Griffins Game #24 * Home Game #13 * AHL Game #341

Season Series: 1-1-0-0 Home Series: 0-0-0-0 Road Series: 1-1-0-0
All-Time Series: 85-62-2-6-3 All-Time Home Series: 42-27-2-4-2 All-Time Road Series: 43-35-0-2-1

Griffins vs. Wolves
Third of eight meetings overall, first of four at Van Andel Arena…Chicago is 2-7-1-0 in its last 10…The teams have split the two meetings so far, with both coming at Allstate Arena…In the last 10 overall against Chicago, the Griffins are 4-6-0-0…Matt Ford (2-2—4 in 2 GP), Chris Terry (2-2—4 in 2 GP) and Evgeny Svechnikov (1-3—4 in 2 GP) lead Grand Rapids in the season series…The Griffins’ power play has scored on 3 of 7 chances against Chicago (42.9%)…Grand Rapids has faced Chicago 158 times in the regular season, the second-most of any Griffins opponent (Milwaukee, 188)…Second-year head coach Ben Simon and Wolves’ third-year bench boss Rocky Thompson are both members of Todd Nelson’s coaching tree…Simon was an assistant under Nelson in Grand Rapids from 2015-18 and won the 2017 Calder Cup…Thompson served on Nelson’s staff in Oklahoma City from 2010-14 as an assistant…As part of his 11-year professional playing career, Simon registered 87 points (37-50—87) in 196 games with the Wolves from 2001-03 and 2004-05 and was a part of Chicago’s first Calder Cup title in 2002.

Status Update
The Griffins will look to halt a five-game losing streak this week when they host the Chicago Wolves tonight and the Rockford IceHogs on Friday. Grand Rapids will then have both Saturday and Sunday off from games for the first of two times this season (Feb. 1-2). The Griffins begin December under 0.500 for the first time since 2017-18 (8-10-0-2). Keep in mind, Grand Rapids has made the Calder Cup Playoffs in a franchise-record seven consecutive seasons.

Last Time Out (Saturday): Griffins 1 at IceHogs 3 - Recap
Pat Nagle recorded 26 saves while making his first start of the season for Grand Rapids…Brian Lashoff notched his second goal of the season…Rookie Gustav Lindstrom extended his assist streak to three games…Grand Rapids outshot Rockford 30-29 and finished 5-for-5 on the penalty kill…The Griffins have dropped their last four road games.

Simon Says
The 11th head coach in Griffins history, Ben Simon is set to coach his 100th game as head coach of the Griffins tonight (47-39-8-5 record). In 2018-19, he became the eighth head coach in franchise history to lead the Griffins to the postseason during his first full season behind the bench. Tonight will mark his 328th game overall behind Grand Rapids’ bench as he served as an assistant under Todd Nelson from 2015-18.

Away for the Holidays
The Griffins will play four home games this month, their fewest in December in franchise history. After Friday’s home game against Rockford, Grand Rapids embarks on a season-high six-game road trip and will not return to Van Andel Arena until Dec. 27.

November Notes
Chris Terry led the Griffins in points (15), goals (7) and assists (8) while playing in all 14 November contests. The Red Wings recalled or assigned a player from or to Grand Rapids a total of 17 times in the month. A total of 24 skaters suited up for the Griffins in the month, marking the highest number of players to see action in the last 15 Novembers (The next closest was Nov. 2011 with 23 players.)

Back Up, Terr
Chris Terry lit the lamp in two of three games last week and his 15 points in November tied for eighth in the AHL. The second-year Griffin ties for second in the AHL in points (27) while pacing the club in goals (11), assists (16), multi-point games (9) and power play goals (7). In his 11th-year pro, Terry led the Griffins with 61 points last season and the most recent player to lead GR in scoring in back-to-back seasons was Andy Miele in 2014-15 and 2015-16.

Net Nagle
Recalled from Toledo on Thanksgiving, goalie Pat Nagle made his season debut with the Griffins last week, stopping 33 of 35 shots over two games. He entered in relief of Filip Larsson on Friday and recorded seven saves before notching 26 saves on Saturday. A former Ferris State Bulldog, Nagle is 1-1-1 with a 2.13 GAA and a 0.916 save percentage in five career games with the Griffins since 2014-15.

Apple Seider
Moritz Seider (1-10—11) ties Joe Hicketts (0-11—11) as the team’s top scoring defenseman while ranking fifth among rookie AHL blueliners in points. Born April 6, 2001, Seider ties Ontario’s Tobias Bjornfot for the second-youngest player in the AHL this season. Only Bridgeport’s Simon Holmstrom (May 24, 2001) is younger.

Puzzle Pieces
The Griffins have recently been missing several key components that were on the team’s opening night roster:
Dylan McIlrath (0-3—3 in 10 GP) – on recall with Detroit since Nov. 5, missed last 12 games
Matt Puempel (9-10—19 in 17 GP) – missed last six due to injury
Michael Rasmussen (2-7—9 in 10 GP) – missed last eight due to injury

This Date in Griffins History
2004: The Griffins become the first squad in franchise history to win 15 of its first 21 games (15-5-1-0), thanks to a 2-1 triumph over Utah.

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 974-668-27-59-113 (0.583) 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’ 314 regular season wins since the 2012-13 campaign are third behind Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s 317 and Toronto’s 332 while the Griffins’ 681 points in that span are fourth, trailing Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (686), Providence (691) and Toronto (720)...Since the affiliation began in 2002-03, 91 Griffins have gone on to play for the Red Wings.

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 exception 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), Grand Rapids’ roster boasts six former first-round draft selections.

Winning Wednesday: Every time the Griffins win at home on Wednesday, each fan in attendance will receive a free ticket to the next Wednesday game. All fans who were in attendance for the Griffins’ win against the San Antonio Rampage on Nov. 20 can redeem their ticket stub for a free ticket to this 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. Fans who exchange their Winning Wednesday ticket at The Zone on a non-game day will receive 20% off the purchase of one item (excluding jerseys). One discount per person present.

Library Nights: For all Wednesday and Sunday games, fans can present their Grand Rapids Public Library card or Kent District Library card at the Van Andel Arena box office on the night of the game or at The Zone anytime during the store’s regular business hours to purchase either an Upper Level Faceoff ticket for $14 (regularly $16 advance and $19 day of game), an Upper Level Center Ice ticket for $17 (regularly $19 advance and $22 day of game) or a Lower Level Faceoff ticket for $20 (regularly $22 advance and $25 day of game). Limit four tickets per card per person, subject to availability.

Pepsi Reading Goals Redemption Date: Children with Griff’s Reading Goals bookmarks who have completed the required three hours of reading can redeem their bookmark for two free upper level tickets to this game.

Photo at top by Ross Dettman/Chicago Wolves