Back Home for Three

This Week’s Games
GRIFFINS vs. Cleveland Monsters // Wed., Nov. 6 // 11 a.m. // Van Andel Arena
Listen: ESPN 96.1 FM at 10:35 a.m.
Watch: AHLTV
Season Series: First of four meetings overall, first of two at Van Andel Arena
All-Time Series: 30-15-1-2 Home, 52-29-5-10 Overall
NHL Affiliation: Columbus Blue Jackets
Noteworthy: The Griffins finished 2-1-1-0 in the 2018-19 season series.

GRIFFINS vs. Toronto Marlies // Fri., Nov. 8 // 7 p.m. // Van Andel Arena
GRIFFINS vs. Toronto Marlies // Sat., Nov. 9 // 7 p.m. // Van Andel Arena
Listen: WOOD 106.9 FM/1300 AM at 6:35 p.m. both nights
Watch: AHLTV
Season Series: First and second of four meetings overall, first and second of two at Van Andel Arena
All-Time Series: 18-13-1-1 Home, 31-30-3-2 Overall
NHL Affiliation: Toronto Maple Leafs
Noteworthy: The last time the Griffins and Marlies played was during the 2015-16 season.

Last Week’s Results
Wed., Oct. 30 | Iowa Wild 4 at GRIFFINS 3 OT | 5-2-1-1 (12 pts., 3rd Central Division)
Sat., Nov. 2 | GRIFFINS 3 at Manitoba Moose 5 | 5-3-1-1 (12 pts., 5th Central)
Sun., Nov. 3 | GRIFFINS 4 at Manitoba Moose 7 | 5-4-1-1 (12 pts., 5th Central)

Status Update: The Grand Rapids Griffins will look to halt a three-game winless streak (0-2-1-0) this week when they return to Van Andel Arena for a trio of contests. Grand Rapids hosts the Cleveland Monsters in its annual school day game on Wednesday before welcoming in the Toronto Marlies on Friday and Saturday.

Griffins Updated Statement on Passing of Bill LeRoy: “It is with great sorrow that we report that Griffins video coach Bill LeRoy passed away on Friday, Nov. 1 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, where the team was preparing to play last weekend. Bill has been a valued member of the Griffins’ coaching staff since 2001 and a key contributor to the team’s success on the ice for nearly two decades. He will be incredibly missed and his impact upon the organization will be enduring. Our prayers are with Bill’s children, Tyler and Becca, and all of his family members and friends. We ask Griffins Nation to keep them in your thoughts during this devastating time. Service details have not yet been announced.”

Last Week’s Notes:
Wednesday vs. Iowa – Grand Rapids concluded its four-game homestand with a 3-0-1-0 record...Rookie Gregor MacLeod scored his second goal in as many games at 6:58 of the second period...Filip Zadina netted the game’s first goal at 2:58 of the opening period to extend his point streak to three...Joe Veleno tied the game with 6:54 remaining on his second goal of the year...Chris Terry and Matt Puempel both moved their point streaks to four games...Grand Rapids outshot Iowa 38-31...The Griffins were tied after regulation for the second time this season (Oct. 18 at TEX). Recap | Highlights

Saturday at Manitoba – The Griffins played their first game since long-time video coach Bill LeRoy passed away on Friday in Winnipeg...Manitoba had scored nine goals combined in its last six games against the Griffins before bursting for five...Chris Terry produced a goal and two assists to extend his point streak to five games...Matt Puempel also pushed his point streak to five with his team-high sixth goal of the year...Rookie defenseman Gustav Lindstrom picked up his first North American pro point while assisting on Terry’s power play goal at 4:24 in the first period...With a power play goal at 7:49 in the third period, Filip Zadina has goals in back-to-back games and points in four consecutive. Recap | Highlights

