and Kevyn Adams as the only rookies in team history to net a hat trick.
2004: Hugo Boisvert scores with 4:06 remaining to force a 1-1 tie at Milwaukee, extending the second-longest unbeaten streak in Griffins history to 11 games (7-0-4-0). Amazingly, the 11 games were played in a span of just 17 days.
2006: Donald MacLean scores the Griffins’ 68th power play goal of the season – in the team’s 46th game – during the first period of a 3-2 win over San Antonio, breaking the franchise record of 67 set over 80 contests in 2002-03. In the process, MacLean becomes the fastest player in franchise history to reach 30 goals.
2014: The Griffins (28-12-1-2) reclaim the Western Conference lead from Texas with a 4-1 win at the Cedar Park Center.
2017: Grand Rapids’ 9-0-0-1 home streak against Iowa comes to an end in a 2-1 loss, as former captain Jeff Hoggan scores the eventual game-winner for the Wild in the second period.
2019: The Griffins engage in their first battle of division leaders since a 1-0 shootout loss at San Jose on March 11, 2017 and again fall to the Barracuda, this time by a 4-0 count. It marks the first clash of first-place clubs at Van Andel Arena since March 4, 2015, when the Jeff Blashill-led Griffins defeated Oklahoma City 7-1.

Griffins in General
Grand Rapids is in the franchise’s 24th overall season of play, 19th as a member of the American Hockey League and 18th as the primary affiliate of the 11-time Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings…Grand Rapids is 985-675-27-60-116 (0.583) in the regular season since 1996-97 to go along with 17 playoff appearances, seven division titles and two Calder Cups (2017, 2013)…The Griffins have earned 40 or more wins and accumulated 90 or more points in six of the last seven seasons…Grand Rapids has qualified for the Calder Cup Playoffs in a franchise-record seven consecutive seasons and advanced to at least the second round on five occasions…The Griffins’ 8-5 season-opening win at Chicago on Oct. 5 marked the club’s 750th win in the AHL…Grand Rapids’ 325 regular season wins since the 2012-13 campaign tie Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for second, behind only Toronto’s 338 while the Griffins’ 707 points in that span are third, trailing Providence (714) and Toronto (733)…Since the affiliation began in 2002-03, 92 Griffins have gone on to play for the Red Wings.

Presented by Comerica Bank

Hockey Without Barriers Night presented by Comerica Bank: This special celebration of the game will highlight the different opportunities for people with various disabilities to enjoy playing hockey. The two intermissions will feature short on-ice contests with athletes from the Grand Rapids Sled Wings and the West Michigan Special Hockey Association. Kicking off the evening will be a ceremonial puck drop by Tim Kane, the captain of the U.S. Blind Hockey Team and prime mover of the Griffins’ Try Blind Hockey event which will be held on Saturday, Jan. 26 at Griff’s IceHouse at Belknap park.

Fleece Blanket Giveaway presented by Comerica Bank: The first 2,500 fans will receive a Griffins fleece blanket. Click here to see the blanket.

Post-game Autograph Session presented by Huntington Bank: Three Griffins players will sign autographs following the game from the team’s bench.

Friends & Family 4-Packs presented by Big E’s Sports Grill: Available for all Saturday games, each pack includes four tickets and $20 in concession cash for a great low price. Visit griffinshockey.com/f4p or call (616) 774-4585 ext. 2. Continuing this season, fans may use their concession cash to purchase healthy choice menu options at the stand located outside of section 126, including low-fat yogurt, apples, oranges, granola bars and smoothies.

Photo by Sam Iannamico/Griffins