Griffins and Aeros Stage Western Showdown

Published on May 9, 2003 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Houston Aeros News Release


Halfway Home: With a pair of playoff series wins already under their belts, the Central Division champion Grand Rapids Griffins and West Division kingpin Houston Aeros will slug it out in the AHL's Western Conference finals for a spot in the Calder Cup finals. Games 1 and 2 of the best-of-seven series will take place at Van Andel Arena on Monday, May 12 and Wednesday, May 14, before the 2-3-2 series shifts to the Compaq Center. The Griffins and Aeros have never before met in the postseason.

How They Got Here: The top-seeded Griffins disposed of #8 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton three games to one in the conference quarterfinals, before eliminating #4 Chicago in a four-game sweep during the conference semis. The second-ranked Aeros blanked #7 Milwaukee three games to none in the quarterfinal round before claiming a 4-2 triumph over #3 Norfolk.

Get Your Tickets: Tickets for Games 1 and 2 are currently on sale for $26, $21, $17, $13, $11 and $6 (advance purchase only). They may be purchased at The Zone and all Tickets PLUS outlets, including Meijer stores, or by calling (616) 222-4000 or visiting griffinshockey.com.

Keep It Going: Grand Rapids has won a team-record five consecutive playoff games, along with an all-time best of four straight at home. Those four wins already tie the Griffins' postseason standard for most at Van Andel Arena in one playoff year (2000).

Been Here, Done That: The Griffins have advanced to the conference finals for the third time in the last four years. Grand Rapids defeated Cincinnati (4-1) in the 2000 IHL Eastern Conference finals, before falling to Orlando (2-4) in their return trip the next year. Houston is making its second straight appearance in the AHL Western Conference finals after losing to eventual champion Chicago (1-4) last season. The Aeros also made the IHL conference finals in 2000 (lost to Chicago, 2-4), 1999 (defeated Chicago, 4-3) and 1997 (lost to Long Beach, 1-4).

Seventh Heaven: The Griffins are the seventh team since 1998 to begin the Calder Cup playoffs with a 7-1 record. Of their six predecessors, three went on to win the championship (2001 Saint John, 1999 Providence and 1998 Philadelphia), one lost in the Calder Cup finals (2002 Bridgeport) and two fell in the conference finals (2002 Hamilton and 2001 Hershey).

Top Guns: This series between the Griffins and Aeros features three of the AHL's top four scorers from the regular season as well as five of the league's 12 postseason all-stars. Houston's Jean-Guy Trudel (First Team left wing) finished second in the league in points (31-54-85) and third in assists (54), Grand Rapids' Michel Picard (Second Team left wing) ranked third in points (32-52-84) and fourth in assists (52), and the Griffins' Mark Mowers (Second Team right wing) placed fourth in the scoring race (34-47-81) and tied for sixth in goals (34). In addition, Grand Rapids goalie Marc Lamothe and Houston defenseman Curtis Murphy were named First Team all-stars.

Heavyweight Bout: With 210 regular season points between Grand Rapids (106) and Houston (104), this series features the largest point total in the AHL playoffs since Hartford (107) defeated Rochester (104) in the 2000 Calder Cup finals. It also marks the largest point total in a conference final since Rochester (111) beat Philadelphia (105) for the Western title in 1999.

High Turnover: Only three Griffins - left wing Derek King, and defensemen Travis Richards and Dave Van Drunen - were members of the last Grand Rapids team to reach the conference finals (2001 IHL vs. Orlando). The Aeros, meanwhile, return just eight players (goalie Derek Gustafson, forwards Dan Cavanaugh, Jeff Hoggan, Stephane Veilleux and Kyle Wanvig, and defensemen David Cullen, Curtis Murphy and Travis Roche) from the squad that lost to Chicago in last year's Western Conference finals.

Clash of the Titans: Grand Rapids and Houston have been among the most successful Triple-A organizations over the last four regular seasons. No team at this level has accumulated more wins (194), points (425) or division crowns (4) than the Griffins, while the Aeros' 172 wins and 386 points each rank third behind Chicago (176/391), whom Grand Rapids defeated in the Western Conference semifinals.

