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Grand Rapids Griffins

Griffins Tussle with Checkers and Wolves in Three-Game Home Week

January 6, 2015 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Grand Rapids Griffins News Release


This Week's Games

Wed., Jan. 7 Charlotte Checkers at GRIFFINS 7 p.m. WOOD 106.9 FM/1300 AM / AHLLive.com

Fri., Jan. 9 Charlotte Checkers at GRIFFINS 7 p.m. WOOD 106.9 FM/1300 AM / AHLLive.com

Fri., Jan. 10 Chicago Wolves at GRIFFINS 7 p.m. WOOD 106.9 FM/1300 AM / AHLLive.com

Last Week's Results

Tue., Dec. 30 GRIFFINS 2 at Chicago Wolves 1 OT 16-11-3-0, 35 pts. (T3rd, Midwest Division)

Wed., Dec. 31 Rockford IceHogs 3 at GRIFFINS 2 SO 16-11-3-1, 36 pts. (3rd)

Fri., Jan. 2 Milwaukee Admirals 2 at GRIFFINS 4 17-11-3-1, 38 pts. (3rd)

Extra Effort : The Griffins secured five of six points last week, defeating both the Chicago Wolves and Milwaukee Admirals, while falling to the Rockford IceHogs in a shootout. It was a big week in terms of Midwest Division gain for Grand Rapids, as the success against three division foes helped the team gain sole possession of third place in the Midwest. The Griffins edged out the Wolves, 2-1, in overtime last Tuesday after Ryan Sproul earned the game-winner on a feed from Marek Tvrdon, who earned his sixth point in his fifth game since joining the team on Dec. 16. The 18th Annual New Year's Eve Celebration at Van Andel Arena on Wednesday saw a showdown between Grand Rapids and the Midwest Division-leading IceHogs. Rockford unleashed a barrage of 25 shots on the Griffins in the first period and Jared Coreau turned away all of them, setting a new franchise record for saves in a period. Despite a major shot disadvantage, Grand Rapids went up 2-0 with goals by the team's top two scorers, Teemu Pulkkinen and Andy Miele . Rockford managed to tie the game before the end of regulation, sending the game to overtime and an eventual 3-2 IceHogs win in the shootout. Rockford goaltender Michael Leighton stopped Pulkkinen, Miele, and Anthony Mantha in the skills competition, while Coreau remained steadfast until the final round when he allowed the game-winner. The Griffins bounced back on Friday with a 4-2 come-from-behind victory over the Admirals. With Milwaukee leading 2-1 with 4:32 remaining in regulation, Pulkkinen released a laser from the right circle to knot the game at two apiece. The goal marked his seventh consecutive game with a goal, tying a franchise record. Just 56 seconds later, Landon Ferraro scooped up a blocked shot, broke down the ice, and netted the game-winner to erupt Van Andel Arena's crowd of 7,421. Just over two minutes later, Ferraro dumped in an empty-netter to secure the victory for Grand Rapids.

Wednesday Promotions : Every time the Griffins win at home on Wednesday, each fan in attendance will receive a free ticket to the next Wednesday game. To redeem a Winning Wednesday ticket, please visit the box office following the Winning Wednesday game, The Zone during normal business hours, or the Van Andel Arena box office prior to the next Wednesday game beginning at 5:30 p.m. Additionally, the first 300 fans to visit the Amway table in Section A will receive a gift. Fans can also enjoy a buy-one, get-one-free deal on a 16 oz. Pepsi all night long at any concession stand that sells fountain drinks.

Wednesday is Hockey Night : For all Wednesday games through March, show your Griffins ticket at participating Arena District restaurants and bars to enjoy Happy Hour specials before the game and Hockey Night specials afterward. Visit griffinshockey.com/hockeynight for a list of participating establishments.

'80s Night/Friday Promotions : Friday is '80s night at Van Andel Arena! Come decked out in your best (or worst) gear from the 1980s as the Griffins feature music, videos and promotions from the decade all game long. Friday's game gives fans the opportunity to enjoy $2 hot dogs and $2 domestic drafts from 6-8 p.m., while supplies last. Fans can also take advantage of College Night specials, where college students can purchase an upper bowl ticket for $14 (or $13 in advance at The Zone) and stop by the McFadden's concourse table to receive a free pass to the post-game party at McFadden's. Every Friday night is also a Griffins D-Zone night, where fans can have $2 beers and $2 hot dogs served directly to their seats. D-ZONE tickets are only available by calling 616-774-4585 ext. 2 or at griffinshockey.com/.

Saturday Promotions/Giveaway : The first 2,500 fans will receive a Griffins winter hat, courtesy of Comerica Bank. For season ticket holders, Saturday's giveaway is a guaranteed giveaway. Pre-game pickup for season ticket holders will take place on the concourse behind section 120 until puck drop, moving to Guest Services until the end of the game. Available for all Saturday games, fans can purchase a Friends & Family 4-Pack that includes four tickets and $12 in concession cash for a great low price. Visit griffinshockey.com/f4p or call (616) 774-4585 ext. 2. In addition, bring your skates to the rink and take to the ice for the post-game open skate. Other post-game open skate dates include Feb. 14, March 22 and April 18.

