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AHL Grand Rapids Griffins

Ouellet and Pulkkinen Selected for 2015 AHL All-Star Classic

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


GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The American Hockey League announced on Tuesday that Grand Rapids Griffins defenseman Xavier Ouellet and right wing Teemu Pulkkinen have been 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 the Utica Memorial Auditorium in Utica, N.Y.

A native of Bayonne, France, Ouellet has split his 2014-15 campaign between the Griffins and the Detroit Red Wings. In 21 games with Grand Rapids this season, the 21-year-old has collected eight points (1-7 - 8) and 16 penalty minutes. Detroit's second choice (48th overall) in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, Ouellet has also notched two points (1-1 - 2) in 11 games with the Wings, tallying his first NHL point (assist) on Nov. 22 at Toronto and his first NHL goal on Nov. 28 at New Jersey. In 91 games with the Griffins over the last two seasons, the 6-foot, 200-pound blueliner has accumulated 25 points (5-20 - 25), 38 PIM and a plus-eight rating.

Pulkkinen leads the Griffins in scoring and ties for second overall in the AHL with 38 points (19-19 - 38) in 32 games, while also tying for the league lead with 19 goals. In Saturday's 4-2 come-from-behind victory over the Milwaukee Admirals at Van Andel Arena, which happened to be his 23rd birthday, the Vantaa, Finland, native scored the game-tying goal with just 4:32 remaining in regulation to extend his active goal streak to seven games. It marks the second-longest goal streak in Griffins franchise history, behind only Donald MacLean's eight-game streak in 2005-06, when he was named the AHL's regular season MVP. Pulkkinen's streak also marks the longest in the AHL since former Griffin Jamie Tardif notched goals in seven consecutive games for the Providence Bruins nearly two years ago (Jan. 25-Feb. 16, 2013).

The 5-foot-10, 185-pound right wing has been held off the score sheet in only eight of his 38 games this season. On top of his current seven-game goal and point streak, Pulkkinen also recorded a six-game point streak from Oct. 11-31 (4-4 - 8) and an eight-game point streak from Nov. 12-29 (5-10 - 15). Out of 10 multi-point performances this season, Pulkkinen's scoring came to a head on Dec. 27, when he posted a goal and three assists in a 9-2 rout of the Iowa Wild. Last season, Pulkkinen was named to the AHL All-Rookie Team after leading the Griffins in scoring with 59 points (31-28 - 59) in 71 regular season games.

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.

Both the 2015 AHL All-Star Skills Competition on Sunday, Jan. 25 (8 p.m.) and the 2015 AHL All-Star Game on Monday, Jan. 26 (7 p.m.) will be televised live nationally in the United States and Canada.

2015 AHL All-Star Classic

Jan. 25-26 at Utica Memorial Auditorium in Utica, N.Y.

2015 AHL All-Stars - Eastern Conference

Albany - F Joe Whitney

Binghamton - D Chris Wideman

Bridgeport - D Ryan Pulock

Hartford - F Chris Bourque

Hershey - F Tim Kennedy

Lehigh Valley - D Brandon Manning

Manchester - D Colin Miller, F Brian O'Neill, F Nick Shore, F Jordan Weal

Norfolk - F Chris Wagner

Portland - F Alexandre Bolduc

Providence - F Alexander Khokhlachev, F David Pastrnak

Springfield - G Anton Forsberg, D Austin Madaisky

St. John's - G Connor Hellebuyck

Syracuse - F Vladislav Namestnikov, D Nikita Nesterov

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton - F Tom Kostopoulos, D Derrick Pouliot, G Jeff Zatkoff

Worcester - D Matt Taormina

Coaches: Mike Stothers, Manchester; Roy Sommer, Worcester

2015 AHL All-Stars - Western Conference

Adirondack - G Joni Ortio, F Emile Poirier

Charlotte - D Ryan Murphy

Chicago - F Ty Rattie

Grand Rapids - D Xavier Ouellet, F Teemu Pulkkinen

Hamilton - F Charles Hudon

Iowa - D Matt Dumba

Lake Erie - D Stefan Elliott

Milwaukee - G Magnus Hellberg

Oklahoma City - D Brad Hunt, F Anton Lander

Rochester - F Phil Varone

Rockford - D T.J. Brennan, F Joakim Nordstom

San Antonio - F Bobby Butler, F Drew Shore

Texas - D Maxime Fortunus, F Travis Morin

Toronto - F Connor Brown

Utica - G Jacob Markstrom, F Cal O'Reilly, D Bobby Sanguinetti

Coaches: Travis Green, Utica; John Anderson, Chicago

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