Griffins Game #63 * Home Game #33 * AHL Game #960

Season Series: 3-2-1-0 Home Series: 1-1-0-0 Road Series: 2-1-1-0
All-Time Series: 35-20-4-4 All-Time Home Series: 19-7-1-3 All-Time Road Series: 16-13-3-1

Griffins vs. Stars
Seventh of eight meetings overall, third of four at Van Andel Arena...Grand Rapids has points in seven of the last eight games (6-1-1-0) against Texas at Van Andel Arena...In the past five seasons that the Stars and Griffins have met, Grand Rapids is 10-4-1-1 against Texas in West Michigan...Three of the six games this season have gone to overtime and four out of the six have been decided by one goal...The last time the Griffins were 0.500 or below against Texas at home was in the 2017-18 campaign when Grand Rapids finished with a 1-1-0-1 record...The home team has points in 10 of the past 13 clashes…Texas has the AHL’s best road power play at 27.4% and ranks seventh in the league in the overall power-play standings at 21.5%...Both penalty kills rank toward the bottom of the AHL with Texas coming in at 21st (79.5%) and the Griffins ranking 31st (75.1%)...Texas enters the contest riding a two-game win streak and are 6-3-1-0 in its last 10 contests...Grand Rapids has points in two straight games and are 4-5-1-0 in its last 10 contests…At home, the Griffins are 14-13-4-1 while the Stars are 10-12-3-3 on foreign ice.

Last Time Out
The Griffins’ rally fell short on at Toyota Arena, as Cameron Gaunce’s overtime goal propelled the Ontario Reign past Grand Rapids, 4-3 last Sunday. The Griffins ended the season series 1-2-1-0 against the Reign. Jonatan Berggren recorded a goal and an assist in the contest, giving him six points (1-5—6) in four outings. Dominik Shine extended his career-high point streak to seven games (7-3—10) with two points (1-1—2) in the contest. Riley Barber notched a helper and pushed his point streak (3-1—4) to four games. Victor Brattstrom appeared in his fourth straight game and logged 25 saves, none better than his highlight-reel stop on Brett Sutter with 11 seconds remaining in regulation to secure the point for Grand Rapids. The Griffins ended their season-high five-game road trip with a 1-3-1-0 mark. Grand Rapids is now 14-17-2-3 (0.458) all time against current teams in the Pacific Division, including a 3-4-1-0 record this season.

Roster Shake Up
- March 27, 2022—F Chase Pearson reassigned by Detroit
- March 29, 2022—G Victor Brattstrom recalled by Detroit
- March 30, 2022—F Hayden Verbeek recalled by Grand Rapids; F Trenton Bliss and F Drew Worrad signed by Grand Rapids
- March 31, 2022—F Alexis D’Aoust released from PTO; G Victor Brattstrom reassigned by Detroit

Traffic Jam
The Griffins concluded their season-high five-game road trip last week with a 1-3-1-0 record. It was not a kind trip for Grand Rapids, as it was outscored 25-13. However, after beginning the trip 0-3, the Griffins secured three out of four points in the final two outings. Grand Rapids went on a four-game trip earlier in the season and finished with a 2-2 mark. The Griffins are 13-14-2-1 this season away from West Michigan while they are 14-13-4-1 at home. Grand Rapids will play eight of its remaining 14 games on foreign ice.

This Date in Griffins History
2016: Robbie Russo contributes an assist in a 6-1 win at Rochester for his 38th point of the season, breaking the franchise record for points by a rookie defenseman that had been held by Clay Wilson (2005-06) and Chad Billins (2012-13).

