Chicago Wolves (26-15-5-1) vs. GRIFFINS (28-15-3-4)

Griffins Game #51 * Home Game #27 * AHL Game #751

Season Series: 3-2-0-0 Home Series: 2-0-0-0 Road Series: 1-2-0-0
All-Time Series: 84-58-2-6-3 All-Time Home Series: 42-25-2-4-2 All-Time Road Series: 42-33-0-2-1

Griffins vs. Wolves
Sixth of eight meetings overall, third of four at Van Andel Arena…Grand Rapids is 3-2-0-0 in the season series, as a 5-2 loss at Allstate Arena on Jan. 16 snapped its three-game winning streak against the Wolves…In the most recent meeting at Van Andel Arena on Nov. 28, Turner Elson and Matt Puempel each scored two goals apiece while goaltender Harri Sateri made 33 saves for a 5-2 win that continued Grand Rapids’ five-game point streak…Elson leads the team with six points (4-2—6) and a plus-seven rating in five games in the season series…Two of Elson’s team-high three shorthanded goals have come against Chicago…Puempel also has four goals vs. the Wolves this season…The Griffins have faced the Wolves 153 times in the regular season, the second most of any Grand Rapids opponent (Milwaukee)…Sateri is 3-0-0 against Chicago with a 2.63 GAA and a 0.914 save percentage while Patrik Rybar is 0-2-0 with a 4.61 GAA and a 0.820 save percentage…David Pope (Oct. 13) and Vili Saarijarvi (Oct. 20) both netted their first AHL goals against the Wolves this season.

Chicago Connections
Brooks Macek was originally drafted 171st overall by the Red Wings in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft…Head coach Ben Simon and assistant coach Brad Tapper won the Calder Cup as players with the Wolves in 2002, their second consecutive season capturing a league championship together after hoisting the IHL’s Turner Cup with the Orlando Solar Bears in 2001…Simon logged 196 GP with Chicago from 2001-03 and 2004-05, registering 87 points (37-50—87) and 192 PIM…Tapper appeared in 98 GP with the Wolves from 2001-04, tallying 58 points (24-34—58) and 130 PIM…Tapper served as an assistant with the Wolves from 2014-16…Jake Chelios made his AHL debut with Chicago on April 11, 2014 at Iowa and went on to skate in 45 games with the Wolves from 2013-15, picking up 16 points (1-15—16)…Wade Megan totaled 99 points (44-55—99), a plus-34 rating and 109 PIM in 136 games with Chicago from 2016-18…Megan paced the AHL with 33 goals during his first season with the Wolves in 2016-17 and was named to the AHL First All-Star Team.

Last Game (Saturday): Penguins 1 at Griffins 4 - Read the full recap here
Grand Rapids finished the two-game season series against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 1-0-0-1...The Griffins scored three unanswered goals in the third period...Filip Zadina (PP), Colin Campbell, Libor Sulak and Matt Puempel (PP) all registered goals...Patrik Rybar matched a season high with 33 saves while making his first start since Jan. 25 vs. SJ...Grand Rapids concluded the night 2-for-5 on the power play and 4-for-4 on the penalty kill...The Griffins are 0-for-3 in penalty shot attempts this season after Chris Terry was unsuccessful at 7:36 of the first period...The capacity crowd of 10,834 marked the Griffins’ fifth sellout of the season and their third in the last six home games.

Status Update
Following last night’s 4-1 victory versus Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, the Griffins continue to lead the Central Division by two points with 63 to go along with a 28-15-3-4 overall mark. Grand Rapids has totaled points in 16 of its last 20 outings (13-4-1-2), including wins in seven of its last nine. The Griffins continue their season-high seven-game homestand today by hosting Chicago before welcoming San Antonio to the Van next Friday and Saturday. Today kicks off a stretch of 20 consecutive games Grand Rapids will play against Central Division foes.

Know Your Own Power
Following a 2-for-5 performance last night and a 2-for-4 finish on Wednesday, the Griffins have logged back-to-back games with multiple power play goals for the first time this season. Filip Hronek has factored into each of the four goals, scoring twice on Wednesday and tallying two assists yesterday.

