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AHL Grand Rapids Griffins

Griffins to Make First-Ever Trip to Colorado

October 17, 2023 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Grand Rapids Griffins News Release


Grand Rapids Griffins vs. the Colorado Eagles
Grand Rapids Griffins vs. the Colorado Eagles
(Grand Rapids Griffins, Credit: Nicolas Carrillo/Griffins)

This Week's Games

GRIFFINS at Colorado Eagles // Fri., Oct. 20 // 9:05 p.m. EDT // Blue Arena

GRIFFINS at Colorado Eagles // Sat., Oct. 21 // 9:05 p.m. EDT // Blue Arena

Listen: WOOD 106.9 FM/1300 AM at 8:45 p.m. EDT on Friday; 96.1 The Game at 8:45 p.m. EDT on Saturday

Watch: AHLTV

Season Series: Third and fourth of four meetings overall, first and second of two at Blue Arena

All-Time Series: 2-0-0-0 Overall, 0-0-0-0 Away

NHL Affiliation: Colorado Avalanche

Noteworthy: The Griffins began the all-time series against the Colorado Eagles last weekend with a 2-0-0-0 record and will make their first-ever trip to Colorado this weekend. Eagles' first-year head coach Aaron Schneekloth competed for Grand Rapids as a defenseman from 2002-04 and showed eight points (1-7-8) in 58 games.

Rare Company: Dan Watson made his debut behind the Griffins' bench on Friday and came away with a 3-2 victory. Watson became the first Griffins head coach since Mike Stothers in 2007 to win his debut. Grand Rapids followed that performance with a 5-2 victory last Saturday over Colorado to kick off the season with a 2-0 start for the second time since 2007-08. Watson joined Mike Stothers (2007-08) and Bruce Cassidy (2000-01) as the only head coaches to begin their tenure with a 2-0 ledger. The Griffins' last 2-0 start was seven years ago (2016-17), when they won the first three games of their eventual Calder Cup championship season. Grand Rapids' last 2-0 start at home was three campaigns ago (2020-21), when the schedule commenced in February due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Holy Goalie: Goaltenders Sebastian Cossa and Michael Hutchinson made history last weekend, as it was the first time that Griffins goalies made 40-plus saves in each of a season's first two games. Hutchinson began the campaign with 40 saves on 42 shots in the season opener and Cossa followed with 41 saves on 43 shots in game two. Cossa's 41 saves were the most by a Griffins rookie since Jared Coreau stopped 47 of 49 shots in a 3-2 shootout loss to Rockford on Dec. 31, 2014. Cossa's 41 saves rank as the second-most all time by a Griffin in the season's first two games, while Hutchinson's 40 saves place third.

Let's Go Streaking: Jonatan Berggren (0-3-3), Austin Czarnik (2-1-3), Simon Edvinsson (1-1-2) and Taro Hirose (2-2-4) all began the season on a two-game point streak. Berggren and Hirose each bagged at least one assist in each of the first two games and Czarnik potted a goal in both outings. Last season, Hirose paced the team with a career-high 57 points (16-41-57) and 41 assists, and he currently leads the squad with four points (2-2-4) in two outings. Czarnik was recalled by the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday.

The Climb: Dominik Shine became just the third player in franchise history to reach eight seasons, while Tyler Spezia became the eighth player to compete in his sixth campaign. Shine is tied with Nathan Paetsch for sixth with 359 career games played for the Griffins and stands 10th with 404 penalty minutes. Taro Hirose also continues to climb the Griffins' all-time leaderboard, as he is currently ranked 10th in points (169) and sixth in assists (126).

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Images from this story

Grand Rapids Griffins vs. the Colorado Eagles
Grand Rapids Griffins vs. the Colorado Eagles
(Nicolas Carrillo/Griffins)		   



American Hockey League Stories from October 17, 2023


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