Not the Same March
The Griffins have had a remarkable stretch of success during the month of March throughout their 26 seasons. Grand Rapids earned a winning record in March for 13 straight years, in large part by going 0.500 or better on the road during each of those months and despite playing 62% of its games on the road. However, that streak ended this season, as the Griffins finished 5-7-1-0 this season in March. All time, the Griffins have only had a losing March record four times in 26 years. The last time Grand Rapids suffered a losing record in March was back in 2008. Things that were also happening in March of 2008: Jimmy Howard was playing his third of four full seasons in Grand Rapids; Ben Simon was an alternate captain for the Springfield Falcons, 2.5 years from starting his coaching career; Donovan Sebrango was six years old; President George W. Bush was serving his final year in the White House; and the Red Wings were three months from winning their most recent Stanley Cup.

Shine Bright
Dominik Shine is in the midst a career-high seven-game point streak (7-3—10) and has tallied a goal in six of his last seven outings. Before this run, the Detroit, native registered just one tally and four assists in his previous 28 games. Shine has scored in four straight games from March 22-27, which is a new career-high goal streak. The 28-year-old has set career-best numbers in goals (13), assists (14), points (27), penalty minutes (121) and shots (96) this campaign with 14 games remaining. Shine has incurred a one-game suspension for his third instigator penalty this season. He will serve that suspension in tonight’s game.

Welcome to the Barber Shop
Riley Barber has been on a tear as of late, with points in four straight games (3-1—4). Since being reassigned by Detroit on March 2, Barber has notched 13 points (5-8—13) in as many games, including four multi-point outings. The Pittsburgh, Pa., native is tied for fourth on the roster with 32 points (13-19—32) in 36 games. Last season, Barber paced the Griffins with 34 points (20-14—34) in 32 contests and finished second in the league with 20 goals. Through 68 games with the Griffins, the 28-year-old veteran has 66 points (33-33—66) and 40 penalty minutes.

Race to the Top
Jonatan Berggren has cracked the Griffins’ top-10 rooking single-season scoring list, as he currently places eighth with 44 points (15-29—44) in 56 games. Berggren has logged two points in three of his last four games, with one goal and five helpers during the run. The Uppsala, Sweden, native is tied for sixth among rookies with his 44 points, while his 29 assists are tied for fourth. Berggren is tied for third among rookies with five game-winning goals. Berggren is on pace for 54 points, which would place fourth in Griffins’ rookie-scoring history.

Rarified Air
Brian Lashoff’s 566 games played for the Griffins ranks first among active AHL players who have spent their entire AHL career with the same club and fifth in league history among one-team players. Of the players ahead of him on that list, the most recent – and, coincidentally, the record-holder – last played during the 1970-71 season (Bill Needham of the Cleveland Barons, 981 games played). Lashoff overtook Pete Backor (Pittsburgh Hornets 1945-54) for the No. 5 spot on Jan. 14 against Manitoba and is now four games behind No. 4 Paul Larivee (Providence Reds 1952-62). Lashoff is still 89 games away from breaking the Griffins’ all-time games played record, held by Travis Richards with 655 games (1995-2006).

AHL Leaderboard Tracker
Jonatan Berggren—44 points (15-29—44) is tied for sixth among first-year players, 29 assists are tied for fourth among rookies, five game-winning goals are tied for 13th in the league and are tied for third among rookies
Taro Hirose—31 assists are tied for 18th, 14 power play assists are tied for 18th
Ryan Murphy—11 goals are tied for second among blueliners
Calvin Pickard—2.58 goals against average ranks 14th, 0.918 save percentage is tied for ninth, 21 wins place fifth, 2534:30 minutes played ranks second
Dominik Shine—121 penalty minutes rank third

Milestones
Riley Barber appeared in his 350th game in the AHL on March 26 at Bakersfield. Jon Martin skated in his 250th AHL game on March 25 at Bakersfield. Other upcoming milestones include:
Kyle Criscuolo—Two games from 300 in the AHL
Jan Drozg—Three goals from 50 as a pro, three games from 150 as a pro
Turner Elson—Three goals from 100 as a pro
Tyler Spezia—Four goals from 50 as a pro

Photo by Mark Newman/Griffins