Pulkkinen's Precipice : Teemu Pulkkinen scored a goal in all three of last week's games for the Griffins to extend his active goal streak to seven games. His streak is the second-longest such streak in franchise history, behind only Donald MacLean's eight-game run during his AHL MVP campaign of 2005-06. Pulkkinen's streak is also the longest in the AHL since former Griffin Jamie Tardif lit the lamp for Providence in seven straight games almost two years ago (Jan. 25-Feb, 16, 2013). Charlotte's Drayson Bowman had an eight-game goal streak earlier that season (Oct. 19-Nov. 4, 2012). When MacLean scored his franchise-record 56 goals in 2005-06, he had 17 through his first 32 games, putting Pulkkinen two goals ahead of his pace.

NYE Record Breakers : Jared Coreau's 25 saves during the first period of last Wednesday's 3-2 shootout loss to Rockford set a Griffins record for saves in a single period. The record was previously held by Joey MacDonald (24, 2004-05) and Marc Lamothe (24, 2002-03). Rockford's 25 first-period shots also tied a Griffins record for most allowed in a period, previously established on 10/16/04 at Chicago (3rd period). Furthermore, the 25-shot barrage set a new Griffins record for most shots allowed in a home period. The previous record was 22 shots three times, most recently 12/4/10 vs. San Antonio (2nd).

All-Star Duo : On Tuesday, Griffins defenseman Xavier Ouellet and right wing Teemu Pulkkinen were selected to play for the Western Conference AHL All-Star Team at the 2015 AHL All-Star Classic presented by Turning Stone Resort Casino, which will be held Jan. 25-26 at Utica Memorial Auditorium in Utica, N.Y. Former Griffins head coach Mike Stothers (2007-08), whose Manchester Monarchs sport the AHL's best record at 24-7-2-1, will serve as a coach for the Eastern Conference all-stars.

Plus/Minus : Heading into the Nov. 12 game versus Lake Erie, not a single player on the Griffins' active roster had a positive plus/minus rating. Mitch Callahan led active players with a zero rating and the recalled Stephen Weiss was the overall leader at plus-one. Currently, only three active Griffins have a negative rating; Ryan Sproul and Kevin Porter at minus-two, and Chris Bruton at minus-seven.

Griffins Leaders : Right wing Teemu Pulkkinen continues to lead the Griffins in scoring with 38 points (19-19 - 38) in 32 games and is currently on a seven-game point and goal streak, the longest in the AHL. Pulkkinen ties for second in overall scoring in the league and ties for first in goals. Center Andy Miele sits in second on the team with 28 points (11-17 - 28) in 29 games, while left wing Mitch Callahan ranks third (10-14 - 24). Right wing Chris Bruton (54) leads the team in penalty minutes, while right wing Anthony Mantha has clocked the second-most PIM (45) and defenseman Brennan Evans (44) ranks third. Defenseman Alexey Marchenko registers the highest plus/minus rating on the team (plus-12).

The Midwest : The Griffins (17-11-3-1, 38 pts.) now have sole possession of third place in the Midwest Division after earning five of a six possible points last week. The Rockford IceHogs (21-11-3-1, 46 pts.) rank first and defeated Grand Rapids, 3-2, in a shootout last Wednesday at Van Andel Arena. The Chicago Wolves (18-13-4-0, 40 pts.) sit in second in the division and will pay a visit to Grand Rapids this Saturday. The Griffins have four games in hand to Rockford and three in hand to Chicago. Not far behind the Griffins in fourth place are the Milwaukee Admirals (16-12-2-3, 37 pts.), who fell to Grand Rapids, 4-2, in an incredible comeback victory on Friday at Van Andel Arena. The Lake Erie Monsters (14-14-2-3, 33 pts.) are fifth in the division, having produced a 3-6-0-1 record in their last 10 games.

Been A While : While the Griffins either tied for third place or had sole possession of third in the Midwest Division for their first four games of the season, a losing skid saw the team alternate between only fourth and fifth place from Oct. 24-Dec. 19. Grand Rapids briefly knotted Chicago, Lake Erie and Milwaukee for second place after a 4-3 shootout win at Lake Erie on Dec. 20, but fell back to a tie for fourth in their next game, after a 5-3 loss to at Chicago on Dec. 22. The Griffins' 9-2 win over the Iowa Wild on Dec. 27 finally propelled the team back to third in the Midwest, where they currently sit.

