Shine Nets Two Goals in Griffins' Comeback Win over Iowa
AHL Grand Rapids Griffins

Shine Nets Two Goals in Griffins' Comeback Win over Iowa

Published on December 18, 2025 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Grand Rapids Griffins News Release


Grand Rapids Griffins right wing Dominik Shine leads the charge
Grand Rapids Griffins right wing Dominik Shine leads the charge
(Grand Rapids Griffins, Credit: Iowa Wild)

DES MOINES, Iowa - Dominik Shine (2-0-2) recorded his third multi-goal game of the season, and surpassed Tomas Tatar for the fourth-most goals in franchise history with 88, when the Grand Rapids Griffins took down the Iowa Wild 5-2 in a third-period comeback at the Casey's Center on Wednesday.

The Griffins grabbed the best start in league history through 25 games with a 23-1-0-1 record and 47 points, exceeding the 2005-06 Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins (21-1-2-1, 45 pts.). Grand Rapids' 12-game win streak became the third-longest in franchise history. Erik Gustafsson recorded two assists, and has notched seven points in the last three outings, while Michael Brandsegg-Nygard (0-2-2), and Sheldon Dries (0-2-2) also tallied multi-point nights. Sebastian Cossa composed 16 saves between the pipes, improving his record to 13-1.

Brandsegg-Nygard sent a back-hand pass from below the goal line to Shine, who fired the puck from the slot, but it was stopped by Samuel Hlavaj at 4:28, which was Grand Rapids' best chance in the opening period. Iowa captured a 1-0 lead with 1:59 left when Oskar Olausson sniped one from the high slot, and Hunter Haight redirected it behind Cossa.

Iowa doubled its lead 11:11 into the second slate, when Haight picked up a loose puck at center ice, skated in, and snapped it past the right goal post. The two-goal deficit marked the largest the Griffins have faced this season. Grand Rapids cut the score to 2-1, when Alex Kannok Leipert slapped a one timer from just below the blue line toward Hlavaj, and it trickled past him with 7:09 on the clock for his first goal of the season.

Ian Mitchell tied the contest 4:36 into the final frame, when he danced past Riley Heidt and put a wrister over Hlavaj's glove. The Griffins claimed a 3-2 lead 2:47 later, when Brandsegg-Nygard fed a puck from the near boards to Shine in the high slot, and he blasted it in. With 2:34 to go, Justin Holl ripped one from the right point and Shine tapped it in on the doorstep for Grand Rapids' two-goal advantage. The Wild pulled Hlavaj with 1:42 remaining and Gabriel Seger walked it in and potted the empty-netter with 29 seconds left to secure a 5-2 win.

Notes

The Griffins' 23-1-0-1 ledger remained a franchise best, and their 11-0-0-1 start on the road stood as a franchise record.

The Griffins have defeated the Wild in their last 15 of 20 meetings, and improved to 23-11-2-2 against Iowa since 2021-22.

Grand Rapids became the first in AHL history to win 23 of its first 25 contests.

The Griffins have outscored their opponents 98-46 this season, and hold a 53-26 advantage on the road.

Grand Rapids' .940 points percentage remained a league best.

Kannok Leipert recorded his first goal of the season, and as a Griffin.

Grand Rapids 0 1 4 - 5

Iowa 1 1 0 - 2

1st Period-1, Iowa, Haight 6 (Olausson, Gleason), 18:01. Penalties-No Penalties

2nd Period-2, Iowa, Haight 7 (Mayhew, Gleason), 11:11. 3, Grand Rapids, Kannok Leipert 1 (Tuomisto, Dries), 12:51. Penalties-Brandsegg-Nygård Gr (interference), 16:10; Gleason Ia (slashing), 17:57.

3rd Period-4, Grand Rapids, Mitchell 3 (Brandsegg-Nygård, Dries), 4:36. 5, Grand Rapids, Shine 12 (Brandsegg-Nygård, Gustafsson), 7:23. 6, Grand Rapids, Shine 13 (Holl, Gustafsson), 17:26. 7, Grand Rapids, Seger 2 (Tralmaks, Rychlovský), 19:31 (EN). Penalties-Liwiski Ia (tripping), 8:50.

Shots on Goal-Grand Rapids 6-8-9-23. Iowa 8-9-1-18.

Power Play Opportunities-Grand Rapids 0 / 2; Iowa 0 / 1.

Goalies-Grand Rapids, Cossa 13-1-0 (18 shots-16 saves). Iowa, Hlavaj 4-6-1 (22 shots-18 saves).

A-2,867

Three Stars

1. GR Shine (two goals) 2. IA Haight (two goals) 3. GR Brandsegg-Nygard (two assists)

Record/Next Game

Grand Rapids: 23-1-0-1 (47 pts.) / Fri., Dec. 19 at Iowa 8 p.m. EST

Iowa: 7-19-0-1 (15 pts.) / Fri., Dec. 19 vs. Grand Rapids 7 p.m. CST

Check out the Grand Rapids Griffins Statistics

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Images from this story

Grand Rapids Griffins right wing Dominik Shine leads the charge
Grand Rapids Griffins right wing Dominik Shine leads the charge
(Iowa Wild)		   



American Hockey League Stories from December 18, 2025


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