Griffins Improve to 8-1 at Home, Down the Wild, 3-2
Published on November 28, 2025 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Grand Rapids Griffins News Release
Grand Rapids Griffins on 25th annual Teddy Bear Toss night
(Grand Rapids Griffins, Credit: Nicolas Carrillo/Griffins)
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Behind a league-leading 14th goal of the season and game-winner from John Leonard in the second period, the Grand Rapids Griffins took down the Iowa Wild 3-2 at Van Andel Arena on Friday.
The Griffins improved to 15-1-0-1 on the season, which continued as their best start in franchise history and they have recorded 31 points through 17 games, while their 8-1 start at home tied their best since 2009-10 (8-0). Eduards Tralmaks (1-0-1), extended his point streak to four games, and he recorded his fourth goal in three matches, and Michael Brandsegg-Nygard tallied two assists in his third-straight multi-point contest. Carter Gylander's 28-save performance marked his fourth-consecutive victory with the Griffins. Grand Rapids' .912 points percentage remained the best in the league.
The Griffins grabbed a 1-0 advantage in the first period when Brandsegg-Nygard shot the puck from the top of the slot, it bounced to the left of William Rousseau and Justin Holl picked it up to carry it behind the netminder and pot it 8:24 in. At 8:27, Grand Rapids' Carson Bantle and Iowa's Mark Liwiski were given game misconducts after a tilt at center ice.
Grand Rapids doubled its lead when Antti Tuomisto passed the puck to Tralmaks in the right circle and he sent a one-timer in on the power play with 5:35 to go. Iowa cut its deficit to 2-1 eight seconds later when Nicolas Aube-Kubel skated over the right circle and snapped one behind Gylander. The Griffins outshot the Wild 13-4 in the frame.
Iowa tied the contest 5:33 into the second slate when Ben Gleason passed the puck across the slot to Gerry Mayhew and he tapped it in. Grand Rapids reclaimed a 3-2 lead when Sheldon Dries skated through the middle of the zone, passed it to Leonard and he put the puck on his backhand to flip it in at the right hashmarks with 11:55 on the clock.
At 4:38 in the final frame, the Griffins killed off a 45-second 5-on-3. When they gained a man back, Leonard forced a turnover for a short-handed opportunity, skated it down and sent a slap shot from the left circle toward the net, but Rousseau blocked it. Iowa pulled its netminder with 1:15 to go, but couldn't convert with an extra attacker, which gave Grand Rapids the 3-2 win.
Notes *In the 25th annual Teddy Bear Toss, 4,500 stuffed animals were collected. They will be donated to the Billy Bear Hug Foundation. *The last seven meetings between the Griffins and Wild have been decided by one goal. *Dries (0-1-1) extended his point streak to three games. *With two assists, Tuomisto recorded his sixth point in three games.
Highlights
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Game Center
Iowa 1 1 0 - 2
Grand Rapids 2 1 0 - 3
1st Period-1, Grand Rapids, Holl 2 (Brandsegg-Nygård, Tuomisto), 8:24. 2, Grand Rapids, Tralmaks 10 (Tuomisto, Brandsegg-Nygård), 14:25 (PP). 3, Iowa, Aubé-Kubel 3 (Heidt), 14:34. Penalties-Liwiski Ia (fighting, misconduct - continuing altercation, game misconduct - fighting at puck drop), 8:27; Bantle Gr (fighting, misconduct - continuing altercation, game misconduct - fighting at puck drop), 8:27; Mayhew Ia (high-sticking), 13:07; Holl Gr (cross-checking), 17:34.
2nd Period-4, Iowa, Mayhew 7 (Gleason, Špaček), 5:33 (PP). 5, Grand Rapids, Leonard 14 (Dries, Truscott), 8:05. Penalties-Rychlovský Gr (slashing), 4:11; Kannok Leipert Gr (tripping), 15:47.
3rd Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Brandsegg-Nygård Gr (high-sticking), 3:23; Leonard Gr (slashing), 4:38; Holl Gr (tripping), 10:36; Watson Gr (major - cross-checking, game misconduct - cross-checking), 20:00.
Shots on Goal-Iowa 5-13-12-30. Grand Rapids 15-7-7-29.
Power Play Opportunities-Iowa 1 / 6; Grand Rapids 1 / 1.
Goalies-Iowa, Rousseau 0-1-0 (29 shots-26 saves). Grand Rapids, Gylander 4-0-1 (30 shots-28 saves).
A-8,781
Three Stars
1. GR Leonard (game-winner) 2. Brandsegg-Nygard (two assists) 3. Tuomisto (two assists)
Record/Next Game
Grand Rapids: 15-1-0-1 (31 pts.) / Sun., Nov. 30 vs. Iowa 4 p.m.
Iowa: 5-13-0-1 (11 pts.) / Sun., Nov. 30 at Grand Rapids 4 p.m.
Images from this story
 Grand Rapids Griffins on 25th annual Teddy Bear Toss night (Nicolas Carrillo/Griffins) |
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