Griffins Remain Perfect with 4-2 Road Win at Rockford
Published on November 1, 2025 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Grand Rapids Griffins News Release
Grand Rapids Griffins' Gabriel Seger, Dominik Shine, and William Lagesson on game night
(Grand Rapids Griffins, Credit: Brad Repplinger/Rockford IceHogs)
ROCKFORD, Ill. - Behind a three-point night from Dominik Shine (2-1-3), the Grand Rapids Griffins took down the Rockford IceHogs 4-2 on Saturday at the BMO Center, and remained the only undefeated team in the AHL with their record-setting 7-0 mark.
The Griffins are also 4-0 on the road for the first time since 2007-08. John Leonard continued his career-high five-game goal streak with his seventh tally as a Griffin. His seven goals through six games are tied with Anthony Mantha for the second most in team history, trailing Jiri Hudler's 10. Sebastian Cossa backed the team between the pipes recording 24 saves, while Antti Tuomisto registered the game-winner for his first of the season.
Grand Rapids outshot the IceHogs 13-6 in the opening period and outscored them 2-0. The Griffins got on the board at the 8:44 mark, as Leonard secured one during the power play. Michael Brandsegg-Nygard passed the puck across the high slot to Leonard who potted the disc from the right dot and under the pad of Drew Commesso.
While on the penalty kill, Alex Kannok Leipert poke-checked the puck away from an IceHog defender and Shine picked up the turnover at the top of the defensive zone. He skated it down, tapping in his own rebound in front of the net with seven minutes remaining in the first.
Cossa was the story of the second frame for Grand Rapids, recording 12 saves. The IceHogs scored the lone goal of the stanza when Jackson Cates flipped the puck into the upper-right corner from the left circle, inching within one with 1:39 to go.
Grand Rapids reclaimed the two-goal lead at the 7:44 mark of the final slate. Amadeus Lombardi dropped the rubber off to Shine along the boards and he passed it to Tuomisto, who walked the puck through the zone and snapped it inside the left pipe. With 5:04 remaining and on the power play, the IceHogs pulled back within one, as Nick Lardis sent a one-timer over the glove of Cossa. Commesso left the net with 2:05 remaining and Shine ultimately had the insurance empty-netter at the 18:24 stamp to give Grand Rapids the victory.
Notes *Lombardi recorded his 50th pro assist to continue his four-game assist streak. *Brandsegg-Nygard tallied his first regular-season AHL point with an assist.
Highlights
Photo Gallery
Game Center
Grand Rapids 2 0 2 - 4
Rockford 0 1 1 - 2
1st Period-1, Grand Rapids, Leonard 7 (Dries, Brandsegg-Nygård), 8:44 (PP). 2, Grand Rapids, Shine 4 (Kannok Leipert), 13:00 (SH). Penalties-Cates Rfd (hooking), 8:10; Savoie Rfd (tripping), 10:15; Wallinder Gr (high-sticking), 12:24; Kuzmin Rfd (interference), 16:42.
2nd Period-3, Rockford, Cates 3 (Misiak, Del Mastro), 18:21. Penalties-Shine Gr (closing hand on puck), 16:15.
3rd Period-4, Grand Rapids, Tuomisto 1 (Shine, Lombardi), 7:44. 5, Rockford, Lardis 5 (Seney, Moore), 14:56 (PP). 6, Grand Rapids, Shine 5 (Mitchell, Lagesson), 18:24 (EN). Penalties-Boucher Rfd (roughing), 9:40; Doucet Gr (tripping), 14:49.
Shots on Goal-Grand Rapids 13-2-9-24. Rockford 6-13-7-26.
Power Play Opportunities-Grand Rapids 1 / 4; Rockford 1 / 3.
Goalies-Grand Rapids, Cossa 4-0-0 (26 shots-24 saves). Rockford, Commesso 4-3-0 (23 shots-20 saves).
A-4,824
Three Stars *GR Shine (two goals, assist) 2. Tuomisto (game-winner) 3. RFD Cates (goal)
Record/Next Game
Grand Rapids: 7-0-0-0 (14 pts.) / Sunday, Nov. 2 v. Rockford 4 p.m.
Rockford IceHogs: 6-3-0-0 (12 pts.) / Sunday, Nov. 2 at Grand Rapids 3 p.m. CST
Images from this story
 Grand Rapids Griffins' Gabriel Seger, Dominik Shine, and William Lagesson on game night (Brad Repplinger/Rockford IceHogs) |
American Hockey League Stories from November 1, 2025
- Abbotsford Falls, 6-1, to the Silver Knights on Diwali Night - Abbotsford Canucks
- Griffins Remain Perfect with 4-2 Road Win at Rockford - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Reign Taken Down by Barracuda - Ontario Reign
- Stephens Scores Lone Goal as Firebirds Fall to Eagles. 3-1 - Coachella Valley Firebirds
- Colorado Kicks off Road Swing with 3-1 Win Over Firebirds - Colorado Eagles
- Bears, Bjorklund Blank Bruins, 2-0 - Hershey Bears
- Kochetkov, Wolves Maul Marlies, 4-1 - Chicago Wolves
- Sens Score Season High Seven Goals to Pick up Win in Syracuse - Belleville Senators
- Carr Celebrates his Birthday with OT Winner - Milwaukee Admirals
- Tucson Tops Iowa 3-0 Behind Villalta's Shutout - Tucson Roadrunners
- Tucson Shuts out Iowa 3-0 - Iowa Wild
- Monsters Pull Admirals to Overtime But Fall 3-2 - Cleveland Monsters
- Syracuse Crunch Fall to Belleville Senators, 7-4 - Syracuse Crunch
- P-Bruins Blanked by Checkers for First Loss of Season - Providence Bruins
- Wild Finish Results in Overtime Sweep in Hartford - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Peca's Breakout Game Not Enough vs. Checkers - Springfield Thunderbirds
- Reign Preview - Ontario at San Jose - Ontario Reign
- Penguins Upended by Comets, 3-1 - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Comets Open Month of November with First Win of Season, Down Penguins 3-1 - Utica Comets
- Checkers Bounce Back, Beat T-Birds 5-3 - Charlotte Checkers
- Wolf Pack Drop 4-3 Overtime Heartbreaker to Phantoms - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Amerks Earn Weekend Split with Rocket - Rochester Americans
- Clattenburg Forces OT; Condors Get Point - Bakersfield Condors
- Preview: Phantoms at Wolf Pack, Game 10 - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Capitals Recall Smallman from Hershey - Hershey Bears
- Abbotsford Canucks to Celebrate Diwali Night, Presented by Ridgecrest Dairy, on November 1st - Abbotsford Canucks
- Firebirds Celebrate Third Annual Dia de los Muertos Night at Acrisure Arena - Coachella Valley Firebirds
- Game Preview: Bears at Bruins, 7:05 p.m. - Hershey Bears
- American Hockey League Joins NHL, NHLPA in 27th Annual Hockey Fights Cancer Celebration Month - AHL
- Game Preview: Condors at Wranglers, 12 p.m. - Bakersfield Condors
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
