Griffins Game #30 * Home Game #15 * AHL Game #368

Season Series: 3-6-0-0 Home Series: 2-2-0-0 Road Series: 1-4-0-0
All-Time Series: 90-70-2-6-3 All-Time Home Series: 44-31-2-4-2 All-Time Road Series: 46-39-0-2-1

Griffins vs. Wolves

Tenth of 10 meetings overall, fifth of five at Van Andel Arena…Winners of three straight, the Griffins remain alive in the chase for the Central Division title. Third-place Grand Rapids needs to win its final three games – including this weekend’s home-and-home set versus second-place Cleveland – while the first-place Wolves need to lose their three remaining games in regulation. Conversely, Chicago can clinch the division with a victory tonight...The Griffins swept a two-game set from Chicago last weekend, winning 5-4 at Van Andel Arena on Friday and 3-1 at the Triphahn Center on Saturday…Both of Dylan McIlrath’s goals this season have come against Chicago...Anthony Richard has seven goals in nine games against the Griffins and four goals in 18 games against all other opponents...Although the Wolves’ primary affiliation is with the Carolina Hurricanes, their top three scorers are Nashville Predators prospects who in normal times would be playing for the rival Milwaukee Admirals: Phil Tomasino (13-16—29), Tommy Novak (7-21—28) and Tanner Jeannot (10-11—21)...Grand Rapids has faced Chicago 171 times in the regular season dating back to their IHL days, the second-most of any Griffins opponent (Milwaukee, 192)...The Griffins, who had surrendered only 11 goals over their first six games, lost 8-4 in Chicago on Feb. 28, allowing their most goals against in more than 10 years (a 10-8 win at Chicago on Nov. 27, 2010). It marked only the eighth time in 25 seasons that Grand Rapids yielded eight or more goals…As part of his 11-year pro career, Ben Simon registered 87 points (37-50—87) in 196 games with the Wolves from 2001-03 and 2004-05 and was a part of their first Calder Cup title in 2002.

Second Thoughts

The four-point performances by Riley Barber (2-2—4) and Kyle Criscuolo (2-2—4) last Friday versus Chicago were the second of each player’s career and the first by any Griffins players this season. Criscuolo accomplished it on Feb. 16, 2018 while playing for Rochester against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, while Barber did it on Jan. 30, 2016 against Syracuse as a rookie with Hershey.

Busy Bodies

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 three games over the next four days.

Last Time Out

Kaden Fulcher earned his first AHL shutout behind 22 saves and Joe Veleno and Riley Barber scored first-period power play goals to give the Griffins a 2-0 victory over Cleveland on Tuesday at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, improving the Griffins to 6-2 against the Monsters this season. Less than nine minutes into the game, Gavin Bayreuther drove Kyle Criscuolo head-first into the corner boards, drawing a five-minute major for boarding that the Griffins capitalized on at the 12:31 mark. From the left circle, Taro Hirose lasered a pass to the goal mouth to Veleno, who redirected the puck past Matiss Kivlenieks for a power play goal in his first game as a Griffin in exactly 14 months. Barber snapped home his 18th goal of the campaign from the right circle with 1:43 left in the period, rounding out the scoring and moving into sole possession of second place in the AHL goals race. In the third period, the Monsters were afforded little opportunity to spoil Fulcher’s first shutout since March 3, 2019 with the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye (5-0 over Indy), as the Griffins enjoyed a massive 18-3 shot advantage over the final 20 minutes. Kivlenieks stopped all 18 of those shots and finished the game with 34 saves. Cleveland’s power play, which had converted seven of its last 17 opportunities against Grand Rapids, was limited to three chances on this night while the Griffins finished 2-for-6.

Another First for Fulcher

Last night’s 22-save shutout at Cleveland, Kaden Fulcher’s first AHL whitewash, was the latest in his line of firsts this season. On April 17, he 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. On April 21, he earned his first victory in the AHL and first at any level in more than two years, 2-1 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.

