GRIFFINS FACE OFF AGAINST ADMIRALS IN CENTRAL DIVISION SEMIFINALS

This Week’s Games
Fri., April 22 GRIFFINS at Milwaukee Admirals 8 p.m. ESPN 96.1 / AHLLive.com
Sat., April 23 GRIFFNS at Milwaukee Admirals 8 p.m. ESPN 96.1 / AHLLive.com

Last Week’s Results
Mon., April 11 GRIFFINS 0 at Iowa Wild 3 44-27-1-1 (90 points, 3rd Central Division)
Wed., April 13 Lake Erie Monsters 5 at GRIFFINS 3 44-28-1-1 (90 points, T3rd)
Fri., April 15 GRIFFINS 0 at Rockford IceHogs 4 44-29-1-1 (90 points, 4th)
Sat., April 16 Bakersfield Condors 3 at GRIFFINS 2 44-30-1-1 (90 points, 4th)

How We Got Here: Grand Rapids clinched a 2016 Calder Cup Playoff berth on April 3, thanks to a 5-2 victory at Rochester, but much was still to be determined for playoff positioning in the Central Division over the final two weeks of the regular season. With just over a week left in the regular season, Grand Rapids climbed to second place in the division following its 4-3 home win against Chicago on April 8, but a five-game losing streak to close the campaign saw the Griffins drop to the No. 4 seed. In the penultimate game of the season, Grand Rapids came up short in a matchup at Rockford that would have locked the Griffins into third in the division and a first-round matchup against the Lake Erie Monsters. Instead, the Griffins finished fourth and will face off against the division champion Milwaukee Admirals. Milwaukee won its fifth division crown since joining the AHL in 2001 and its first since the 2010-11 season. When the calendar turned to March, the Admirals sat in second place in the Central Division as the top four teams were bunched together and separated by a mere two points. Aided by a 13-game point streak from March 13-April 12, Milwaukee distanced itself from the rest of the pack over the final two months, closing the regular season with a 15-5-0-1 record.

Setting the Stage: The Griffins qualified for the postseason for the 14th time in their 20-year history with a 44-30-1-1 record, claiming the fourth seed in the Central Division and finishing 12th overall in the AHL. Grand Rapids will face the division champion Milwaukee Admirals (48-23-3-2, 101 pts.) in the best-of-five Central Division Semifinals, marking only the second time the teams have squared off in the postseason. Grand Rapids won the season series against Milwaukee by way of a 5-3 record, including a 4-0 mark at Van Andel Arena. Milwaukee is returning to the playoffs following a one-year absence that broke a string of 12 consecutive appearances. The Admirals’ 101 points are the most since accumulating 102 during the 2010-11 campaign. The Griffins and Admirals last met in the postseason exactly 10 years ago, as Milwaukee swept Grand Rapids in the 2006 Western Conference Finals.

Series Schedule:
2016 Calder Cup Playoffs – Central Division Semifinals - Best-of-Five

All Remaining Griffins Games to Air on ESPN 96.1: The radio broadcasts for the Griffins’ 2016 Calder Cup Playoff games are moving to ESPN 96.1 FM from Newsradio WOOD 106.9 FM/1300 AM.

Griffins at the Bradley Center: This series will mark the Griffins’ final visits ever to the BMO Harris Bradley Center, which has hosted Grand Rapids 80 times since 1996, more than any other opposing arena. The Griffins own marks of 33-30-5-5-5 in 78 regular season visits and 0-2 in two playoff games. Having called the Bradley Center home since 1988, the Admirals will be moving across the street to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Panther Arena next season.

Second Time Around: The Griffins and Admirals will renew a rivalry that dates back to the IHL days. Since Milwaukee’s founding in 1977-78 and Grand Rapids’ inception in 1996-97, the teams have met a combined 152 times in the regular season, with the Griffins possessing a 78-54-7-6-7 edge. However, the 2016 Calder Cup Playoff meeting marks only the second time ever – and the 10th anniversary of the last meeting – that these clubs have played in the postseason. Grand Rapids’ 2005-06 team, which accumulated a franchise-record 115 points, was swept in the 2006 Western Conference Finals by Milwaukee.