Sunday at Manitoba – Grand Rapids rallied from being down 4-1 at the 7:28 mark in the second period but Manitoba scored three unanswered goals to close the game…Chris Terry logged his second consecutive three-point game (2-1—3), including posting his 300th AHL assist…Terry and Matt Puempel both extended their point streaks to six games…Grand Rapids dropped back-to-back games at Manitoba for the first time since Jan. 5, 2016 and April 4, 2017…Rookie defenseman Moritz Seidertallied a season-high two assists and has helpers in four straight outings. Recap | Highlights

Follow the Leaders:

Back to School, Back to School…: When Cleveland comes to town Wednesday, it will mark Grand Rapids’ 19th annual school day game, as the Griffins have hosted a weekday game with an early start time every year since the 2001-02 season. Grand Rapids owns a 12-5-0-1 record (0.694) in home matinee games and has won each of its last three by averaging 5.67 goals per game. In last season’s rendition, Filip Zadina scored twice and Patrik Rybar made 29 saves to help the Griffins to a 3-1 victory over Rockford.

Lighting It Up: The Griffins rank second in the AHL in power play efficiency at 28.9% (13-for-45) and have scored in eight of 11 games, including four multi-goal outings. In comparison, there were eight instances last season when Grand Rapids netted two or more PPGs in a game. Chris Terry (4-4—8) leads the way in power play points.

Two to Tango: Chris Terry (7-11—18) and Matt Puempel (6-6—12) are the first Griffins teammates with a double-digit point total each through a season’s first 11 games since Anthony Mantha and Matt Lorito both netted 10 points to open 2016-17.

Back Up, Terr: Chris Terry paces the team in points (18), goals (7), assists (11) and multi-point games (6). Terry’s 18 points through a season’s first 11 games are the most by a Griffin since Jiri Hudler accumulated 24 (12-12—24) in 2005-06, while his 11 assists are the most since Chad Billins’ 11 in 2012-13 and seven goals are the most since Anthony Mantha potted eight in 2016-17. Terry has found the scoresheet in nine of 11 outings. During his current six-game point streak, which includes back-to-back three-point outings, he is averaging two points per game (5-7—12). In his 11th-year pro, Terry led the Griffins with 61 points last season and the most recent player to lead the Griffins in scoring in back-to-back seasons was Andy Miele in 2014-15 and 2015-16.

Puemped Up: In his seventh year as a pro and third season as a Griffin, Matt Puempel is the team’s active goal scoring leader with 52 and has amassed nine points (5-4—9) during his season-high six-game point streak.

Apple Seider: Moritz Seiderties for sixth among AHL rookie defensemen in scoring with six points (0-6—6) and is on a season-high four-game assist streak. With Joe Hicketts still on recall with the Red Wings, Seider is the club’s top point-producing blueliner.

October’s Best: The Griffins finished with 12 points in the season’s opening month, marking only the second time in the last nine seasons the team has reached the double-digit point total in October (2013-14, 12 points). In fact, Grand Rapids’ 12 October points tied for the fifth-most in team history.

First Things First: Grand Rapids’ roster currently features five recent Detroit first-round draft picks (Moritz Seider 2019, Filip Zadina 2018, Joe Veleno 2018, Michael Rasmussen 2017, Evgeny Svechnikov 2015). Five of the Red Wings’ last six first rounders are on the west side of the state, with the exceptions being Dennis Cholowski (2016), who made Detroit’s roster following training camp. From 2002-15, the Griffins had only seven Detroit first rounders total suit up for them: Jakub Kindl (2005-11; 14-15), Niklas Kronwall (2003-06), Dylan Larkin (2015 playoffs only), Anthony Mantha (2014-15), Tom McCollum (2009-15), Riley Sheahan (2011-14) and Brendan Smith (2010-13). The Griffins’ opening night lineup had five Detroit first rounders in it, far surpassing the previous record of two. The Griffins had never seen more than three Red Wings first rounders suit up for the club at any point in the same season until this year. Adding in Matt Puempel (24th overall by Ottawa in 2011) and Dylan McIlrath (10th overall by the New York Rangers in 2010), Grand Rapids’ roster boasts seven former first-round draft selections.

