Griffins Game #51 * Home Game #26 * AHL Game #819

Season Series: 1-2-0-0 Home Series: 1-1-0-0 Road Series: 0-1-0-0
All-Time Series: 69-36-6-10 All-Time Home Series: 39-18-2-2 All-Time Road Series: 30-18-4-8

Monsters at Griffins
Fourth of eight meetings overall, third of four at Van Andel Arena…Grand Rapids is 15-5-1-0 (0.738) against Cleveland in the past two seasons and has points 10 out of the last 12 games overall (9-2-1-0, 0.792)...In the past five years, the Griffins are 25-9-2-1 (0.716) against Cleveland and have outscored them 128-96. On home ice during that span, Grand Rapids is 13-5-1-0 (0.711) against the Monsters with a +16 scoring margin (61-45)...The Griffins have points in six of the last seven home games against Cleveland (5-1-1-0)...Cleveland’s power play is tied for ninth in the AHL at 21.6% but its penalty kill ranks 26th at 77.5%...The Monsters are 11-11-1-2 on the road and the Griffins are 9-12-3-1 at home...The Monsters are the third-most frequent opponent of the Griffins, as this game marks the 122nd meeting between the two franchises (Milwaukee 209, Chicago 189)...Griffins head coach Ben Simon is a native of the Cleveland suburb of Shaker Heights...Defenseman Wyatt Newpower played for Cleveland during the 2020-21 season.

Last Time Out
The Griffins picked up a point in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Chicago Wolves on Friday at Van Andel Arena. Joel L’Esperance extended his goal streak to three outings, which is tied for the longest by a Griffins skater this season. Danny O’Regan contributed a goal and an assist for his third multipoint game in a Grand Rapids uniform. The German-born forward has five points in his last four appearances. The Griffins are 3-0-1-0 in their last four matchups against Chicago with the loss. Victor Brattstrom recorded an AHL career-high 38 saves and Riley Sawchuk made his pro debut.

Roster Shake Up
- Feb. 5—F Filip Zadina and F Jonatan Berggren recalled by Detroit; F Adam Erne assigned by Detroit
- Feb. 9—D Seth Barton reassigned to Toledo (ECHL) from Grand Rapids by Detroit; D Donovan Sebrango reassigned to Grand Rapids from Toledo by Detroit
- Feb. 14—F Jakub Vrana recalled by Detroit
- Feb. 21—F Riley Sawchuk signed to a PTO and to a standard player’s contract for the 2023-24 season by Grand Rapids

This Date in Griffins History
2006: Grand Rapids records its 40th win, a 5-4 shootout decision at Syracuse, marking its seventh consecutive 40-win season overall and fifth straight as members of the AHL, tying for the second-longest run in league annals.

Tough Sledding
The Griffins saw their five-game road winning streak come to an end Monday at Manitoba, which was their longest run since Feb. 23-March 19, 2016. From Jan. 21-Feb. 4, the Griffins allowed their opponent to score four or more goals just one time. However, since then Grand Rapids has allowed at least four goals in each of its last seven outings, having been outscored 33-19. This has pushed Grand Rapids further from the postseason, as the Griffins are now six points out of a playoff spot with 22 games remaining. Grand Rapids has points in 11 of its last 16 contests (8-5-2-1). Since the new year, Grand Rapids has lost in regulation just seven times through 21 games (10-7-2-2, 0.571).

Immortalized Forever
Right wing Chris Neil had his No. 25 jersey retired on Friday by the Ottawa Senators, making him the first Griffins alum to have his number retired by an NHL franchise. Neil skated for the Griffins from 1999-2001, making his pro debut with the franchise and helping lead the team to the 2000 IHL Turner Cup Finals and two division titles. He totaled 24 goals and 55 points in 129 games with Grand Rapids, while his 655 penalty minutes stand fourth in team history. Neil went on to play for the Ottawa Senators from 2001-17, playing all of his 15 NHL seasons with the club. He is one of two players in NHL history with at least 1,000 games played and 2,500 penalty minutes to play his entire career with the same team. Neil ranks third in Senators history in games played (1,026) and first in penalty minutes (2,522).

Simon Says
Rookie Simon Edvinsson posted a season-high four points (1-3—4) and a plus-five rating last Wednesday in a 5-4 victory over the Rockford IceHogs. He followed that performance with an assist on Feb. 19 at Manitoba. The 6-foot-6 defenseman is tied for fourth among rookie defensemen with 20 assists and his 24 points rank fifth among first-year defensemen. Since the new year, Edvinsson has 14 points (3-11—14) in 20 games.

Chasing Chiasson
Veteran Alex Chiasson exploded for two goals on Feb. 15 against Rockford and returned on Feb. 17 with another two points (1-1—2). Chiasson’s three-game point streak (3-2—5) ended on Monday but he still has 11 points (4-7—11) in his last 14 outings. Through 26 games this season, the Montreal, Quebec, native has nine goals, 10 assists and a plus-four rating.

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity, Jig
The Griffins concluded their four-game homestand last Friday with a 1-3-0-0 (0.250) record. After a pair of games in Manitoba, the Griffins now return to West Michigan for a five-game homestand and will play seven out of their next eight games at Van Andel Arena from Feb. 24-March 11. Grand Rapids is 9-12-3-1 (0.440) at home this season and 12-12-0-1 (0.500) on the road.

Just Keep it Close
The Griffins have had an up-and-down start to the season, but they have excelled at winning close games. In fact, Grand Rapids is 12-0-3-2 (0.853) in games decided by one goal and 4-0-3-0 in overtime contests. In comparison, the Griffins are just 9-24-0-0 (0.273) in games decided by two or more tallies. In the 2021-22 season, the Griffins finished with a 13-7-6-2 (0.607) mark in games decided by one goal.

AHL Leaderboard Tracker
Austin Czarnik—Five game-winning goals are tied for fourth, three short-handed goals are tied for first
Simon Edvinsson—20 assists are tied for fourth among rookie defensemen, 24 points rank fifth among rookie defensemen
Joel L’Esperance—Nine power-play goals are tied for sixth, 162 shots rank fourth

Milestones
Joel L’Esperance recorded his 100th goal as a pro on Feb. 19 at Manitoba. Adam Erne eclipsed 50 assists in the AHL on Feb. 17 against the Cleveland Monsters. Simon Edvinsson recorded four points (1-3—4) on Feb. 15 and eclipsed 50 points as a pro. Albert Johansson notched his 50th assist as a pro on Feb. 15 against Rockford and Tyler Spezia skated in his 250th game as a pro.
Alex Chiasson—Four assists from 150 as a pro
Simon Edvinsson—Three assists from 50 as a pro
Adam Erne—Two assists from 100 as a pro
Taro Hirose—Four points from 150 as a Griffin and in the AHL
Steven Kampfer—Two assists from 150 as a pro
Joel L’Esperance—Three goals from 100 in the AHL
Alex Nedeljkovic—Three wins from 100 in the AHL
Chase Pearson—Two assists from 50 as a pro, in the AHL and as a Griffin
Dominik Shine—One assist from 50 as a pro, as a Griffin and in the AHL

Photo by Mark Newman/Griffins