Griffins Game #50 * Home Game #26 * AHL Game #745

Season Series: 1-2-1-1 Home Series: 1-0-1-0 Road Series: 0-2-0-1
All-Time Series: 31-17-3-4 All-Time Home Series: 17-6-1-3 All-Time Road Series: 14-11-2-1

Griffins vs. Stars
Sixth of eight meetings overall, third of four at Van Andel Arena…The home team has points in all five matchups this season...Grand Rapids has points in eight of the last 11 meetings overall (6-3-1-1)…The Griffins have points in seven of the last eight matchups at Van Andel Arena (5-1-1-1), including in each of the last five…Joe Hicketts (0-5—5 in 5 GP) leads the team in scoring in the season series…The Griffins and Stars are facing off for the 11th consecutive season and Grand Rapids has finished with a 0.500 record or better in season series nine times, including eight consecutive years.

Last Time Out (Saturday): Stars 4 at Griffins 3 OT - Recap
Grand Rapids played its 11th game of the season tied after regulation, and two of those have come against Texas...Evgeny Svechnikov’s seventh goal of the season at 14:29 of the second period ended Jake Oettinger’s shutout streak against the Griffins at 153:56…Svechnikov added his second power play goal of the contest at 18:45 of the second to mark his second multi-goal game of the season and fifth career…Eric Tangradi netted his seventh goal in his 10th game...Grand Rapids had its third sellout of the season and first since New Year’s Eve…For the fourth time this season, Grand Rapids registered three PPG...Eight power play chances marked a season high.

Status Update
The Griffins have points in 10 of their last 12 games (7-2-1-2) and are positioned fifth in the Central Division with a 21-21-3-4 (49 points) overall record. Grand Rapids hosts Texas today to conclude a two-game weekend set. Today finishes off the 16th time of 25 total this season Grand Rapids will play on consecutive days. The Griffins trail the Stars by one point in the standings and Chicago by two. Grand Rapids has points in eight of its last nine outings at Van Andel Arena (5-1-1-2).

February Finish
The Griffins have points in 19 of their last 23 games in the month of February (15-4-2-2, 0.739). That stretch includes points in 13 of 15 appearances at Van Andel Arena (10-2-2-1), including in five straight (3-0-2-0).

Time to Tango
Eric Tangradi shows seven goals among nine points in 10 games this season. He ties for third on the team in power play goals (4), ties for seventh in goals overall and places second in points per game (0.90). A 2017 Calder Cup champion with Grand Rapids, Tangradi ranks among the club’s all-time leaders with 173 points (9th), 83 goals (5th) and 25 PPG (T3rd).

Streak Busters
In their two games this week so far, the Griffins put an end to opposing goalie’s streaks against them. In Wednesday’s 2-1 win at Milwaukee, Troy Grosenick had allowed just one goal in a 160:09 span against Grand Rapids this season before Chase Pearson and Joe Veleno scored 2:35 apart in the opening period. Last night, Jake Oettinger’s shutout streak against the Griffins lasted 153:56 over two-plus games before Evgeny Svechnikov netted a power play goal at 14:29 of the second period.

Adding to the List
Taro Hirose and Gustav Lindstrom became the 183rd and 184th Griffins alumni, respectively, to play in the NHL when they suited up for Detroit on Thursday in the team’s 4-3 shootout win at Buffalo. Hirose was making his return to the Red Wings’ lineup after he opened the campaign on Detroit’s roster. In his NHL debut, Lindstrom logged 12:07 of ice time and recorded two penalty minutes. Lindstrom also became the 102nd player in Griffins history to make his NHL debut after playing for Grand Rapids. Both players also skated in the Red Wings’ loss on Friday at Columbus.

Picks and Pucks
Calvin Pickard has points in six of his last seven starts (5-1-1), posting a 1.99 GAA, a 0.931 save percentage (189 of 203) and one shutout in that stretch. Since Jan. 8, Pickard’s 1.99 GAA is fifth in the league among netminders with 400 or more minutes.

Terrific Turg
One of only two Griffins (Turner Elson) to play in every game this season, Dominic Turgeon ranks third on the team in goals (10) while tying for fourth in points (20). He has already matched his scoring output from last season when he suited up 72 times.

Lights Out
In the last 28 contests, the Griffins have killed 84 of 96 penalties (87.5%). Over the last 12, Grand Rapids has allowed only six (29-for-35) while scoring three shorthanded tallies.