Unbelievable: During their four-game winning streak against Houston in the regular season (Jan. 28-Mar. 23), the Griffins enjoyed a huge 18-2 advantage on the scoreboard despite a monstrous 145-72 deficit in shots. Grand Rapids connected on 25% of its shots in those four games, while its goalies posted a pair of shutouts and held the Aeros to a 1.4% success rate. The Griffins were out-shot 32-10 by Houston on March 23, setting a franchise record for fewest shots for the second consecutive meeting with the Aeros. (Houston allowed just 14 shots in the Griffins' 2-1 win at the Compaq Center on Mar. 13.) Grand Rapids was officially out-shot 17-0 in the final frame that day, marking the first time the Griffins have ever been held without a shot.

Series Notes: The Griffins compiled a 5-4-1-0 mark against Houston during the 2002-03 regular season, winning four of the last five and five of the last seven clashes...Grand Rapids earned series records of 3-2-0-0 at Van Andel Arena and 2-2-1-0 at the Compaq Center...The Griffins' records in the all-time series stand at 17-11-10-0 overall, 10-5-3-0 at home and 7-6-7-0 on the road...Grand Rapids' three shutouts versus the Aeros this season marked just the second time in its history that it blanked an opponent three times during the regular season (2001-02 vs. Milwaukee)...AHL Second Team All-Star left wing Michel Picard (7-9-16, plus-7) outshone First Teamer Jean-Guy Trudel (3-4-7, minus-3) in head-to-head meetings...Mark Mowers (5-9-14), Stacy Roest (4-6-10) and Marc Lamothe (4-2-1, 1.49 GAA, 0.957%, 2 SO) were also huge in the season series...Lamothe destroyed a regular season franchise record with 52 saves in the Griffins' 2-1 win in Houston on March 13...Hnat Domenichelli (4-4-8), Jean-Guy Trudel (3-4-7), Mark Cullen (4-2-6) and Dieter Kochan (3-0-1, 1.96 GAA, 0.927%) led the Aeros in the season series...Playoff stalwart Johan Holmqvist was 1-1-0 with a 2.51 GAA and a 0.881% versus the Griffins...Grand Rapids was 9-for-55 (16.4%) on the power play in the series, while Houston went 5-for-55 (9.1%).

Tale of the Tape: Top-seeded Grand Rapids, champion of the Central Division, finished the regular season with a 48-22-8-2 record and 106 points, surpassing the victory and point totals of all other AHL clubs except Hamilton (49-19-8-4, 110 pts.)...Number-two Houston won the West Division with a mark of 47-23-7-3 (104 pts.), falling one win and two points shy of the Griffins' totals...Here's how the two teams stacked up in key statistical categories during the regular season:

Grand Rapids Houston
* Power Play: 67-for-446, 15.0% (22nd) 87-for-514, 16.9% (T10th)
* Penalty Killing: 303-for-362, 83.7% (15th) 370-for-445, 83.1% (T18th)
* Penalty Minutes: 16.1 avg. (28th) 21.5 avg. (T9th)
* Goals For: 3.00 avg. (9th) 3.33 avg. (4th)
* Goals Against: 2.21 avg. (1st) 2.78 avg. (12th)
* Shots For: 28.59 avg. (25th) 34.40 avg. (2nd)
* Shots Against: 27.60 avg. (4th) 26.90 avg. (1st)

Trading Spaces: Griffins goalie Chad Alban appeared in five games with the Aeros during their 1998-99 IHL Turner Cup championship season, while defenseman Philippe Plante played 13 games for Houston in 2000-01. Aeros goalie Dieter Kochan (two games in 1999-00) and Rastislav Pavlikovsky (16 games from 1999-01) previously played with the Griffins.

What's Next?: The winner of this series will face the Eastern Conference champion (either #1 Hamilton, #3 Binghamton or #9 Manitoba) in the Calder Cup finals. Of the five teams still alive in the playoffs (Hamilton will host Game 7 versus Manitoba on Sunday), only Hamilton has played for the cup, losing to Hershey (1-4) in the 1997 finals.

