Griffins Game #7 * Home Game #4 * AHL Game #98

Season Series: 0-1-0-0 Home Series: 0-1-0-0 Road Series: 0-0-0-0
All-Time Series: 90-72-2-6-3 All-Time Home Series:44-33-2-4-2 All-Time Road Series: 46-39-0-2-1

Griffins vs. Wolves
Second of 12 meetings overall, second of six at Van Andel Arena…Grand Rapids has faced Chicago 173 times in the regular season dating back to their IHL days, the second-most of any Griffins opponent (Milwaukee, 193)…The Griffins went 3-7-0-0 against the Wolves a season ago and possess a 19-23-0-1 record against Chicago over the last five years...In the past four seasons, the Griffins are 5-11-0-0 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 16 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 has allowed back-to-back shutouts against Chicago and have surrendered 10 unanswered goals...Both Grand Rapids’ (22.7%, 9th) and Chicago’s (25.0%, 7th) power play percentage rank in the top 10…Chicago (21-9-1-2, 45 pts, 0.682) won the Central Division in 2020-21 during the shortened, no-playoffs season...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 Time Out
The Griffins halted a four-game losing skid when they knocked off the Milwaukee Admirals 4-1 at Van Andel Arena on Saturday. Grand Rapids was propelled by a two-goal outing from Chase Pearson while Calvin Pickard allowed just one goal for the third time in four starts. Jonatan Berggren secured his first AHL goal of his career and Kyle Criscuolo lit the lamp for the first time this season. Jared McIsaac, Riley Barber, Turner Elson, Berggren and Pearson all picked up multi-point games.

Rarified Air
Brian Lashoff’s 519 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 12 games behind No. 6 Roger DeJordy (Hershey Bears 1962-70). Lashoff is still 136 games away from breaking the Griffins’ all-time record, held by Travis Richards with 655 games (1995-2006).

Hometown Hero
Holland, Mich., native Luke Witkowski became the fourth West Michigander to play with the Griffins on Oct. 15, 2021 against Rockford. Witkowski joined East Grand Rapids native Luke Glendening, Kentwood local Mike Knuble and Muskegon legend Justin Abdelkader. Witkowski spent two years with Detroit from 2017-19 but never saw action in the AHL.

This Date in Griffins History
2003: Mark Mowers scores two goals to lift the Griffins to a 3-2 road triumph over the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks.

No Time to Dilly Dally
The Griffins saw their franchise-record 33-game streak of consecutive road contests decided in regulation come to an end last Sunday when Grand Rapids was upended in a shootout at Manitoba. The streak began back on Dec. 29, 2019 and reached 33 contests after Friday’s outing in Manitoba was decided in 60 minutes. The previous record was 23 straight road games from March 1, 2009 through Dec. 13, 2009.

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. Grand Rapids’ home power play ranked third-to-last in the AHL, converting 13.1% of its chances. However, the road power play was deadly at 30%, which was the second-highest percentage in the league a year ago. This season has been no different through six games as the power play is converting on 22.7% of its opportunities, which is ninth in the AHL.

New Addition
The Red Wings on Tuesday assigned center Kyle Criscuolo to Grand Rapids. The sixth-year pro competed in 29 games with the Griffins a season ago, totaling 19 points (11-8—19) and 16 penalty minutes. The Southampton, N.J. native enters his fourth season with Grand Rapids and has made 111 appearances with the Griffins, earning 61 points (29-32—61) and recording 30 PIM. As a first-year pro with Grand Rapids, Criscuolo was part of the Griffins’ Calder Cup championship team in 2017. In addition, Grand Rapids released center Josh Dickinson from his professional tryout.

High-Flying Hirose
After leading the Griffins in assists a year ago with 23, Taro Hirose is off to a great start as he has bagged five helpers in the opening six games, which is a team high and tied for 10th in the league. Four assists have come on the power play, which is tied for third in the AHL.

AHL Leaderboard Tracker
Taro Hirose—Tied for 10th with five assists, four power play assists are tied for third
Ryan Murphy—Five points (1-4—5) are tied for sixth among defensemen
Joe Veleno—Two power play goals are tied for sixth
Calvin Pickard—1.51 goals against average rank 9th, 0.955 save percentage is tied for seventh

Upcoming Milestones
Brian Lashoff—Three assists from 100 as a pro
Luke Witkowski—Three points from 50 in the AHL
Tyler Spezia—Five assists from 50 as a pro
Jonatan Berggren—Two assists from 50 as a pro
Jon Martin—Two assists from 50 as a pro

Blank You Very Much
The Griffins have been shut out in two of their first six games (1-0 at Manitoba on Oct. 22 and 3-0 by Chicago on Wednesday), marking the second-coldest offensive start in franchise history. The 2015-16 squad failed to score a goal in two of its first four outings and suffered a total of eight shutouts that season but managed a solid 44-30-1-1 record by year’s end. After falling 7-0 to the Wolves in last season’s final meeting on May 12 at Van Andel Arena, matching their largest margin of defeat ever, the Griffins have now been shut out by Chicago in consecutive games, allowing 10 unanswered goals. It marks only the second time that an opponent has posted shutouts in consecutive visits to Grand Rapids – Rochester and Tom Askey turned the trick March 1-30, 2002 – and just the seventh time that a team has blanked the Griffins in consecutive meetings overall. Askey’s Amerks stifled Grand Rapids in a record three straight clashes late in that 2001-02 campaign, when the Griffins claimed the AHL’s West Division title with a 42-27-11-0 slate.

