GRIFFINS (11-7-0-2) vs. San Antonio Rampage (8-13-0-0)

Griffins Game #21 * Home Game #11 * AHL Game #311

Season Series: 0-1-0-0 Home Series: 0-0-0-0 Road Series: 0-1-0-0
All-Time Series: 44-27-1-5-2 All-Time Home Series: 22-12-1-3-1 All-Time Road Series: 22-15-0-2-1

Griffins vs. Rampage
Second of eight meetings overall, first of four at Van Andel Arena…San Antonio shut out the Griffins, 4-0, in the first meeting of the year on Oct. 6 in Texas…Grand Rapids has won eight of the last nine meetings overall, as San Antonio’s win on Oct. 6 snapped the Griffins’ eight-game winning streak in the series and gave the Rampage their first victory over GR since March 22, 2016…Ville Husso is 1-4-2 in his career against Grand Rapids, notching his first victory on Oct. 6...In the last nine matchups, Grand Rapids is outscoring San Antonio 41-19…The Griffins have claimed four in a row against San Antonio at Van Andel Arena, outgunning the Rampage 19-7 in that stretch…San Antonio places last in the AHL averaging 2.38 goals per game…The Rampage are in their first season as the primary affiliate of the St. Louis Blues after spending the previous three with the Colorado Avalanche…San Antonio is also in its first campaign in the Central Division…Second-year Griffin Turner Elson spent the 2016-17 season with San Antonio and scored three points (1-2—3) while being limited to 13 games due to injury…First-year Griffin Wade Megan made his AHL debut with the Rampage on March 28, 2013 versus Grand Rapids and went on to total 31 points (20-11—31) in 115 games with San Antonio from 2012-15.

Texas Two-Step
Since the 2014-15 season, Grand Rapids is a combined 11-5-1-1 (0.667) against the two Texas teams on home ice with a +14 goal differential. The Griffins will host the Stars tomorrow.

Last Game (Wednesday): Wolves 2 at Griffins 5
Grand Rapids has won three in a row against Chicago after a six-game winless streak...Turner Elson and Matt Puempel both recorded two goals...Puempel ties for the team lead with three multi-goal games...Elson notched his and the team’s second shorthanded goal of the campaign in the second period...Harri Sateri blocked 33 of 35 shots to earn his third straight victory...Grand Rapids’ saw its streak of consecutive games tied past regulation ended at four...After the game, the Griffins assigned defenseman Trevor Hamilton to the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye.

Status Update
The Griffins have points in 11 of their last 13 games (9-2-0-2), including five in a row (4-0-0-1), and have climbed to third in the Central Division with an 11-7-0-2 overall record. The current five-game point streak and three-game winning streak both match season highs. Grand Rapids continues its four-game homestand tonight against San Antonio and will be playing its third game in five days. The Griffins are in the midst of facing 14 straight Central Division opponents. Grand Rapids is 7-2-0-1 in its last 10, the best mark in the Western Conference in that span.

Remember November
With an 8-2-0-2 mark, Grand Rapids has posted a 0.500 or better record in November for the seventh consecutive season. Eight wins currently ties for the fifth most wins in November in franchise history, and if the Griffins are able to collect a ninth tonight on the last day of the month, that would tie for third most. Since 2012-13, the Griffins have showed a losing profile in October four times and each time the team has bounced back with a 0.500 or better line in November, including this season (3-5-0-0 in October).

Friendly Confines
The Griffins have points in eight of their first 10 home games (6-2-0-2), including each of the last three (2-0-0-1). Grand Rapids’ six wins on home ice ties for fifth in the league. The Griffins are a +6 in goal differential at home while averaging 3.40 goals, compared to –5 and 2.90 on enemy ice.

Filip Hero-nek
Filip Hronek became the first player in franchise history to record an overtime goal in back-to-back games when he provided the theatrics in last Saturday’s 4-3 win at Chicago and Monday’s 3-2 victory at Iowa. Hronek is the first AHL player to notch OT goals in consecutive games since… well... Nov. 18-23, 2018, when Toronto’s Mason Marchment did so. A second-year defenseman, six of Hronek’s 15 career AHL goals have been of the game-winning variety, including three coming in overtime. Two overtime goals ties for the third most in a single season in club history, while his three career OT winners tie for third in the team’s all-time top 10 list. Drafted 53rd overall by Detroit in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, Hronek is on a four-game point streak (2-4—6), which is one shy of his career high (five from Feb. 2-10, 2018). He’s found the scoresheet in six of the last seven contests and his eight points (2-6—8) since Nov. 14 tie for the second most among league defensemen in that span.

No Shots For You
Grand Rapids has held foes to 25 or less shots in regulation in 10 of 20 games this season and allowed 30 or more in just six instances. The Griffins have out shot 15 of 20 opponents and rank fifth on the circuit in shots against (26.7). Grand Rapids’ penalty killers have gone 15-for-15 in the last five games after finishing 2-for-5 against Ontario on Nov. 16.