Well Rested: The Griffins will enter the conference finals on nine full days of rest and preparation, following their Game 4 conference semifinal win at Chicago on May 2. Grand Rapids has become accustomed to killing time before each of its playoff series; a 10-day layoff preceded its quarterfinal victory over Wilkes-Barre, which in turn earned a six-day hiatus prior to the sweep of the Wolves.

Slaying the Beast: In beating Chicago in four straight games, the Griffins became only the second team in AHL history to sweep the defending Calder Cup champions, mirroring Philadelphia's feat against Hershey in the 1998 conference semifinals. The Phantoms continued on to win the championship that season, becoming one of two teams since 1998 to oust the defending champs before hoisting the cup (Hartford downed Providence in 2000). For the Griffins, the series win over the Wolves was their first in three all-time playoff meetings (2002 AHL Western Conference quarterfinals, 2000 IHL Turner Cup finals).

Winning the Close Ones: Discounting empty-net goals, each of Grand Rapids' seven playoff wins thus far has come via a one-goal margin. Of the nearly 500 minutes (496:59) the Griffins have played during the playoffs, they've been tied (233:19) almost as long as they've led (235:52). However, Grand Rapids has trailed for only 27:48 during the postseason, including a paltry 2:05 of the 256:59 played (0.8%) against Chicago in the conference semifinals. The Griffins have faced a deficit after only one of 25 playoff periods, while holding a lead on 16 occasions.

How Sweep It Is: The four-game rout of Chicago marked the Griffins' second sweep in franchise history, following a 4-0 triumph over Cleveland in the 2001 IHL Eastern Conference semifinals. The Wolves, who had been 6-0 in elimination games over the last two seasons prior to their Game 4 loss on May 2, suffered the first winless best-of-seven series in their nine campaigns.

Playoff Leaders: Stacy Roest, who has registered points in five straight (4-5-9) and seven of eight (6-5-11) playoff games, ranks among the AHL's postseason leaders with four game-winning goals (1st), 11 points (T1st), one shorthanded goal (T2nd), six goals (4th) and a plus-five rating (T5th)...Derek King, who is chasing the first championship of his 16-year career, places among the AHL's best with seven assists (T2nd) and nine points (T6th). He registered multiple points in three of four games against Chicago (2-5-7)...Rob Collins ranks among playoff leaders with two power play goals (T4th) and seven points (T19th). He leads all AHL rookies in points, assists (5, tied) and power play goals...Darryl Bootland leads all rookies with three goals (tied) and 42 penalty minutes (T2nd overall), while his five points tie for sixth among first-year performers. He lit the lamp in each of the first three games against Chicago.

Lamothe's Legend Grows: Marc Lamothe, who has set a Griffins playoff record with five straight wins, ranks among the AHL's playoff leaders with seven wins (T1st), a 1.72 GAA (2nd), one shutout (T2nd) and a 0.937 save percentage (3rd). He has led his team to the conference finals for the second straight season, after taking Hamilton to within one win of the Calder Cup finals last year. Lamothe's postseason accolades are numerous, including:
* He currently owns the best goals against average and save percentage, as well as the second-most wins (Jani Hurme, 10), in Grand Rapids playoff history.
* In Game 4 of the conference semis in Chicago, he made 26 saves to post the fourth playoff shutout in Griffins history. He blanked the Wolves over the final 102:05 of the series and stopped 83 of 85 shots (0.67 GAA, 0.976%) over the last three games.
* In his eight playoff games, he has allowed more than one goal just three times.
* Excluding the third period of Game 3 of the conference quarterfinals at Wilkes-Barre on April 19, he owns a playoff GAA of 1.26 to go with a 0.953 save percentage.
* Including the regular season, Lamothe now has 40 wins on the season, breaking the combined single-season franchise record of 39 previously set by Jani Hurme (1999-00) and Mike Fountain (2000-01).