Consecutive Shutout Losses to One Opponent
3 – Rochester – March 1, 2002 vs. RCH (1-0, Tom Askey 21 saves); March 27, 2002 at RCH (3-0, Askey 26 saves); March 30, 2002 vs. RCH (3-0, Askey 36 saves)
2 – Chicago – May 12, 2021 vs. CHI (7-0, Beck Warm 35 saves); Oct. 27, 2021 vs. CHI (3-0, Eetu Makiniemi 25 saves)
2 – Milwaukee – Nov. 23, 2019 at MIL (5-0, Troy Grosenick 20 saves); Dec. 27, 2019 vs. MIL (3-0, Grosenick 21 saves)
2 – San Antonio – Oct. 17, 2015 vs. SA (4-0, Calvin Pickard 35 saves); March 20, 2016 at SA (2-0, Spencer Martin 31 saves)
2 – Abbotsford – April 2, 2011 at ABB (1-0, Leland Irving 22 saves); April 8, 2011 vs. ABB (6-0, Irving 27 saves)
2 – Houston – Feb. 13, 2010 at HOU (1-0 OTL, Barry Brust 22 saves); Nov. 19, 2010 vs. HOU (5-0, Anton Khudobin 28 saves)
2 – Michigan – Feb. 18, 2000 at MICH (1-0, Mike O’Neill 34 saves); Feb. 25, 2000 vs. MICH (2-0, Marty Turco 34 saves)

Fresh Faces
The Griffins roster features six rookies including defensemen Jared McIsaac and Wyatt Newpower, forwards Jonatan Berggren, Patrick Curry, and Kirill Tyutyayev, and goaltender Victor Brattstrom. Among those rookies, Newpower, Berggren, Tyutyayev and Brattstrom all made their Grand Rapids debut during opening weekend. Newcomers to West Michigan that skated in their first game as a Griffin on Friday, Oct. 15 against Rockford included defensemen Ryan Murphy and Luke Witkowski, and forward Dennis Yan. The sixth-year pro Jon Martin made his first appearance in a Grand Rapids uniform on Oct. 22 in his hometown of Winnipeg, Manitoba.

European Influence
Grand Rapids and Detroit has a long a tradition of possessing high-level European talent and this season is no different. Forward Jonatan Berggren and netminder Victor Brattstrom hail from Sweden while forward Kirill Tyutyayev comes to the state of Michigan from Russia. All three made their North American debuts with the Griffins during opening weekend. Berggren spent three seasons in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) with Skelleftea and logged 60 points (14-46—60) in 99 outings. Fellow forward Tyutyayev totaled 52 points (14-38—52) in 70 games between Gornyak Uchaly in the Supreme Hockey League (VHL) in Russia and Yunost Minsk in Belarus. Goaltender Brattstrom spent time in the SHL and Allsvenskan in Sweden as well as the Liiga in Finland. The fifth-year pro has amassed a 66-44-8 record while holding a 2.30 goals against average.

Oldies but Goodies
The Griffins’ roster features six veterans including forwards Riley Barber and Turner Elson, and defensemen Brian Lashoff, Ryan Murphy, Dan Renouf and Luke Witkowski. A player receives veteran status if he has competed in at least 260 games in the NHL, AHL or European elite leagues. Lashoff leads all veterans with 654 career-games played in the NHL and AHL, including 518 with Grand Rapids, which ranks first among active players who have spent their entire AHL career with the same club and seventh all time in league history. Murphy has appeared in 480 outings, which ranks second on the roster, while Elson places third with 401 contests.

2020-21 Season in Review
The Griffins skated in their 25th season a year ago and concluded the campaign with a 16-12-3-1 record, 36 points and a points percentage of 0.563. Grand Rapids finished the delayed, shortened and no-playoffs season in third place in the Central Division behind leaders Chicago and second-place Cleveland. The Griffins possessed the fifth-best power play in the league with a conversion rate of 21.5% while the penalty kill was working at a 74.8% clip. The team was outscored by its opponents 96-97 and ended the year 4-5-0-1 in its last 10 games. Forward Riley Barber paced the club in points (34) and goals (20) while fellow forward Taro Hirose led the roster with 23 assists. In net, Pat Nagle registered the lowest goals against average (2.78) and Kevin Boyle logged the best record (7-3-1).

Time to Celebrate
Although the 2021-22 season marks the franchise’s 26th campaign, the Griffins will celebrate as if it were the 25th season. The celebration was put on ice last season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and with fans returning to Van Andel Arena in full force, the upcoming season will include a variety of festivities and promotions to honor the franchise’s first quarter-century. The Griffins will welcome back up to 10,834 of their closest friends to Van Andel Arena for 38 homes games, including 27 prime home dates (15 Fridays and 27 Saturdays).

Under New Leadership
Pat Verbeek takes over as the new general manager of the Griffins, a position previously held by Ryan Martin. In addition to his new role in Grand Rapids, Verbeek retains his assistant general manager position with the Red Wings working under Detroit GM Steve Yzerman. Verbeek oversees all aspects of hockey operations for the AHL franchise, including player personnel decisions, player development, contract negotiations and player movement.

Voice of the Griffins Returns
On Feb. 8, the beloved 22-year Voice of the Griffins, Bob Kaser, underwent successful heart surgery at the Meijer Heart Center in Grand Rapids to repair several blocked arteries. Released from the hospital on Feb. 14, his recovery is now complete and has returned to the booth this season alongside fellow veterans Larry Figurski and Lou Rabaut. Kaser is the newest member of the Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame after he was awarded the Warren Reynolds Lifetime Achievement Award on Sept. 28. Everyone in Griffins Nation, the Griffins organization, the AHL, and the Michigan hockey community welcomes Bob back with open arms and are looking forward to hearing more of his historic soundbites this season.

Photo by Mark Newman/Griffins