Griffins in General: Grand Rapids is in the franchise’s 24th overall season of play, 19th as a member of the American Hockey League and 18th as the primary affiliate of the 11-time Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings…Grand Rapids is 970-660-27-59-113 (0.585) in the regular season since 1996-97 to go along with 17 playoff appearances, seven division titles and two Calder Cups (2017, 2013)…The Griffins have earned 40 or more wins and accumulated 90 or more points in six of the last seven seasons…Grand Rapids has qualified for the Calder Cup Playoffs in a franchise-record seven consecutive seasons and advanced to at least the second round on five occasions…The Griffins’ 8-5 season-opening win at Chicago on Oct. 5 marked the club’s 750th win in the AHL…Grand Rapids’ 310 regular season wins since the 2012-13 campaign are second behind Toronto’s 324 and the Griffins’ 673 points in that span are third, trailing Providence (676) and Toronto (704)...Since the affiliation began in 2002-03, 90 Griffins have gone on to play for the Red Wings.

Milestones Within Reach:
Calvin Pickard – needs four wins to reach 100 in the AHL
Brian Lashoff – needs seven games to reach 600 as a pro
Dominic Turgeon – needs one assist to reach 50 as a Griffin/in the AHL
Matthew Ford – needs one goal to reach 200 in the AHL

Cleveland Notes: Current record 7-3-0-1, 15 points, T4th North Division…The Griffins finished 2-1-1-0 in the 2018-19 season series and were led in scoring by Chris Terry, who had six points (2-4—6) in four games…Grand Rapids has points in 11 of the last 13 meetings (8-2-1-2)…At Van Andel Arena, the Griffins have points in nine of the last 12 matchups (8-3-0-1)…Head coach Ben Simon is a native of Shaker Heights, a Cleveland suburb…Captain Matthew Ford spent most of his first three pro seasons (2008-11) with the Monsters, totaling 69 points (39-30—69) in 126 appearances...Monsters first-year head coach Mike Eaves was Ford’s college coach at Wisconsin and they won the 2006 NCAA Championship together…Calvin Pickard began his pro career with the Monsters, appearing in 142 games from 2011-15 and posting a 60-54-21 record to go along with a 2.63 GAA, a 0.913 save percentage and 10 shutouts…Pickard is the Monsters’ all-time leader in goalie wins.

Toronto Notes: Current record 7-0-2-1, 17 points, 1st North Division…The last time the Griffins and Marlies played was in 2015-16 when Toronto swept all four meetings…Brian Lashoff is the lone Griffin on the roster who participated in the 2015-16 series…The last matchup between the teams came April 2, 2016 in Toronto and ended with a 6-3 victory for the Marlies…Toronto’s last visit to Van Andel Arena came on Jan. 29, 2016 and resulted in a 4-2 Marlies win…Grand Rapids’ last regular season victory overall against Toronto came by way of a 7-2 decision on April 4, 2015 at Van Andel Arena…The Griffins and Marlies had met for 11 consecutive seasons from 2005-16 before taking a three-year hiatus (2016-19)…Calvin Pickard appeared in 33 regular season games with the Marlies in 2017-18, posting a 21-9-2 record to go along with a 2.31 GAA, a 0.918 save percentage and one shutout…Alongside creasemate Garret Sparks, Pickard won the Harry Holmes Memorial Award, which is awarded to the AHL’s goaltending tandem with the lowest GAA (2.24)…Pickard helped Toronto win the 2018 Calder Cup after playing in three postseason games and showing a 1-0-0 record, a 1.00 GAA and a 0.956 save mark…Givani Smith is a native of Toronto…Ben Simon served as an assistant coach with the Marlies during the 2014-15 season (40-27-9-0 record).

Back-to-Back: This weekend will mark the fifth of 25 times total this season the Griffins will play on consecutive nights.

Win Some, Lose Some: Compare the statistics between the Griffins’ five wins and six (including OT and SO) losses:

Photo by Sam Iannamico/Griffins