Tale of the Tape:
Here’s how the two rivals stacked up in key categories during the regular season:

Regular Season Series Notes: The season series between the teams was decided by one game in favor of Grand Rapids (5-3). However, the eight meetings were not that close, as all were determined by two or more goals. The closest contest score-wise ended in a 4-2 victory for Grand Rapids on Jan. 8, but it was a Cody Bass goal with 3:48 remaining that brought the Admirals to within two. The largest win for either side came in the first meeting of the season, on Nov. 27 in Milwaukee, as the Griffins blanked the Admirals 6-0 behind 22 saves from Jared Coreau. Milwaukee’s largest win came on Jan. 30, right before the all-star break, as Grand Rapids let up a season-high seven goals – including five in the second period – in a 7-3 loss. Louis-Marc Aubry scored a series-high seven points (6-1—7), as six of his 12 goals on the year came against the Admirals. Four Griffins registered five points: Anthony Mantha, Andy Miele and Eric Tangradi all tallied three goals and two assists while Mark Zengerle’s five points came via a series-high five assists. Zengerle also recorded a team-high 10 penalty minutes. Coreau was the goalie of record for all eight meetings, and showed a 1.89 GAA with a 0.932 save percentage while shutting out the Admirals twice. Tom McCollum made one relief appearance and allowed three goals in 34:27. On the Admirals’ side, Kevin Fiala (2-3—5) and Max Gortz (1-4—5) led the team in scoring against Grand Rapids. In six games, goaltender Marek Mazanec totaled a 2-4-0 record to go along with a 3.21 GAA and a 0.896 save percentage while Juuse Saros was 1-1-0 in two games and posted a 2.02 GAA and a 0.934 save percentage.

Milwaukee Connections: Several players and coaches from Beer City USA have connections to Brew City. Triston Grant played three seasons in Milwaukee during a pair of stints with the Admirals (2008-10 and 2014-15) and totaled 62 points (28-34—62) in 202 games. Joel Rechlicz was born in Milwaukee. Assistant coaches Ben Simon (18 GP in 2003-04) and Bruce Ramsay (3 GP in 1995-96) each had cups of coffee on the other side of Lake Michigan. Eric Tangradi and Adam Payerl were teammates from 2011-13 while playing for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, while Anthony Mantha and Anthony Richard were teammates in junior hockey, competing for the Val d’Or Foreurs from 2012-14.

Special Teams Breakdown: Milwaukee holds the statistical edge over Grand Rapids when it comes to special teams. The Admirals ranked second in the power play, generating 66 goals on 311 opportunities (21.2%) while the Griffins placed 22nd, converting 49 of 311 man-advantages (15.8%). Milwaukee produced 29.5% (66-224) of its goals from the power play while the Griffins relied on the power play for 20.6% (49-238) of its goals. Despite Milwaukee’s upper-hand in the power play, in the eight meetings between the teams this season, the Admirals were just 3-for-33 (9.1%) on the man-advantage while the Griffins were 3-for-30 (10.0%). Milwaukee tied for eighth in the penalty kill (84.9%) while the Griffins tied for 13th (83.7%).

Milwaukee vs. Everybody Else: Compare how the Griffins fared in their eight games against Milwaukee and how they did in their other 68 games

2015-16 Griffins vs. Admirals:
Griffins Records: 5-3-0-0 Overall, 4-0-0-0 in Grand Rapids, 1-3-0-0 in Milwaukee
Admirals Records: 3-5-0-0 Overall, 0-4-0-0 in Grand Rapids, 3-1-0-0 in Milwaukee

Nov. 27 – Griffins 6, Admirals 0 – BMO Harris Bradley Center
In the first meeting of the season, Jared Coreau recorded his first of six shutouts on the season as Grand Rapids cruised past Milwaukee 6-0. The Griffins claimed their fifth win in a row while also snapping the division-leading Admirals’ franchise-record 10-game winning streak. Andy Miele put the Griffins on the board at the 13:31 mark and Eric Tangradi added to the lead 5:09 later as Grand Rapids led 2-0 after 20 minutes. Miele’s second goal of the night came in the second period before Grand Rapids added three insurance tallies in the third. Miele finished with three points (2-1—3).

