Griffins Game #9 * Home Game #5 * AHL Game #129

Season Series: 0-0-0-0 Home Series: 0-0-0-0 Road Series: 0-0-0-0
All-Time Series: 31-12-1-2 All-Time Home Series: 14-6-1-2 All-Time Road Series: 17-6-0-0

Griffins vs. Wild
First of six meetings overall, first of three at Van Andel Arena...The Griffins finished 2-2-1-1 in the 2018-19 season series, including 0-1-1-1 at Van Andel Arena…Chris Terry led Grand Rapids with five points (3-2—5) in six games in the 2018-19 series, while Brian Lashoff and Matt Puempel both contributed four points (1-3—4) in five games…While winning 20 of the first 24 all-time meetings, Grand Rapids outscored the Wild 91-43…Since then, the Griffins are 11-8-1-2 in the series and have been outscored 68-63…16 of the last 24 meetings have been decided by one goal, including 10 that have been tied after regulation…Iowa has won five in a row at Van Andel Arena, including one in overtime and one in a shootout.

Last Time Out (Saturday): Stars 4 at Griffins 6 - Recap
Grand Rapids came back to win after being down three goals for the first time since a 4-3 shootout victory versus Iowa on Dec. 13, 2017 and it was the Griffins’ first such win in regulation since scoring five times in the third period of a 5-3 triumph over Cleveland on Nov. 25, 2016…Grand Rapids has won four straight games against Texas at Van Andel Arena…Fourteen skaters recorded at least a point and four logged multi-point games…Filip Larsson stopped 22 shots to earn the win in his Van Andel Arena debut…Larsson saved Conner Bleackley’s penalty shot attempt at 14:27 in the first period, the first penalty shot by an opponent since Nov. 14, 2018 vs. Rockford...Gregor MacLeod netted his first pro goal at 12:32 of the second period…Chris Terry scored the game-winner with 2:46 remaining while on the power play…Brian Lashoff recorded his 100th point as a Griffin on an assist to become the 42nd player in franchise history to reach the century mark.

Status Update
The Griffins have won three straight games to improve to 5-2-0-1 overall (11 points) and tie for second in the Central Division standings. Grand Rapids rounds out its four-game home stretch tonight against division-leading Iowa before heading to Manitoba to play the Moose on Saturday and Sunday. After tonight, the Griffins will have played five contests at Van Andel Arena in the month of October for the second time in the last 10 seasons (2017-18).

Getting Started
The Griffins’ 5-2-0-1 start marks their best since 2008-09 (4-1-2-1), when they also captured 11 points in their first eight games. The 2008-09 team went on to finish 43-25-6-6 and advance to the North Division Finals. Since 2008-09, the Griffins have also had three other 10-point starts: 5-3 in 2016-17, 4-2-1-1 in 2013-14, and 4-2-0-2 in 2010-11. Should Grand Rapids win tonight, it would still be its best start through nine games since 2008-09 (5-1-2-1). A win tonight and on Saturday would give the Griffins their best start since 2005-06 (7-2-0-1), when Grand Rapids won its last regular season title.

Stringing Wins Together
During the Griffins’ three-game run, they are outscoring opponents 13-5. The power play has gone 3-for-12 (25.0%) in the stretch while the penalty kill is 8-for-10 (80.0%). Matt Puempel (4-2—6) and Chris Terry (2-3—5) lead the team in scoring the last three games.

Rock-tober
The Griffins have 11 points in October, marking only the second time in the last nine seasons the team has reached the double-digit point total in the first month of the season (2013-14, 12 points).

Lighting It Up
The Griffins are second in the AHL in power play efficiency at 27.0% (10-for-37) and have scored in six of eight games, including three multi-goal outings. Chris Terry (2-3—5) and Joe Hicketts (0-5—5) tie for the team lead in power play points.

Lashing Out
With an assist last Saturday, veteran defenseman Brian Lashoff became the 42nd player in franchise history to record 100 or more points in a Griffins uniform. He joins an even more exclusive list among team defensemen as only four other blueliners have reached the century mark as a Griffin: Travis Richards (238), Nathan Paetsch (142), Robbie Russo (103) and Derek Meech (102). Lashoff is the second player this season to achieve 100 points as a Griffin, joining captain Matthew Ford who accomplished the feat on Oct. 5.

Puemped Up
In his seventh year as a pro, Matt Puempel registered his first AHL hat trick in last Friday’s 4-1 victory against Manitoba. His only other pro hat trick came as a member of the New York Rangers on Dec. 29, 2016 at Arizona. A former first-round draft pick by Ottawa in 2011, Puempel notched his 50th goal as a Griffin in his 126th game last Friday and is tied with Ed Patterson (1997-98; 1999-01) for 22nd on the franchise’s all-time goal scoring chart with 51.

