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AHL Grand Rapids Griffins

Ritola Gets Call from Wings

March 15, 2008 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Grand Rapids Griffins News Release


GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The Detroit Red Wings on Saturday recalled left wing Mattias Ritola from the Grand Rapids Griffins, who today welcomed back goaltender Dan Turple on assignment by the Atlanta Thrashers.

Ritola, who turned 21 on Friday, leads all Griffins with a plus-15 rating and places second among the team's rookies with 22 points (6-16-22) in 60 games. The native of Borlange, Sweden, is playing his best hockey of the season, showing points in four of the last five games (2-3-5).

Ritola joins Griffins teammates Darren Helm and Jimmy Howard on the Red Wings' roster. Should he make his NHL debut this afternoon when Detroit hosts the Nashville Predators at 1 p.m., he would become the 93rd Griffins alumnus in the franchise's 12-year history to play in the NHL.

It is expected that Ritola will rejoin Grand Rapids later today and complete a rare double-header by playing for the Griffins tonight when they host the Lake Erie Monsters at 7 p.m.

In light of Howard's ongoing stint with the Wings, Turple will serve as the backup to Adam Berkhoel during tonight's Griffins game. Turple, who has played most of the season with the ECHL's Gwinnett Gladiators, shows a 3.00 goals against average and a 0.857 save percentage for one period of work for Grand Rapids on Feb. 24.

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