Dec. 9 – Griffins 4, Admirals 1 – Van Andel Arena
In the first meeting between the teams at Van Andel Arena, the Griffins extended their winning streak to nine games and snapped the Admirals’ five-game road winning streak with a 4-1 victory. The score was tied through two periods before Martin Frk potted the game-winner 2:05 into the final frame. Eric Tangradi put the Griffins up two with less than two minutes remaining and then Louis-Marc Aubry’s empty-netter with 34 seconds left salted the game away. Jared Coreau stopped 23 of 24 shots as the Griffins held their opponent to a single goal for the third consecutive game and to two or fewer goals for the seventh straight outing.

Dec. 29 – Admirals 3, Griffins 0 – BMO Harris Bradley Center
The Admirals claimed their first win of the season series behind 30 saves from Marek Mazanec. Grand Rapids dropped its second straight contest after its franchise-record 15-game winning streak was halted on Dec. 27 at Lake Erie. Max Gortz broke a scoreless tie 1:43 into the second period, sending a wrister past Jared Coreau’s blocker side for a power play goal. At the 15:26 mark in the middle frame, Kevin Fiala extended Milwaukee’s lead. The Admirals added an empty net goal with 1:07 left as Coreau stopped 22 of 24 shots.

Dec. 31 – Griffins 3, Admirals 0 – Van Andel Arena
Jared Coreau pitched a 23-save shutout before a sold-out Van Andel Arena, as the Griffins rang out 2015 with their franchise-record 11th consecutive home win, a 3-0 decision over the Central Division-leading Admirals. The Griffins, who avenged a loss in Milwaukee two days earlier by an identical 3-0 score, won for the 16th time in 18 contests, a span during which they ended both a 10-game and, now, a five-game winning streak by the Admirals. After a scoreless opening period, Eric Tangradi put the Griffins on the board in the second period before they added two more markers in the final 20 minutes.

Jan. 8 – Griffins 4, Admirals 2 – Van Andel Arena
The Griffins defeated the Milwaukee Admirals 4-2 at Van Andel Arena to extend a franchise record with their 12th consecutive home victory, but the game’s ultimate result was the least of anyone’s concerns. With 6:19 remaining in the second period, forward Alden Hirschfeld suffered a seizure on the Griffins’ bench. After being attended to by paramedics and Griffins medical and training staffs, he was transported in stable condition to a local hospital. Just 2:33 into the contest, Jeff Hoggan stole a clearing pass at the Milwaukee blue line and fed Tomas Nosek in the high slot for the first goal. Martin Frk added the second goal of the night on a power play at the 12:48 mark of the first period. Nathan Paetsch tallied the game-winning goal at the 3:49 mark of the second period and Louis-Marc Aubry tacked on the fourth goal.

Jan. 30 – Admirals 7, Griffins 3 – BMO Harris Bradley Center
The Admirals scored five second-period goals – including three in a 3:17 span – as the Griffins saw their losing streak reach five games. Louis-Marc Aubry netted a pair of goals in a middle frame that saw both sides combine for eight goals from seven different goal scorers. Jared Coreau’s night was cut short as he was replaced by Tom McCollum following a Cody Hodgson goal that gave Milwaukee a four-goal cushion 5:33 into the second period.

Feb. 17 – Griffins 4, Admirals 1 – Van Andel Arena
Anthony Mantha’s first career hat trick powered the Griffins to a 4-1 victory over the Admirals. Mantha scored in each period and added an assist to also mark his first four-point game, as the Griffins toppled a first-place team for the second straight home game. Grand Rapids jumped out to a 2-0 lead before the game was six minutes old after Mantha potted his first of the night followed by a Nathan Paetsch goal. Jared Coreau turned aside 29 of 30 shots for his 23rd win of the season.

