Griffins Game #27 * Home Game #14 * AHL Game #348

Season Series: 1-6-0-0 Home Series: 1-2-0-0 Road Series: 0-4-0-0
All-Time Series: 88-70-2-6-3 All-Time Home Series: 43-31-2-4-2 All-Time Road Series: 45-39-0-2-1

Griffins vs. Wolves

Eighth of 10 meetings overall, fourth of five at Van Andel Arena…Any Chicago win tonight would eliminate Grand Rapids from contention for the Central Division title...The Griffins are 1-6 against the Wolves and 11-4-3-1 versus all other teams...It took until their ninth home game of the season for the Griffins to suffer a regulation loss at home — becoming the last AHL team to do so — as Chicago skated to a 5-1 victory on April 26. The Wolves validated that win with a 4-2 triumph here on April 29, the first loss in Grand Rapids’ current four-game skid (0-3-0-1)...Although the Wolves’ primary affiliation is with the Carolina Hurricanes, five of their top six scorers are Nashville Predators prospects who in normal times would be playing for the rival Milwaukee Admirals: Phil Tomasino (11-14—25), Tommy Novak (5-18—23), Tanner Jeannot (10-11—21), Frederic Allard (2-14—16) and Anthony Richard (10-5—15)...Grand Rapids has faced Chicago 169 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 to the opposition…As part of his 11-year pro career, Griffins coach 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.

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 six games and three home contests over the next nine days.

Last Time Out

A late goal by Josh Dunne, the second of the night for Cleveland on the power play, lifted the visitors to a 3-2 victory over the Griffins on Wednesday at Van Andel Arena. For the second straight contest the Griffins rallied to tie the score after falling behind 0-2 only to see their guest pull out the victory, extending their winless streak to a season-high four games (0-3-0-1). While Cleveland’s second-ranked power play unit converted two of its six chances, the Monsters’ penalty killers managed to thwart all six Grand Rapids opportunities. The Monsters’ power play connected on its second try 9:44 into the game, with Tyler Angle snapping a shot past Kaden Fulcher from the right side. Justin Scott doubled Cleveland’s advantage by sneaking a shot between Fulcher and the near post from the bottom of the left circle at 1:31 of the second, but Turner Elson cut the Griffins’ deficit to 2-1 at 5:20, potting a backdoor goal off a feed from Riley Barber to extend his point streak to three games. The Griffins, who trailed the Monsters by a goal after two periods in both of their April 20 and 21 wins at Van Andel Arena, tied it on a wild goal at the 4:12 mark of the third. Troy Loggins fired a shot from the top of the right circle that rookie Justin Kapelmaster stopped, but a furious, nine-second scramble for the rebound in the crease ensued, with Givani Smith, Elson and Dominic Turgeon jamming away at the puck before Loggins swooped in and poked it over the line. Award their fifth power play chance on a Gregor MacLeod tripping penalty with 4:23 remaining, the Monsters cashed in when Dunne planted himself outside the crease and knocked home a rebound with just 2:44 showing on the clock. A delay-of-game penalty on Fulcher at 18:19 resulted in the Griffins ending the game on the penalty kill.

This Date in Griffins History

2000: Kevin Miller’s two goals power Grand Rapids to a 5-2 win at Cleveland’s Gund Arena in Game 6 of the IHL Eastern Conference Semifinals, giving the Griffins their first playoff series win (4-2) and advancing them to the conference finals against Cincinnati.

Youth is Served

Last Thursday 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 three games, with Patrick Holway taking the place of D’Astous.

A First Time for Everything

Last Wednesday’s win over Rockford marked the third game in the Griffins’ 25 seasons that featured a penalty shot for each team and the first-ever at Van Andel Arena, as Mitchell Fossier beat Kevin Boyle at 4:58 of the third and Ivan Nalimov stoned Taro Hirose with 2:26 remaining. On Oct. 11, 2008 at Lake Erie, Darren Helm was stopped by Jason Bacashihua while Daniel Larsson denied Kyle Cumiskey (both in the first period). On April 10, 2011 at Milwaukee, Ilari Filppula could not beat Atte Engren, and Jordan Pearce turned back Ryan Flynn.

Other Firsts

In last Saturday’s game in Rockford, Patrick Holway made his pro debut, Hayden Verbeek notched an assist in his Griffins debut, and Jared McIsaac recorded his first pro point with an assist.

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 has now played four games with Detroit, totaling five shots and four penalty minutes while averaging 15:10 of ice time.

Life of Riley

Riley Barber has registered points in four of the last five games (1-3—4) and in 20 of 26 contests this season. His 15 goals on the season tie for third in the league, his 26 points (15-11—26) tie for 17th and his 12 power play points tie for fifth. Barber’s projected numbers over a normal 76-game season would be 43 goals and 76 points; only two Griffins have scored more goals in a season (Donald MacLean, 56 in 2005-06; Michel Picard, 46 in 1996-97) while only nine have registered more 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 logged his second two-goal game and fifth two-point outing of the season on Monday against Rockford. He has five points (2-3—5) in the last five games...Second on the Griffins in scoring with 21 points (5-16—21) in 23 games, Taro Hirose has points in three of four contests (1-2—3) and nine of the last 12 games (2-7—9)…Turner Elson has an assist in three straight games (1-3—4) and in seven of the last 10 games (1-7—8)...Kyle Criscuolo has a point in two of his last three appearances (1-1—2).

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 13 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).

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. 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.

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 nearly as good this season, currently sitting seventh in the league at 20.4% and second on the road at 28.6%. Their home power play, however, ranks 24th, having converted 12.2% of its chances.

Offense Taken

The Griffins have been held to two goals in four straight games and have scored as many as three goals just once in their last seven outings. They stand sixth in the AHL in shots per game (32.08) and are 19th in goals per game (3.00).

For the Defense

Grand Rapids is 11th in the league in goals allowed per game (3.00)…The Griffins have been outshot in only eight of their first 26 games, but it’s happened in three straight and five of the last six contests. Only five times have they allowed 30 or more shots, a total that they have reached on 16 occasions. Grand Rapids ranks fifth in the AHL in shots allowed per game (26.38).

Milestones

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

Turner Elson—Two points from 100 for his Griffins career

Joe Hicketts—Two assists 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