Griffins Game #12 * Home Game #7 * AHL Game #185

Season Series: 0-2-0-0 Home Series: 0-2-0-0 Road Series: 0-0-0-0
All-Time Series: 90-73-2-6-3 All-Time Home Series: 44-34-2-4-2 All-Time Road Series: 46-39-0-2-1

Griffins vs. Wolves
Third of 12 meetings overall, third of six at Van Andel Arena…Grand Rapids has faced Chicago 174 times in the regular season dating back to their IHL days, the second-most of any Griffins opponent (Milwaukee, 196)…The Griffins went 3-7-0-0 against the Wolves a season ago and possess a 19-24-0-1 record against Chicago over the last five years...In the past four seasons, the Griffins are 5-12-0-0 against the Wolves at Van Andel Arena...The last time Grand Rapids held a winning record against the Wolves in West Michigan was in 2016-17 when it went 4-1-0-0...Grand Rapids and Chicago have played in 17 consecutive games at Van Andel Arena that have been decided in regulation, dating back to March 17, 2017 when the Wolves were upended 5-4 in overtime...Grand Rapids is winless in the past three games against Chicago and are being outscored 16-3...Both Grand Rapids’ (73.2%, 29th) and Chicago’s (77.5%, 24th) penalty kill percentage rank in the bottom half of the AHL…Chicago (21-9-1-2, 45 pts, 0.682) won the Central Division in 2020-21 during the shortened, no-playoffs season...Riley Barber paces the Griffins against Chicago with two goals in two games while Taro Hirose has bagged two helpers against the Wolves...As part of his 11-year pro career, Griffins coach Ben Simon registered 87 points (37-50—87) in 196 games with the Wolves from 2001-03 and 2004-05 and was a part of their first Calder Cup title in 2002.

Last Week’s Results
The Griffins won their third straight contest on Nov. 12 when they came away with a 2-0 victory against Manitoba behind Calvin Pickard’s 34-save shutout. Pickard’s fourth shutout of his Griffins career moved him into a tie for 10th place in franchise history with Jani Hurme, Martin Prusek and Eddie Pasquale. Pickard now has won three consecutive games and allowed one goal or less in five of his seven starts. Riley Barber (4-4—8), Jonatan Berggren (3-3—6) and Taro Hirose (2-6—8) all extended their point streak to five games. On Saturday, Manitoba got its revenge with a 6-2 win over Grand Rapids, which snapped the Griffins’ winning streak. Despite the loss, Barber (4-5—9), Berggren (3-4—7) and Hirose all pushed their point streaks to six contests. Turner Elson bagged a goal for the second straight game and D.J. King registered his first AHL point on an assist.

Roster Shake Up
The Griffins on Tuesday signed left wing Max Humitz and center Brett McKenzie to professional tryouts. In addition, Grand Rapids released defenseman D.J. King from his PTO. Humitz returns to Grand Rapids after appearing in two games from Nov. 5-6, logging one assist. The second-year pro totaled five points (3-2—5) and two penalty minutes in eight games with the Griffins in 2020-21. McKenize has six AHL games to his name with Providence and Chicago. The fourth-year pro made his AHL debut with the Bruins on Feb. 17, 2019 and last played in the AHL on Oct. 11, 2019 with the Wolves. Through 10 games this season with Toledo, the center has 10 points (5-5—10), including a three-point (2-1—3) night on Nov. 3 at Indy. Also on Tuesday, the Red Wings reassigned goaltender Victor Brattstrom to the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye and reassigned netminder Kaden Fulcher to the Griffins. Fulcher has appeared in six games this season with Toledo and has posted a 3-2-0 record with a 1.77 goals against average and a 0.924 save percentage. His goals against average ranks sixth in the ECHL while his save percentage places seventh.

Fit for a King
Former Rockford IceHogs coach Derek King was named interim head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday, joining 11 other former Griffins players or coaches currently behind an NHL bench. He is one of four Griffins alumni serving as a head coach in the NHL.

Not Your Average Joe
Center Joe Veleno was recalled by Detroit on Nov. 15 for the second time this season. The Kirkland, Quebec, native skated in four games for the Red Wings from Oct. 30-Nov. 6, totaling two points (1-1—2), four penalty minutes and a plus-two rating. The former first-round draft choice has suited up for 11 games in the NHL and has amassed three points (2-1—3) and eight penalty minutes. The third-year pro has appeared in seven contests with Grand Rapids this season and registered three goals, including two on the power play which is tied for 21th in the AHL. The center logged a season-high two goals on Oct. 16 at Milwaukee in a 7-3 defeat.

This Date in Griffins History
2001: Petr Schastlivy (pictured) becomes the first Griffin to record a hat trick in a single period, accomplishing the feat during the second period of a 4-0 shutout of Milwaukee. Kip Miller picks up assists on all three tallies, tying the franchise record for assists in a period for the second time in 12 games.