March 29 – Admirals 4, Griffins 1 – BMO Harris Bradley Center
In the final regular season meeting between the teams at the BMO Harris Bradley Center, the Griffins dropped their fourth straight game, falling to the division-leading Admirals 4-1. The result also extended the Admirals’ point streak to seven games. Taylor Aronson tallied a pair of assists and Juuse Saros stopped 28-of-29 shots for the Admirals while Andy Miele netted Grand Rapids’ lone goal.

Going Way Back: The upcoming series between the Griffins and Admirals will actually mark the third series ever between pro teams from Grand Rapids and Milwaukee. The Grand Rapids Owls defeated the Admirals four games to three in the 1979 IHL Turner Cup Quarterfinals.

Between the Pipes: The Griffins and the Admirals have both boasted stellar goaltending play throughout the season. Tom McCollum and Jared Coreau rank ninth and 10th, respectively, in goals against average, while their counterparts, Juuse Saros and Marek Mazanec, place fourth and tied for 12th in GAA. Coreau (6) and McCollum (1) have combined for seven shutouts while Saros and Mazanec have collected eight bagels (four each). Saros and Coreau finished tied for fourth in the league with 29 wins.

Bench Bosses: Todd Nelson became the 10th head coach in Griffins franchise history on June 19, 2015, after splitting the 2014-15 season in head-coaching roles with the Oklahoma City Barons (AHL) and the Edmonton Oilers (NHL). Following in the footsteps of Danton Cole (2002-05), whom he served under as an assistant coach, Nelson is the second former Griffins player to be employed as Grand Rapids’ head coach. The Griffins stumbled out of the gate to begin the 2015-16 season, winning just two of their first 11 games (2-8-0-1). After the difficult start, Nelson guided the Griffins on a franchise record 15-game winning streak from Nov. 18-Dec. 26 to kick start the rest of the season. For good measure, Nelson authored a 13-game winning streak from Feb. 20-March 19 and became the first head coach in club history to tally multiple double-digit winning streaks at any point during their tenure, let alone in one season. The Griffins 2016 Calder Cup Playoff berth marks the fifth time in as many full seasons as an AHL head coach that Nelson has led his team to the postseason. Nelson also becomes the seventh full-time coach in team history to lead the Griffins to the playoffs in his first year at the helm. Dean Evason has guided the Admirals to three postseason appearances in his four seasons as their head coach. Milwaukee closed the 2015-16 campaign with 101 points, its most under Evason and the highest total since racking up 102 points in the 2010-11 season. Despite a 161-103-21-19 (0.595) record under Evason in the regular season, the Admirals are 1-9 under him in the postseason. Evason joined the Admirals following seven years of service to the Washington Capitals as an assistant (2005-12) and helped the Caps appear in the Stanley Cup Playoffs five times.

Playoff Facts and Figures: Grand Rapids has won 15 of its 27 total playoff series and owns a combined 74-68 record during those games, going 36-36 on home ice and 38-32 on the road. Despite getting eliminated short of the Calder Cup Finals in each of the last two seasons, both teams the Griffins lost to went on to either win the Cup (Texas in 2014) or appear in the finals (Utica in 2015). Grand Rapids is 4-3 all-time in best-of-five series, having won its last four. Overall, the Griffins’ all-time record in Game 1 of a series is 12-15.

Back for More: Seven members of the Griffins’ 2013 Calder Cup championship team are still members of the active roster: forwards Louis-Marc Aubry, Triston Grant, Jeff Hoggan, Mitch Callahan; defensemen Brian Lashoff and Nathan Paetsch; and goaltender Tom McCollum. Grand Rapids returns 17 players from last year’s team that advanced to the Western Conference Finals.

Long Runs: The Griffins’ 50 playoff games from 2013-15 were the most ever by an AHL team over a three-year span, with captain Jeff Hoggan and defenseman Nathan Paetsch playing in each of those contests. Grand Rapids went 7-2 in playoff series under then-head coach and current Detroit bench boss Jeff Blashill, winning the Calder Cup in 2013, advancing to the second round in 2014 and falling in the conference finals last year.

