Griffins Game #22 * Home Game #10 * AHL Game #315

Season Series: 3-0-2-0 Home Series: 0-0-2-0 Road Series: 3-0-0-0
All-Time Series: 51-35-9-10 All-Time Home Series: 32-11-5-4 All-Time Road Series: 19-24-4-6

Griffins vs. IceHogs

Sixth of eight meetings overall, third of four at Van Andel Arena…Grand Rapids suffered its first home regulation loss of the season on Monday, 5-1 to Chicago, falling to 5-1-3-0 at Van Andel Arena and seeing its four-game point streak (3-0-1-0) snapped...The Griffins have earned points in all five clashes with Rockford this season (3-0-2-0), outshooting the IceHogs by a whopping 200-96 margin…Grand Rapids played four straight games against Rockford from March 3-16, marking just the third time in the Griffins' history that they played four consecutive regular season games against the same opponent. The Manitoba Moose were the foe on both prior occasions, in November 2006 and November 1997...The 13 shots allowed by the Griffins in their 3-1 win over the IceHogs on Feb. 18 were one more than Grand Rapids' franchise record for fewest allowed in a game…Prior to their 9-4 win at Rockford on March 3, the Griffins’ last nine-goal outing was a 9-1 win at Rockford on Feb. 5, 2016. They came within two goals of matching of their team record, set in an 11-6 victory at – you guessed it – Rockford on Jan. 19, 2013…Griffins head coach Ben Simon served as an assistant in Rockford for two seasons (2011-13)…Rockford head coach Derek King played in Grand Rapids from 1999-01 and 2002-04. He is the franchise’s all-time leading playoff scorer (16-25—41) and ranks fifth in regular season points (73-130—203).

History Repeating

The Griffins and IceHogs played near duplicate games at Van Andel Arena on March 13 and 16. Both games were 2-1 overtime wins for Rockford, with the IceHogs rallying from a 1-0 deficit, Matt Tomkins making more than 40 saves to help his team survive a massive shot deficit, and Dylan McLaughlin securing the second point for the visitors by scoring in the extra session. On March 13, the Griffins outshot Rockford 43-22, Tomkins made a career-high 42 saves, and McLaughlin scored 2:14 into overtime. On March 16, Grand Rapids held a 47-22 advantage in shots, Tomkins again set his career-best with 46 stops, and McLaughlin tallied 19 seconds into OT.

Busy Times

After playing just 16 games overall and only four times at home during the first 70 days of this season – owing to both a light early schedule and six postponements since March 16 – the Griffins on April 16 began a stretch which has them scheduled to play their final 16 games and 12 home contests over a span of only 30 days. Updating those numbers, Grand Rapids will play its final 11 games and seven home contests over an 18-day span.

Last Time Out

It took until their ninth home game of the season for the Griffins to suffer a regulation loss at Van Andel Arena, as Central Division-leading Chicago skated to a 5-1 victory on Monday. The Wolves scored three power play goals, including a pair of 5-on-3 tallies, to snap both their three-game winless skid and the Griffins’ four-game point streak, dropping Grand Rapids to 5-1-3-0 on home ice. It marked the first loss by a home team in six meetings between the rivals this season, as Chicago improved to 5-1 versus the Griffins.

Late Bloomers

The Griffins, who until last Tuesday’s 5-3 win over Cleveland had not won this season when trailing after two periods, have now rallied in the third frame in each of their last three wins, including a 5-4 victory over Iowa on April 16 and last Wednesday’s 2-1 triumph against the Monsters.

Congrats Are in Order

Joe Veleno made his NHL debut with the Detroit Red Wings last night in their 1-0 shootout loss at Columbus, logging two shots and winning 57% of his faceoffs in 14:59 of ice time. He became the 185th Griffins alum to play in the NHL, after recording 23 points (11-12—23) in 54 games with Grand Rapids last season.

This Date in Griffins History

2006: Matt Ellis’ second goal of the game, on a wraparound just 11 seconds into the second overtime, gives the Griffins a 2-1 win at Toronto and a 4-1 triumph in their North Division Semifinal series. The goal comes on Grand Rapids’ 45th shot, setting a franchise playoff record for a road game. After allowing a goal on the game’s first shift, Drew MacIntyre shuts out the Marlies over the final 79:50, finishing with 41 saves to record his second win in as many nights.

That’s a First

Tomorrow, the Griffins will conclude a seven-game April homestand that surpasses their most regular season home games ever during the month. Prior to this season, their high-water mark for regular season games at Van Andel Arena during April had been five, established in 2015.