Powerful Play
Following a 2019-20 campaign in which they finished sixth in the AHL’s power play rankings at 20.9%, the Griffins exceeded that mark in 2020-21 with a power play conversion rate of 21.5%, the fifth best on the circuit. This season has been no different through 11 games as the power play is converting on 21.1% of its opportunities, which is 12th in the AHL.

Calvin’s University
Goaltender Calvin Pickard is off to a fast start, as he has allowed one goal or less in five of his seven starts and has won four straight games. Pickard recorded his first shutout of the season and fourth as a Griffin on Nov. 12 against Manitoba, moving him into a tie for 10th place in franchise history with Jani Hurme, Martin Prusek, and Eddie Pasquale. The 10-year pro currently ranks sixth in the AHL with a 1.82 goals against average while his 0.941 save percentage places third. Twelve goals allowed through his first seven starts is Pickard’s best start since the 2017-18 season when he let in 14 tallies. Pickard played in just nine games in North America a season ago due to being assigned to Detroit’s taxi squad for much of the year. The Moncton, New Brunswick, native also spent some time with Vienna in the ICEHL last season, logging six games and a 1.96 goals against average.

High-Flying Hirose
After leading the Griffins in assists a year ago with 23, Taro Hirose has picked off right where he left off as he has bagged 11 helpers in just as many games, which is a team high and tied for second in the league. Seven assists have come on the power play, which is good for third in the AHL. Hirose is currently enjoying a six-game point streak (2-7—9) dating back to Oct. 30. Hirose’s 13 points (2-11—13) this season pace the Griffins and are tied for ninth in the league.

Jonny On The Spot
Rookie Jonatan Berggren is currently enjoying a six-game point streak (3-4—7), dating back to Oct. 30. The Uppsala, Sweden, native bagged his first AHL goal and two-point (1-1—2) night on Oct. 30, which began a three-game goal scoring streak for the right winger. The former second-round draft choice is tied for 15th among league rookies with three goals while his seven points (3-5—8) are tied for 12th among first-year players.

Return of Riley
Although it was a slow start to this year, Riley Barber is now in the midst of a six-game point streak (4-5—9). His 11 points (5-6—11) this season are second on the roster while his four power play goals are tied for first in the AHL. Barber led the Griffins in goals (20), points (34) and points per game (1.06) a season ago. His scoring pace equaled a 48-goal, 81-point clip in a regular 76-game AHL season. Barber also ranked second in the league for goals, just one shy of Cooper Marody (who played seven more games), and was named a Central Division AHL All-Star. Six game-winning goals tied a career best while his four-game goal streak from Feb. 26 through March 11 also matched a career high. The forward added seven multi-point outings out of 32, including a career-high four points (2-2—4) on May 7 against Chicago. Barber posted a nine-game point streak (8-5—13) from Feb. 5-March 11 that was the longest ever to start a player’s Griffins career as well as the longest from the start of a Griffins season. Although it was a slow start to this year, Barber is now in the midst of a six-game point streak (4-5—9). His 11 points (5-6—11) this season are second on the roster while his four power play goals are tied for first in the AHL.

Rarified Air
Brian Lashoff’s 524 games played for the Griffins ranks first among active AHL players who have spent their entire AHL career with the same club and seventh 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 Kapusta (Providence Reds 1946-55) for the No. 7 spot on Oct. 27 against Chicago and is now seven games behind No. 6 Roger DeJordy (Hershey Bears 1962-70). Lashoff is still 131 games away from breaking the Griffins’ all-time games played record, held by Travis Richards with 655 games (1995-2006).

AHL Leaderboard Tracker
Calvin Pickard—1.82 goals against average ranks sixth, 0.941 save percentage is good for third
Ryan Murphy—Seven points (2-5—7) are tied for 13th among defensemen, two goals are tied for 14th among blueliners
Riley Barber—Four power play goals are tied for first
Taro Hirose—13 points (2-11—13) are tied for ninth, 11 assists are tied for second, seven power play assists are third
Jonatan Berggren—Three goals are tied for 15th among league rookies, seven points (3-5—8) are tied for 12th among first-year players

Milestones
Defenseman Luke Witkowski appeared in his 400th game as a professional on Nov. 12 against Manitoba. Rookie Jonatan Berggren bagged an assist on the game-winning goal against the Moose on Nov. 12, which was his 50th helper as a pro. Other upcoming milestones include:
Riley Barber—Five points from 50 as a Griffin
Turner Elson—Six assists from 100 in the AHL
Brian Lashoff—Three assists from 100 as a pro
Jon Martin—Two assists from 50 as a pro
Tyler Spezia—Two assists from 50 as a pro
Luke Witkowski—Three points from 50 in the AHL, one assist from 50 as a pro

Photo by Mark Newman/Griffins