That Was Close

The Griffins last night avoided what could have been their first-ever season – albeit a shortened one – without registering a shutout. Grand Rapids logged a franchise record-low one shutout during the 2009-10 campaign.

This Date in Griffins History

2001: The Griffins’ five-year tenure in the International Hockey League comes to an end with a 2-0 loss to Orlando and rookie forward Ben Simon in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals at the TD Waterhouse Centre. The Solar Bears go on to claim the final Turner Cup by defeating Chicago in five games.

Welcome Back

With the end of the Detroit Red Wings’ season, goalie Kaden Fulcher and forwards Givani Smith and Joe Veleno were reassigned to the Griffins from the taxi squad on Saturday night. Goalie Calvin Pickard was subsequently assigned to Grand Rapids on Monday after clearing waivers.

Life of Riley

Riley Barber has registered points in six of the last eight games (4-6—10) and in 22 of 29 contests this season. His 18 goals are second in the league — three behind Bakersfield’s Cooper Marony, who has played in seven more games — his 32 points (18-14—32) stand 10th and his 15 power play points pace the circuit. Barber’s projected numbers over a normal 76-game season would be 47 goals and 83 points; in franchise history, only Donald MacLean (56 during his MVP 2005-06 season) has scored as many goals while only six players have registered as many points. 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

Chase Pearson has seven points (2-5—7) in his last seven games...Second on the Griffins in scoring with 25 points (5-20—25) in 26 games, Taro Hirose has points in five of seven contests (1-6—7) and 11 of the last 15 games (2-11—13)…Turner Elson has points in eight of the last 13 games (2-7—9)...Kyle Criscuolo has points in three of his last six appearances (3-3—6)...Dominic Turgeon has a point in three of the last six games (1-2—3).

Youth is Served

On April 29 against Chicago, the Griffins had four rookie defensemen in their lineup – Charle-Edouard D’Astous, Tory Dello, Jared McIsaac and Donovan Sebrango – for the first time in more than four years, dating to a 5-1 win at Milwaukee on April 15, 2017 when five first-year blueliners took to the ice: Hicketts, Dennis Cholowski, Filip Hronek, Patrick McCarron and Dan Renouf. Grand Rapids again had four rookie D in the lineup during each of their last six games, with Patrick Holway taking the place of D’Astous in the lineup for four of those games and Seth Barton making his pro debut last night.

Congrats Are in Order

Joe Veleno made his NHL debut with the Detroit Red Wings on April 27 in their 1-0 shootout loss at Columbus, logging two shots and winning 57% (4 of 7) 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. Veleno, who on Friday tallied his first NHL goal during a power play to begin a rally from a 0-2 deficit in Detroit’s 5-2 victory at Columbus, played five games with Detroit, totaling one goal, eight shots and four penalty minutes while winning 50% of his faceoffs.

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 16 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 have been just as good this season, currently tying for sixth in the league at 20.9% and standing fourth on the road at 28.1%. Their home power play, however, ranks 25th, having converted 13.2% of its chances.

Offense Taken

Prior to scoring five goals in Friday’s 5-4 win over Chicago, the Griffins had been held to two goals in four straight games and had scored as many as three goals just once in their previous seven outings. They stand sixth in the AHL in shots per game (31.93) and 20th in goals per game (3.03).

For the Defense

Grand Rapids is seventh in the league in goals allowed per game (2.86)…The Griffins have been outshot in only eight of their first 29 games, but it’s happened in five of the last nine contests. Only five times have they allowed 30 or more shots, a total that they have reached on 17 occasions. Grand Rapids ranks third in the AHL in shots allowed per game (26.03).

Milestones

Last Wednesday’s contest against Cleveland marked the 300th Griffins/AHL game of Dominic Turgeon’s career. Upcoming player milestones include:

Turner Elson—One point from 100 for his Griffins career

Joe Hicketts—One assist from 100 for his Griffins/AHL career

Brian Lashoff – Three assists for 100 as a pro

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