A Long Time Coming

On April 17, goalie Kaden Fulcher made his AHL debut and played his first game in more than 15 months, due to an injury that ended his 2019-20 season, the pandemic, and bouncing between the Griffins and Detroit's taxi squad this season. His last game had been on Jan. 4, 2020, when he made 24 saves for the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye in a 5-2 home loss to Indy. Fulcher made 25 saves in that 4-3 overtime loss to Iowa, including 12 during the third period to help the Griffins rally from a two-goal deficit and earn a point. He then earned his first victory in the AHL and first at any level in more than two years in last Wednesday’s 2-1 win over Cleveland. Fulcher, who was limited to two ECHL games last season due to an injury, made 27 saves in his second career AHL contest, logging his first win since making 27 stops in Toledo’s 5-0 home triumph over Indy on March 3, 2019.

Life of Riley

Riley Barber has goals in four of the last seven games and six of the last 10 outings, and he has registered points in 16 of 21 contests this season. His 14 goals on the season tie for third in the league, amazing considering that his 21 games played are six to 11 fewer than each of the other four players in the top five. Barber’s 22 points (14-8—22) tie for 25th in the league while his 11 power play points tie for fourth. He posted a nine-game point streak from Feb. 5-March 11 that was the longest ever to start a player's Griffins career as well as the longest from the start of a Griffins season.

High-Flying Griffins

Second on the Griffins in scoring with 18 points (4-14—18) in 18 games, Taro Hirose had a six-game point streak (1-5—6) and three-game assist streak snapped on Monday by Chicago...Givani Smith’s three-game goal streak and eight-game point streak also came to an end that night, each falling one game shy of Riley Barber’s season-high for a Griffin…Turner Elson has points in five of the last eight games (1-4—5)...Troy Loggins (3-0—3) has a goal in three of the last five games...Gregor MacLeod owns an AHL career-high three-game point streak (1-2—3) and has points in five of his last seven appearances (1-4—5)...After scoring his first goal of the season on Monday, Dylan McIlrath has points in three of the last five games (1-2—3).

Rarified Air

Brian Lashoff’s 513 games played for the Griffins rank first among active AHL players who have spent their entire AHL career with the same club and tie for eighth in league history among one-team players. Of the players ahead of him on that list, the most recent – and, coincidentally, the record-holder – last played during the 1970-71 season (Bill Needham of the Cleveland Barons, 981 games played). Lashoff, who has been unfit to play the last eight games, tied No. 8-ranked Stan Smrke (Rochester 1957-67) on March 26 and is now four games behind No. 7 Pete Kapusta (Providence Reds 1946-55).

Powerful Play

Following a 2019-20 campaign in which they finished sixth in the AHL’s power play rankings at 20.9%, the Griffins are off to an even better start this season, currently sitting seventh in the league at 22.2% and third on the road at 31.1%. Their home power play, however, ranks 26th, having converted 11.1% of its chances.

Offense Taken

The Griffins stand second in the AHL in shots per game (33.76) and 12th in goals per game (3.19).

For the Defense

Grand Rapids is tied for 11th in the league by allowing 3.00 goals per game…The Griffins have been outshot in only four of their first 21 games, and only twice have they allowed 30 or more shots, a total that they have reached on 15 occasions — including 13 of the last 17 outings. Grand Rapids ranks third in the AHL in shots allowed per game (25.38).

Milestones

Dylan McIlrath’s six penalty minutes on Monday against Chicago put him past 1,000 for his nine-year pro career (1,003). Upcoming player milestones include:

Turner Elson—Seven points from 100 for his Griffins career, two assists for 100 as a pro

Joe Hicketts—Three games played for 300 as a pro, three assists from 100 for his Griffins/AHL career

Brian Lashoff – Three assists for 100 as a pro

Dominic Turgeon—Five games from 300 for his Griffins/AHL career

It’s a Start

The roar of a Griffins crowd was partially restored on March 13 when the team began welcoming up to 750 fans per home game, pursuant to the most recent order from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Griffins 2021-22 season ticket members are being given the first opportunity to purchase tickets to home games during the remainder of the 2020-21 season. Other fans can sign up for Griffins Nation, the team’s official email newsletter, to receive priority access to 2020-21 tickets whenever limited seats are made available for sale throughout the season. On occasion, single-game tickets may also be purchased online at griffinshockey.com.

We Miss You, Bob!

On Feb. 8, the beloved 21-year Voice of the Griffins, Bob Kaser, underwent successful heart surgery at the Meijer Heart Center in Grand Rapids to repair several blocked arteries. Released from the hospital on Feb. 14, his recovery at home continues to go well. Everyone in Griffins Nation, the Griffins organization, the AHL, and the Michigan hockey community wishes Bob all the best in his recovery and a quick return to health. We can’t wait until he is back in the booth.

Photo by Nicolas Carrillo/Griffins