Friendly Confines
The Griffins have points in nine of their last 10 contests at Van Andel Arena (8-1-0-1), including three straight wins. With an 18-4-1-3 overall mark inside friendly confines, the Griffins rank among the AHL’s home leaders with a 0.769 points percentage (2nd), 40 points (1st) and 18 wins (T2nd). Grand Rapids is a +19 in goal differential at home while averaging 3.23 goals and operating at 20.37% on the power play, compared to -11, 2.67 and 8.65% on enemy ice.

Couch Potatoes
Grand Rapids is 2-0 in its season-high seven-game homestand, which continues this afternoon against Chicago. Seven games is the team’s longest since a seven-game stretch from Nov. 29-Dec. 14, 2013. GR will play seven home games in a 17-day period this month, and then close out the campaign with seven home contests spread across the regular season’s final 50 days. Take a look at the longest homestands in GR history and how the club has fared:

Filip Hero-nek
Filip Hronek has notched back-to-back two-point games. On Wednesday, he netted two power play goals at 18:39 and 19:35 of the third period to lead the Griffins to a 2-1 victory against Manitoba, and last night he registered a pair of power play assists. Among league defensemen, the second-year pro ties for ninth with four power play goals and third with three game-winners. Despite playing only 26 games with the Griffins due to spending 23 with the Red Wings, Hronek leads all team blueliners in points (23), goals (7) and assists (16).

You’re a Wizard, Harri
Harri Sateri is 6-1-0 in his last seven appearances, showing a 1.70 GAA and a 0.941 save percentage (193 of 205) in that span. His 2.25 GAA in the new year ranks seventh among goalies with 400 or more minutes in that timeframe. The Finnish netminder has points in 15 of his last 18 outings (13-3-2) and in 10 of his last 12 (9-2-1). Sateri’s 17 wins on the season, which is one shy of matching his AHL career best (2013-14 with Worcester), tie for fifth in the league.

Rybar Supports
Patrik Rybar has points in seven of his last nine games (5-2-2) and shows a 2.07 GAA and a 0.926 save percentage with one shutout in that span. He places fourth in the AHL with a 2.32 overall GAA.

(Don’t) Put It In Reverse Terr
The AHL’s leading scorer from a season ago, Chris Terry ties for second on the league’s goal leaderboard with 24. The 10th-year pro has reached the 20-goal plateau for the sixth time in his AHL career. Terry assisted on both of Filip Hronek’s power play goals on Wednesday and with 45 points overall, ties for 10th on the circuit in scoring. Competing for the Central Division at the 2019 AHL All-Star Classic, Terry earned his third consecutive AHL All-Star bid and fourth overall (2012).

Page Turner
Turner Elson places fourth on the team with 28 points (12-16—28) and is just two shy of leveling his career high of 30, which he has attained twice previously (2014-15 with Adirondack and 2015-16 with Stockton). Sixteen assists has already equaled his career best total from 2015-16. Elson has all three of the Griffins’ shorthanded goals this season, which ties for second in the AHL.

Griffins in General
The Griffins’ 3-0 win against Milwaukee on Jan. 19 marked the franchise’s 950th all-time regular season victory…Grand Rapids is 955-644-27-54-112 (0.587) in the regular season since 1996-97…Grand Rapids’ 295 regular season wins and 637 points since the 2012-13 campaign are both the second-most in the AHL in that time, trailing only Toronto (303 / 653) and just ahead of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (292 / 628).

This Date in Griffins History
1998: Kerry Huffman, Ian Gordon, and Michel Picard all represent GRG at the 1998 IHL All-Star Game in Orlando, as the Western Conference claims a 12-8 win. Gordon was named top goalie at the IHL Skills Challenge the night before, stopping 22 of 29 total shots faced in two events.
2001: The Griffins sign former NHL defenseman Marty McSorley. He makes his IHL debut that same night in a 3-1 home win over Utah. Mike Fountain sets a franchise record with his 42nd career victory.
2005: GR promotes Greg Ireland from assistant to head coach, replacing Danton Cole. Ireland becomes the sixth head coach in franchise history.
2006: With 23 saves, Joey MacDonald extends his team record with his 15th career shutout, as the Griffins triumph 4-0 over Philadelphia.

PROMOTIONS

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

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

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: Feb. 10; March 6 and 31; April 10.

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, an Upper Level Center Ice ticket for $17, or a Lower Level Faceoff ticket for $20. Limit four tickets per card per person, subject to availability.

Photo by Sam Iannamico/Griffins