Griffins Flashback: April 21
Take a look back at this date in Griffins history.
April 21, 2018
Michael Spacek’s power play goal with 1:09 remaining gives Manitoba its only lead of the game, and the home team holds on to steal a victory over the Griffins in Game 1 of the Central Division Semifinals. Manitoba’s win breaks several streaks for the defending Calder Cup champions, who had won nine straight first-round contests, five consecutive games at Bell MTS Place, five games in a row against the Moose and four straight playoff series openers. (Photos)
April 21, 2017
Tomas Nosek scores from the left goal line 9:32 into overtime to give the Griffins a 4-3 come-from-behind victory over Milwaukee in Game 1 of the Central Division Semifinals, as Grand Rapids opens the playoffs at home for the first time since 2006. Captain Nathan Paetsch appears in his 60th postseason game as a Griffin, moving past Jeff Hoggan and Travis Richards into sole possession of first place in franchise history. The crowd of 7,504 is the Griffins’ largest ever for a home playoff game played on or before April 21 as well as their largest for Game 1 of a first-round series. (Photos)
April 21, 2007
Matt Ellis nets a hat trick – the first for the Griffins in the playoffs since 2004 and their first on the road in the postseason since 2000 – to lead Grand Rapids to a 4-1 win at Manitoba in Game 2 of the North Division Semifinals, tying the best-of-seven series at one game apiece.
April 21, 2006
Jiri Hudler’s laser from the point at 2:21 of triple overtime ends the second-longest game in Griffins history and gives Grand Rapids a 6-5 win over Toronto in Game 1 of the North Division Semifinals at Van Andel Arena. Hudler’s franchise-record fifth overtime goal of his career comes on his team’s playoff-record 63rd shot against Jean-Sebastien Aubin. The playoff win is the Griffins’ first since 2003. (Photos)
April 21, 2004
A 4-1 loss at Chicago in the West Division Semifinals breaks the Griffins’ three-game postseason winning streak at Allstate Arena and hands Grand Rapids its first-ever 3-0 deficit in a best-of-seven playoff series.
April 21, 2003
After allowing a record number of goals in a 6-2 loss at Wilkes-Barre in Game 3 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals, the Griffins respond with a series-clinching 3-2 victory in Game 4 at First Union Arena. Thanks in large part to Marc Lamothe’s 35 saves, Grand Rapids wins an AHL playoff series for the first time, three games to one.
April 21, 2002
Grand Rapids' inaugural AHL season comes to a close with a 4-2 loss to Chicago in the decisive Game 5 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals at Van Andel Arena.
April 21, 2001
Derek King ties a franchise playoff record with four goals and five points in a 7-4 victory against Cleveland in Game 2 of the IHL Eastern Conference Semifinals at Van Andel Arena, as the Griffins grab a 2-0 series lead.
April 21, 1997
Danton Cole scores with just 34 seconds remaining in the second overtime to give the Griffins a 5-4 win at Orlando and a 2-0 lead in their IHL Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series. Pokey Reddick notches a franchise-record 54 saves in just under 100 minutes of play. The game ends just before midnight Eastern time, almost five hours after it started.