Magic Touch: Stacy Roest was responsible for three game-winning goals in the sweep of Chicago. After scoring the third overtime playoff goal in Griffins history in Game 1 at Van Andel Arena, he notched the decisive tallies in Games 3 and 4 at Allstate Arena. His total of four game-winners this postseason has established a new franchise playoff record (3 by Todd White in 2001) and stands one shy of the AHL mark held by four players.

Break 'Em Up: During the Chicago series, the line of Derek King (2-5-7), Stacy Roest (4-3-7) and Rob Collins (2-3-5) accounted for eight of the Griffins' 11 goals and 19 of their 30 total points.

Good Luck Charm: Left wing Bryan Adams, who won a Calder Cup with Chicago last season and the final IHL Turner Cup with Orlando in 2001, has won 10 consecutive playoff series.

Stone Cole: Danton Cole joined Guy Charron (2000) as just the second Griffins head coach to win his first two playoff series. After leading the Muskegon Fury to the UHL's Colonial Cup last season, Cole's all-time playoff record as a head coach now stands at 18-7 in games and a perfect 5-0 in series.

Take Me to Your Leaders: Derek King is the Griffins' all-time playoff leader with 34 points (14-20-34), 14 goals and 20 assists (tied)...Travis Richards, the only player to appear in all 48 playoff games in Grand Rapids franchise history, is tied for first with 20 assists and is tied for second with 23 points...Other active players among the team's all-time playoff scoring leaders are Michel Picard (11-11-22, T4th), Stacy Roest (6-5-11, T10th), Hugo Boisvert (4-3-7, T16th) and Rob Collins (2-5-7, T16th).

Tell Me What It Takes: Nine players and coaches for the Griffins have won major championships in North America at the pro, college or major junior level, including Bryan Adams (2002 AHL Calder Cup - Chicago, 2001 IHL Turner Cup - Orlando), Hugo Boisvert (2001 IHL Turner Cup - Orlando), head coach Danton Cole (2002 UHL Colonial Cup - Muskegon, 1995 NHL Stanley Cup - New Jersey, 1986 NCAA - Michigan State), assistant coach Todd Nelson (2002 UHL Colonial Cup - Muskegon, 1994 AHL Calder Cup - Portland), Michel Picard (1994 AHL Calder Cup - Portland, 1991 AHL Calder Cup - Springfield), Philippe Plante (2002 UHL Colonial Cup - Muskegon), Aaron Schneekloth (2000 NCAA - North Dakota), Tim Skarperud (2000 NCAA - North Dakota) and Jason Williams (2002 NHL Stanley Cup - Detroit).

By the Numbers: Taking into account their first five seasons in the IHL, the Griffins are now 5-5 all-time in playoff series, including a 5-2 record as the higher seed and a 4-2 mark in best-of-seven series...Their overall playoff record in terms of games stands at 27-21, including 12-12 at Van Andel Arena and 15-9 on the road.

Strange But True: The last three teams to oust the Griffins from the playoffs each continued on to win the league championship (2002 Chicago Calder Cup, 2001 Orlando Turner Cup, 2000 Chicago Turner Cup)...The rosters of each of the last five and 11 of the past 12 Calder Cup champions sport the name of either a former Griffin or a player who would one day skate for the Griffins. The lone exception over that span was the 1997 Hershey Bears.

Playoff Roster: 22 players make up the Griffins' 2003 Calder Cup playoff roster: goaltenders Marc Lamothe and Joey MacDonald; defensemen Sheldon Brookbank, Ed Campbell, Danny Groulx, Jeremiah McCarthy, Philippe Plante, Travis Richards and Dave Van Drunen; and forwards Bryan Adams, Ryan Barnes, Hugo Boisvert, Darryl Bootland, Rob Collins, Derek King, Tomas Kopecky, Mark Mowers, Michel Picard, Nathan Robinson, Stacy Roest, Tim Skarperud and Jason Williams.

In Residence: Under emergency conditions (if playing strength drops below 18 skaters or two goaltenders due to injuries, recalls or suspensions), the Griffins may add players to their postseason roster from their In Residence list, which currently includes goaltender Chad Alban and defenseman Aaron Schneekloth.

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American Hockey League Stories from May 9, 2003


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