Walleye World : The ECHL's Toledo Walleye (22-5-2-2, 48 pts.) fell to their North Division rival, the Fort Wayne Komets, 3-2 in the team's outdoor game as part of the 2014 Walleye Winterfest at Fifth Third Field. Anthony Luciani scored twice in front of a crowd of 11,081, with Griffins-contracted forward Kyle Bonis earning the assist on the game-tying goal at 17:04 of the third period. After a scoreless overtime session, the game went to the ECHL's five-round shootout. Fort Wayne connected twice, while only A.J. Jenks solved the Komets' goaltender. The Walleye rank second in the North Division, just two points behind the Komets (24-6-1-1, 50 pts.), but Toledo has one game in hand.

Three Join From Toledo : The Detroit Red Wings on Monday reassigned defenseman Richard Nedomlel from the ECHL's Toledo Walleye to the Grand Rapids Griffins. In addition, the Griffins recalled forward Tyler Barnes from Toledo and signed defenseman Joel Chouinard to a professional tryout. A native of Jablonec nad Nisou, Czech Republic, Nedomlel has notched seven points (2-5 - 7) in 18 appearances with Toledo this season. The 6-foot-5, 230-pound defenseman appeared in three contests with the Griffins last season, registering two penalty minutes and one shot on goal, and also skated in 60 games with the Walleye, racking up 18 points (8-10 - 18) and 150 PIM. A native of Burnsville, Minn., Barnes ties for first on the Walleye in scoring and fourth in the ECHL with 36 points (13-23 - 36) in 31 games. Barnes, 24, was recently named the ECHL Rookie of the Month for December after accumulating 17 points (7-10 - 17) and a plus-13 rating, while helping the Walleye to a 9-2-2 record during the month. As a result of his December accolades, Barnes currently leads all ECHL rookies in scoring. A native of Sherbrooke, Quebec, Chouinard has picked up 20 points (5-15 - 20) and a plus-16 rating in 31 games with Toledo this season, and he ranks first among team defensemen in scoring. Since turning pro during the 2010-11 season, the 6-foot-1, 187-pound blueliner has accumulated 10 goals and 26 assists in 165 AHL games between the Lake Erie Monsters (2010-13) and Hamilton Bulldogs (2013-14). The 24-year-old currently ties for ninth in scoring among ECHL defensemen.

Scouting Report

Wed., Jan. 7 vs. Charlotte Checkers (12-18-3-1) - Van Andel Arena - 7 p.m.

Fri., Jan. 9 vs. Charlotte Checkers - Van Andel Arena - 7 p.m.

Radio : WOOD 106.9 FM/1300 AM at 7:35 p.m. (Wed. and Fri.) Web Casts: Video web cast at AHLLive.com, free audio available through woodradio.com. All-Time Series : 6-8-0-0 Overall, 2-4-0-0 Home. Season Series : 2-0-0-0 Overall, 0-0-0-0 Home. Third and fourth of eight meetings overall, first and second of four at Van Andel Arena. NHL Affiliation : Carolina Hurricanes. Head Coach : Jeff Daniels (4th season). Notes : The Checkers rank fourth in the West Division, just two points ahead of the fifth-place Iowa Wild (17-20-1-1, 26 pts.), rank 14th in the Western Conference and 28th in the league...It's a three-way tie for first place in scoring on Charlotte. Right wing Justin Shugg (12-5 - 17), right wing Chad LaRose (7-10 - 17) and defenseman Ryan Murphy (0-17 - 17) all sit atop the leaderboard...Former Griffins goaltender Drew MacIntyre is the primary goaltender for the Checkers. He owns a 10-11-2 record, a 2.56 goals against average and a 0.917 save percentage...Charlotte's power play is last in the lague (8.6%), but its penalty kill is strong and ranks seventh (86.1%).

Sat., Jan. 10 vs. Chicago Wolves (18-13-4-0) - Van Andel Arena - 7 p.m.

Radio : WOOD 106.9 FM/1300 AM at 6:35 p.m. Web Casts : Video web cast at AHLLive.com, free audio available through woodradio.com. TV : The U Too 26.2 (Chicago) All-Time Series : 62-46-3-5-2 Overall, 31-20-2-3-2 Home. Season Series : 1-2-1-0 Overall, 0-1-1-0 Home. Fifth of eight meetings overall, third of four at Van Andel Arena. NHL Affiliation : St. Louis Blues. Head Coach : John Anderson (13th season). Notes : Chicago ranks second in the Midwest Division, sixth in the Western Conference and 11th overall...Grand Rapids has three games in hand to Chicago, while the Wolves lead by only two points...Right wing Ty Rattie (15-8 - 23) continues to lead Chicago in scoring, followed closely by center Pat Cannone (6-16 - 22). Rattie will compete alongside both Xavier Ouellet and Teemu Pulkkinen at the 2015 AHL All-Star Classic as a member of the Western Conference All-Stars...Chicago goaltender Jordan Binnington ranks 16th among league goaltenders with a 2.28 goals against average. He also owns a 10-5-1 record and a 0.912 save percentage...It's been a victory for the Wolves nearly every time they score first, as the team owns a 13-2-1 record when earning the first goal...Chicago's power play ranks sixth (19.9%) and its penalty kill ranks 13th (84.3%).

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