GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Griffins will begin the 2016 Calder Cup Playoffs by facing the Milwaukee Admirals in the best-of-five Central Division Semifinals.

The fourth-seeded Griffins and division champion Admirals will stage Games 1 and 2 at the BMO Harris Bradley Center on Friday, April 22 and Saturday, April 23 before the series turns to Van Andel Arena for Game 3 on Tuesday, April 26 and, if necessary, Game 4 on Wednesday, April 27. The complete schedule is as follows:


2016 Calder Cup Playoffs - Central Division Semifinals - Best-of-Five

The Griffins posted a 5-3 record in the season series against the Admirals, logging a pair of shutouts and earning marks of 4-0 at Van Andel Arena and 1-3 at the BMO Harris Bradley Center, where they lost their last three visits after taking a 6-0 win in the season’s first clash on Nov. 27.

This second all-time playoff meeting between these teams comes 10 years after the first, when the Admirals swept the 2005-06 regular season champion Griffins 4-0 in the Western Conference Finals before falling to the Hershey Bears in the Calder Cup Finals.

Other storylines of the series include:

• Both teams have hoisted the Calder Cup once since joining the AHL in 2001. Milwaukee earned its championship in 2004, while the Griffins still have seven players from their 2013 cup squad: Louis-Marc Aubry, Mitch Callahan, Triston Grant, Jeff Hoggan, Brian Lashoff, Tom McCollum and Nathan Paetsch;
• The Griffins have qualified for the playoffs for four straight years and in 14 of their 20 seasons overall, while the Admirals return to the postseason following a one-year absence that broke a streak of 12 consecutive appearances;
• This series will mark the Griffins’ final visits ever to the BMO Harris Bradley Center, which has hosted Grand Rapids 80 times since 1996, more than any other opposing arena. The Griffins own marks of 33-30-5-5-5 in 78 regular season visits and 0-2 in two playoff games. The Admirals are moving to the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena next season;
• Several players and coaches from Beer City USA have connections to Brew City. Joel Rechlicz was born in Milwaukee, Triston Grant played three seasons there during a pair of stints with the Admirals (2008-10 and 2014-15), and assistant coaches Ben Simon (18 GP in 2003-04) and Bruce Ramsay (3 GP in 1995-96) each had cups of coffee on the other side of Lake Michigan.

Tickets for Games 3 and 4 of the division semifinals at Van Andel Arena are now on sale at all Star Tickets locations, including The Zone, online through griffinshockey.com, by phone through Star Tickets at (800) 585-3737, or via the Griffins app for iPhone or Android.

Available for all playoff home games, Playoff 4-Packs include four or more tickets at a savings of $3 per ticket plus no service fees. To purchase a Playoff 4-Pack, visit griffinshockey.com/playoffs or call (616) 774-4585 ext. 2.

Fans who want to experience every Griffins game at Van Andel Arena during the 2016 Calder Cup Playoffs can now purchase a Griffins Playoff Pass. Enjoy the same great seat at significant savings plus the convenience of the “pay-as-we-play” method of payment. To reserve your Griffins Playoff Pass, please call (616) 774-4585 ext. 2.

Continuing a postseason tradition, the Griffins are extending their popular Friday promotion and will offer $2 beers and $2 hot dogs for all home playoff games for two hours after the doors open, while supplies last. In addition, 2,500 fans will receive Griffins playoff rally towels during the first round, compliments of Auto Value Parts Stores.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Griffins will begin the 2016 Calder Cup Playoffs by facing the Milwaukee Admirals in the best-of-five Central Division Semifinals.

The fourth-seeded Griffins and division champion Admirals will stage Games 1 and 2 at the BMO Harris Bradley Center on Friday, April 22 and Saturday, April 23 before the series turns to Van Andel Arena for Game 3 on Tuesday, April 26 and, if necessary, Game 4 on Wednesday, April 27. The complete schedule is as follows:

2016 Calder Cup Playoffs - Central Division Semifinals - Best-of-Five

The Griffins posted a 5-3 record in the season series against the Admirals, logging a pair of shutouts and earning marks of 4-0 at Van Andel Arena and 1-3 at the BMO Harris Bradley Center, where they lost their last three visits after taking a 6-0 win in the season’s first clash on Nov. 27.

This second all-time playoff meeting between these teams comes 10 years after the first, when the Admirals swept the 2005-06 regular season champion Griffins 4-0 in the Western Conference Finals before falling to the Hershey Bears in the Calder Cup Finals.

Other storylines of the series include:

• Both teams have hoisted the Calder Cup once since joining the AHL in 2001. Milwaukee earned its championship in 2004, while the Griffins still have seven players from their 2013 cup squad: Louis-Marc Aubry, Mitch Callahan, Triston Grant, Jeff Hoggan, Brian Lashoff, Tom McCollum and Nathan Paetsch;
• The Griffins have qualified for the playoffs for four straight years and in 14 of their 20 seasons overall, while the Admirals return to the postseason following a one-year absence that broke a streak of 12 consecutive appearances;
• This series will mark the Griffins’ final visits ever to the BMO Harris Bradley Center, which has hosted Grand Rapids 80 times since 1996, more than any other opposing arena. The Griffins own marks of 33-30-5-5-5 in 78 regular season visits and 0-2 in two playoff games. The Admirals are moving to the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena next season;
• Several players and coaches from Beer City USA have connections to Brew City. Joel Rechlicz was born in Milwaukee, Triston Grant played three seasons there during a pair of stints with the Admirals (2008-10 and 2014-15), and assistant coaches Ben Simon (18 GP in 2003-04) and Bruce Ramsay (3 GP in 1995-96) each had cups of coffee on the other side of Lake Michigan.

Tickets for Games 3 and 4 of the division semifinals at Van Andel Arena are now on sale at all Star Tickets locations, including The Zone, online through griffinshockey.com, by phone through Star Tickets at (800) 585-3737, or via the Griffins app for iPhone or Android.

Available for all playoff home games, Playoff 4-Packs include four or more tickets at a savings of $3 per ticket plus no service fees. To purchase a Playoff 4-Pack, visit griffinshockey.com/playoffs or call (616) 774-4585 ext. 2.

Fans who want to experience every Griffins game at Van Andel Arena during the 2016 Calder Cup Playoffs can now purchase a Griffins Playoff Pass. Enjoy the same great seat at significant savings plus the convenience of the “pay-as-we-play” method of payment. To reserve your Griffins Playoff Pass, please call (616) 774-4585 ext. 2.

Continuing a postseason tradition, the Griffins are extending their popular Friday promotion and will offer $2 beers and $2 hot dogs for all home playoff games for two hours after the doors open, while supplies last. In addition, 2,500 fans will receive Griffins playoff rally towels during the first round, compliments of Auto Value Parts Stores.