GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Bolstered by a John Leonard hat trick and 27 saves from Michal Postava, the Grand Rapids Griffins waltzed to a 5-1 win over the Rockford IceHogs on Sunday at Van Andel Arena.

With 11 points (5-1-1-0) through their first seven games, the Griffins have tied the third-best start in the franchise’s 31 seasons, behind only Dan Watson’s last two teams (2025-26; 2024-25). Leonard finished the night with four points (3-1—4) for his second hat trick as a Griffin and totaled six points against Rockford this weekend (5-1—6). Jacob Bryson posted his second-straight two-assist outing, while Wilmer Skoog scored his first goal as a Griffin.

After an evenly matched and scoreless first period, the Griffins finally solved netminder Drew Commesso with 7:56 left in the second. Carter Bear fed Leonard with a long, cross-ice pass from the defensive zone, Leonard beat his defender and slipped the puck through the goaltender’s five-hole from the low-slot for the game’s first goal.

Leonard found the twine for his second tally just 39 seconds into the third period on a power play. After a pass from Dominik Shine at the top of the right circle, Leonard launched a shot from the right faceoff dot past the glove of Commesso for a 2-0 advantage.

The IceHogs responded at the 2:47 mark when Gavin Hayes ripped the puck from the high slot past Postava during 4-on-4 play for Rockford’s only tally. Eleven seconds later, William Lagesson took a pass from Bryson and sliced a shot from the left circle bar down into the left corner to make it 3-1.

With 10:24 remaining in the contest, Skoog added insurance by redirecting a pass from Noah Dower Nilsson on a power play past the left post on the doorstep to further Grand Rapids’ lead. Leonard put the finishing touches on the victory with a slapshot rocketed from the top of the right circle on a 5-on-3 man-advantage with 38 seconds left, sealing the 5-1 triumph.

Notes

• Over six career games against the IceHogs, Postava boasts a 5-1 record with a 1.85 GAA, a .931 save percentage and one shutout. At home, the goaltender is 3-0 with a 2.00 GAA and a .939 save percentage against Rockford.
• Over the first seven games of each of the last three seasons under coach Watson, the Griffins are a combined 18-2-1-0 (.881). The team went 7-0 (14 pts.) last season and 6-1 (12 pts.) in 2024-25.

Box Score
Rockford 0 0 1 - 1
Grand Rapids 0 1 4 - 5

1st Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Shine Gr (high-sticking), 3:53; Pouliot Rfd (roughing), 9:46; Christensen Gr (roughing), 9:46; Skoog Gr (holding), 13:40; Seney Rfd (hooking), 14:24; Bryson Gr (interference), 15:04; Fitzgerald Rfd (roughing), 18:14; Harding Rfd (slashing), 18:14.

2nd Period-1, Grand Rapids, Leonard 3 (Bear, Christensen), 12:04. Penalties-Savoie Rfd (tripping), 2:12; Truscott Gr (cross-checking), 8:08; Bear Gr (interference), 14:42; Boisvert Rfd (slashing), 19:18.

3rd Period-2, Grand Rapids, Leonard 4 (Shine), 0:39 (PP). 3, Rockford, Hayes 3 (Felcman, Anhorn), 2:47. 4, Grand Rapids, Lagesson 3 (Bryson, Leonard), 2:58. 5, Grand Rapids, Skoog 1 (Dower Nilsson, Buium), 9:36 (PP). 6, Grand Rapids, Leonard 5 (Bryson, Becher), 19:22 (PP). Penalties-Spellacy Rfd (roughing), 2:05; Truscott Gr (roughing), 2:05; Lombardi Rfd (holding), 8:35; Mackey Rfd (roughing), 10:33; Becher Gr (holding the stick), 10:33; Butler Gr (elbowing), 13:33; Seney Rfd (major - boarding, game misconduct - boarding), 14:04; Engelbert Rfd (slashing), 18:23; Harding Rfd (slashing), 18:23.

Shots on Goal-Rockford 10-10-8-28. Grand Rapids 11-5-10-26.
Power Play Opportunities-Rockford 0 / 6; Grand Rapids 3 / 8.
Goalies-Rockford, Commesso 0-4-0 (26 shots-21 saves). Grand Rapids, Postava 4-0-0 (28 shots-27 saves).
A-4,869

Three Stars
1. GR Leonard (hat trick, assist); 2. GR Postava (W, 27 saves); 3. GR Skoog (power-play goal)

Record / Next Game
Grand Rapids: 5-1-1-0 (11 pts.) / Wed., Oct. 21 vs. Manitoba 7 p.m.
Rockford: 1-5-0-0 (2 pts.) / Sat., Oct. 24 at Toronto 3 p.m. CDT

Photo by Matt David Creative