Pick-ing His Shots
Dating to the third period on Oct. 18 at Texas, Calvin Pickard has allowed just one goal while making 75 saves in his last 145:32 of action. In his last three starts, the 6-foot-1 netminder is 2-0-1 with a 1.30 GAA and a 0.957 save percentage with one shutout.

Back Up, Terr
Chris Terry paces the team in both points (11) and multi-point games (4) while tying for the lead in assists (7). In his 11th-year pro, Terry led the Griffins with 61 points last season and the most recent player to lead the Griffins in scoring in back-to-back seasons was Andy Miele in 2014-15 and 2015-16.

First Things First
Grand Rapids’ roster currently features five recent Detroit first-round draft picks (Moritz Seider 2019, Filip Zadina 2018, Joe Veleno 2018, Michael Rasmussen 2017, Evgeny Svechnikov 2015). Five of the Red Wings’ last six first rounders are on the west side of the state, with the exceptions being Dennis Cholowski (2016), who made Detroit’s roster following training camp. 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). The Griffins’ opening night lineup had five Detroit first rounders in it, far surpassing the previous record of two. The Griffins had never seen more than three Red Wings first rounders suit up for the club at any point in the same season until this year. Adding in Matt Puempel (24th overall by Ottawa in 2011) and Dylan McIlrath (10th overall by the New York Rangers in 2010), Grand Rapids’ roster boasts seven former first-round draft selections.

This Date in Griffins History
1996: The Griffins earn their first-ever shootout win, edging Cincinnati by a 5-4 count at Van Andel Arena. Pokey Reddick notches a season-high 42 saves and Len Hachborn tallies the decisive shootout goal.
2004: The Griffins wear special orange and black Halloween jerseys during a 4-3 loss to San Antonio. A post-game auction of the sweaters raises $7,805 for Big Brothers Big Sisters. Florida Panthers assistant coach Guy Charron, working with the affiliate Rampage during the NHL lockout, marks his first game at Van Andel Arena since June 5, 2000, when his Griffins fell to Chicago in the sixth and deciding game of the IHL Turner Cup finals.
2009: Goals by Michael Nylander, Evan McGrath and Patrick Rissmiller in the final 10 minutes of the third period lift the Griffins to a 3-1 come-from-behind victory over Houston.

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 970-658-27-58-113 (0.585) 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’ 310 regular season wins since the 2012-13 campaign are second behind Toronto’s 323 and the Griffins’ 672 points in that span tie Providence for second, trailing Toronto (701)…Since the affiliation began in 2002-03, 90 Griffins have gone on to play for the Red Wings.

Presented by Nestlé Purina

Time: 7 p.m. at Van Andel Arena (doors open at 6 p.m.).

Concession Specials*: Fans will enjoy nearly a dozen deeply discounted concession items from 6 p.m. through the conclusion of the game (while supplies last; stand locations vary). Specials include:

• $1 Items: Small Pepsi drink, soft-serve ice cream, popcorn, pretzel, cotton candy, churro;
• $2 Items: Hot dog, pizza slice, chips & cheese;
• $3 Taco Trio: Three street tacos, available at the Mex-To-Go stand located at section 126 (regularly $6.50);
• $6 Burger Basket: Cheeseburger with fries, available at stands located on the lower level and sections 104, 108 and 122 on the concourse (regularly $8.50).

*No alcohol sales permitted for this game

Jake Engel Memorial Dog Game presented by Nestlé Purina: Man’s best friend is invited to Van Andel Arena as the Griffins host their sixth annual Dog Game. Owners may bring their dog to the game with the purchase of both a human ticket starting at $15 and a dog ticket for $5. All dog ticket proceeds will benefit Paws with a Cause. New this season, the Griffins are holding a Howl-O-Ween costume contest. Bring your dog to the game in their best Halloween costume and be entered into the contest to win a year’s supply of dog food, courtesy of Purina. For more information, including a downloadable waiver form for your dog, please visit griffinshockey.com/dog. The game is in memory of its former coordinator Jake Engel, the Griffins corporate sales account manager who passed away on Feb. 6, 2018.

Winning Wednesday: Every time the Griffins win at home on Wednesday, each fan in attendance will receive a free ticket to the next Wednesday game. All fans who were in attendance for the Griffins’ shutout win against the Milwaukee Admirals on Oct. 23 can redeem their ticket stub for a free ticket to this game. To redeem a Winning Wednesday ticket, please visit the box office following the Winning Wednesday game, The Zone during normal business hours, or the Van Andel Arena box office prior to the next Wednesday game beginning at 5:30 p.m. Fans who exchange their Winning Wednesday ticket at The Zone on a non-game day will receive 20% off the purchase of one item (excluding jerseys). One discount per person present.

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.

Pepsi Reading Goals Redemption Date: Children with Griff’s Reading Goals bookmarks who have completed the required three hours of reading can redeem their bookmark for two free upper level tickets to any of the following games: Oct. 30; Nov. 20 and 29; Dec. 4.

Photo at top by Sam Iannamico/Griffins