Terr-ing It Up
The AHL’s leading scorer from a season ago, Chris Terry shows points in three straight games, five of the last six and eight of the last 10. Since the Griffins’ stretch of 11 points in their last 13 games began on Oct. 27, Terry paces the league with 10 goals while his 15 points in that span tie for fifth. The 10th-year pro’s team-high 12 goals tie for fourth in the AHL.

Rybar Supports
Goaltender Patrik Rybar (pronounced REE-bar) shows points in six of eight starts this season (4-2-2) and is fourth in the league with a 2.21 goals against average. He claims a 1.82 GAA since Oct. 27, and that ranks second in the AHL among goalies who have played more than 300 minutes in that span. The 25-year-old is in his first season in North American and led the Czech Extraliga in both GAA (1.73) and shutouts (7) in 36 games with Hradec Kralove last season.

A Harri Situation
Goalie Harri Sateri has been victorious in five of his last six starts, including wins in three straight. During his three-game streak, the Finnish netminder owns a 2.29 goals against average and a 0.914 save percentage and has won twice in overtime. He made a season-high 33 saves in Wednesday’s 5-2 win vs. Chicago.

Page Turner
Sixth-year pro and second-year Griffin Turner Elson has points in six of the last eight games, accumulating 10 points in that span (5-5—10). He notched a pair of goals in Wednesday’s win vs. Chicago, his first two-goal game since Oct. 13, 2017. Elson ties for the league lead with two shorthanded goals, which are the team’s only two, and both have come against the Wolves. He shows 16 points – which is third on the team – through the first 20 tilts and is on pace for 60, which would double his previous best of 30.

Z-Score
The sixth overall selection in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft by Detroit, Filip Zadina ties for the team lead in both multi-goal games (3) and power play goals (2), while tying for third in goals (7) and placing fifth in points (12). The newly minted 19-year-old (birthday was Tuesday) is the highest Red Wings draft pick ever to suit up for the Griffins. Only three players in Griffins history were drafted higher than No. 6: Jason Spezza (No. 2 by Ottawa in 2001), Darrin Shannon (No. 4 by Pittsburgh in 1988) and Stephen Weiss (No. 4 by Florida in 2001). Dylan Larkin (selected 15th overall in the 2014 Draft) was the previous highest Red Wings draft selection to play for Grand Rapids.

Happy Camper
Carter Camper is on a three-game assist streak and shows seven points (2-5—7) in the last six games. His team-high 14 assists tie for ninth in the league.

This Date in Griffins History
2002: Grand Rapids loses 2-1 in overtime at Chicago but completes its first-ever calendar month without a regulation defeat (9-0-3-2).
2003: Marc Lamothe makes 35 saves to lead the Griffins to a 2-0 win at Cincinnati and become the first goalie in franchise history to record consecutive road shutouts. Grand Rapids kills off all six Ducks power plays, setting a team record by holding the opposition without a power play goal for the seventh straight game, a streak that would eventually end at nine.
2013: Behind two goals by Patrick Eaves and 33 saves from Tom McCollum, the Griffins roll to their fifth straight win overall and their sixth in a row at home, a 5-1 thrashing of Texas. Grand Rapids shows its dominance on both ends of the ice, scoring at least five goals for the sixth consecutive home game while limiting its opponent to no more than a single goal for the fourth time in its last five outings.

PROMOTIONS

Fourth Annual Red Kettle Game presented by The Salvation Army: Help raise awareness of The Salvation Army’s mission to provide programs and services to our West Michigan neighbors during the holidays and throughout the year by wearing red to the game. Several red kettles will be stationed throughout the lobby and concourse, with the Griffins’ Better Halves (players’ wives or girlfriends) ringing the bell for spare change collection. In addition to special game elements and graphics, the Griffins will wear red jerseys sporting The Salvation Army Red Shield logo to support the Red Kettle theme.

Red Kettle Jersey Auction: After the game, fans can bid on the Red Kettle jerseys that were worn during the game, with proceeds benefiting The Salvation Army of Kent County. The jersey auction will take place off the Griffins’ bench in sections 121 and 122. Select players will also be in attendance. View the jersey here.

$2 Beers and $2 Hot Dogs: Fans can enjoy $2 domestic drafts and $2 hot dogs from 6-8 p.m., while supplies last.

Get in the D-ZONE presented by Coppercraft Distillery: Every Friday night is a Griffins D-Zone night. Avoid the concession lines and get your $2 beers and $2 hot dogs served to you in your seats. Call (616) 774-4585 ext. 2 or visit griffinshockey.com/dzone today to purchase a package of four or more D-Zone tickets for any Friday night game.

Free Ride Friday on the Rapid: Ride the Rapid to and from any Friday game and enjoy complimentary fare by showing your ticket to the game. Visit ridetherapid.org for schedule information, routes and maps.

College Night presented by Michigan First Credit Union: College students can show their ID at every Friday game to purchase an Upper Level Faceoff ticket for $13 (or $12 in advance at The Zone) or an Upper Level Center Ice ticket for $16 (or $15 in advance at The Zone). Limit one ticket per ID.

Photo by Darren Abate/AHL