Net Nagle
Pat Nagle has won three of his last five starts, showing a 2.20 GAA and stopping 123 of 134 shots in that stretch (0.918). His 2.32 season GAA ranks ninth among AHL netminders with more than 570 minutes.

Back Up, Terr
2020 AHL All-Star Classic selection Chris Terry leads the team with 13 points (4-9—13) in 15 GP in the new year. Overall, he ranks ninth in the AHL in points (43) while pacing the Griffins in goals (17), assists (26), multi-point games (13) and power play goals (9).

Give Me a Break
Since joining the AHL in the 2001-02 season, the Griffins post a 302-217-7-21-27 (0.574) combined record in games played after the all-star break. Grand Rapids has tallied a 0.500 mark or better in each of the last nine seasons after the hiatus, including going a combined 132-71-11-12 (0.635) since 2012-13 – the year its current postseason streak began. The Griffins are 1-1-1-0 after the break so far this season.

Rotating Roster
Five different goaltenders have logged 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 77 times.

This Date in Griffins History
2002: Mathieu Chouinard's 1-0 blanking of Hamilton, his second shutout of the season, gives the Griffins three goalies (Martin Prusek and Simon Lajeunesse) with at least two shutouts apiece for the first time in franchise history. Defenseman Julien Vauclair becomes the first active Griffin to participate in the Winter Olympics when he suits up for Switzerland in 3-3 tie with France. Vauclair notches one shorthanded goal during the tournament and helps his country to a 2-1-1 record and an 11th place finish. Seven former Griffins also represent their homelands in Salt Lake City, including Aigars Cipruss (Latvia), Pavol Demitra (Slovakia), Erich Goldmann (Germany), Jani Hurme (Finland), Rastlislav Pavlikovsky (Slovakia), Robert Petrovicky (Slovakia) and Andrei Sryubko (Ukraine).
2004: Despite the presence of Jiri Hudler and captain Travis Richards on their roster, PlanetUSA drops a 9-5 decision to Canada in the AHL All-Star Game at Van Andel Arena. The event concludes a star-studded weekend in Grand Rapids, which welcomed several of hockey’s all-time greats to town, including Scotty Bowman, Willie O’Ree, Grant Fuhr, Billy Smith, Joe Kocur and Adam Graves.
2013: Holding a 3-1 lead heading into the third period at Oklahoma City, the Griffins allow a team record-tying six goals in the final 20 minutes en route to a 7-5 loss.

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 986-677-27-61-116 (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’ 326 regular season wins since the 2012-13 campaign are third, behind only Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s 328 and Toronto’s 340 while the Griffins’ 710 points in that span are fourth, trailing Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (713), Providence (717) and Toronto (738)…Since the affiliation began in 2002-03, 93 Griffins have gone on to play for the Red Wings.

Presented by WMGB Home Improvement

Time: 4 p.m. at Van Andel Arena (doors open at 3 p.m.).

Princess Day presented by WMGB Home Improvement: More than 20 princesses and princes from Michigan-based Olivia Grace and Company will be on hand to take photos on the concourse, interact with fans and take part in game-night promotions.

Pre-Game Tea Party Package: Princess Tea Party tickets are $50 per person and include admission to the tea party at 2 p.m., a Lower Level Faceoff seat to the game at 4 p.m. and a bonus ticket to the Saturday, March 14 game. Please note that adults and children 2 years and older are required to have a Princess Tea Party ticket in order to enter the arena and attend both the tea party and game. Tickets are limited to 150 guests only.

Post-game Autograph Session presented by Huntington Bank: Turner Elson, Brian Lashoff and Jarid Lukosevicius will sign autographs following the game from the team’s bench.

Sunday is Funday: For all Sunday games, enjoy $1 small Pepsi drinks and $1 small ice cream cups from 3-5 p.m.

Library Nights: For all Wednesday and Sunday games, fans can present their Grand Rapids Public Library card or Kent District Library card at the Van Andel Arena box office on the night of the game or at The Zone anytime during the store’s regular business hours to purchase either an Upper Level Faceoff ticket for $14 (regularly $16 advance and $19 day of game), an Upper Level Center Ice ticket for $17 (regularly $19 advance and $22 day of game), or a Lower Level Faceoff ticket for $20 (regularly $22 advance and $25 day of game). Limit four tickets per card per person, subject to availability.

Photo by Sam Iannamico/Griffins