Experience Counts: Twenty-two players on the Griffins’ roster have AHL postseason experience — Louis-Marc Aubry (3-1—4 in 30 GP), Tyler Bertuzzi (7-5—12 in 14 GP), Mitch Callahan (7-9—16 in 32 GP), Colin Campbell (0-1—1 in 10 GP), Daniel Cleary (2-3—5 in 8 GP), goaltender Jared Coreau (0-1 record, 3.10 GAA in 1 GP), Martin Frk (0-2—2 in 6 GP), Triston Grant (3-7—10 in 63 GP), Alden Hirschfeld (1-0—1 in 6 GP), Jeff Hoggan (19-25—44 in 88 GP, two Calder Cups), Nick Jensen (0-4—4 in 26 GP), Brian Lashoff (1-8—9 in 42 GP), Anthony Mantha (2-2—4 in 16 GP), goaltender Tom McCollum (9-6 record, 2.59 GAA in 16 GP), Andy Miele (4-13—17 in 19 GP), Zach Nastasiuk (0-1—1 in 11 GP), Tomas Nosek (2-5—7 in 12 GP), Xavier Ouellet (1-5—6 in 24 GP), Nathan Paetsch (2-22—24 in 75 GP), Ryan Sproul (2-3—5 in 15 GP), Eric Tangradi (5-7—12 in 14 GP), Mark Zengerle (2-9—11 in 16 GP). Six skaters also have experience at the NHL level: Cleary (24-28—52 in 121 GP, Stanley Cup with Detroit in 2008), Lashoff (0-0—0 in 8 GP), Ouellet (0-0—0 in 1 GP), Paetsch (0-0—0 in 1 GP), Joel Rechlicz (0-0—0 in 2 GP), and Tangradi (0-1—1 in 3 GP).

Playoff Roster: The following 27 players are eligible to suit up for the Griffins in the postseason: goaltenders Jared Coreau, Tom McCollum; defensemen Nick Jensen, Brian Lashoff, Xavier Ouellet, Nathan Paetsch, Robbie Russo, Ryan Sproul, Vili Saarijarvi, Dan Renouf; and forwards Louis-Marc Aubry, Tyler Bertuzzi, Mitch Callahan, Colin Campbell, Daniel Cleary, Kyle Criscuolo, Martin Frk, Triston Grant, Alden Hirschfeld (INJ), Jeff Hoggan, Anthony Mantha, Andy Miele, Zach Nastasiuk, Tomas Nosek, Joel Rechlicz, Eric Tangradi and Mark Zengerle. Additionally, if assigned by the Red Wings, forwards Andreas Athanasiou and Joakim Andersson will be eligible for Calder Cup Playoff action.

Four the Captain: The Griffins have advanced to the Calder Cup playoffs in each of Jeff Hoggan’s four years with the team. Originally signed to a professional tryout prior to the start of the 2012 season, Hoggan captained the Griffins to the franchise’s first Calder Cup the following spring.

Full Blast Bertuzzi: Rookie Tyler Bertuzzi will look to capture the same magic he used last season when he burst onto the scene in his playoff debut. Bertuzzi joined the Griffins for the last two regular season games of the 2014-15 season after his OHL season in Guelph came to an end. Skating in 14 postseason games, Bertuzzi accumulated 12 points (7-5—12) and led the AHL with four game-winning goals.

Breaking the Streak: Grand Rapids enters Game 1 of the Central Division Semifinals at Milwaukee after closing the regular season on a five-game losing streak. However, over the course of the 76-game season, the Griffins have proven they can snap out of a losing funk even while on the road. In fact, Grand Rapids’ most lopsided win of the season – a 9-1 victory at Rockford on Feb. 5 that matched a franchise record for largest margin of victory – came on the heels of a five-game losing streak. The Griffins also put an end to a four-game skid by claiming a 6-1 victory at Rochester on April 1.

Time to Shine: After making his playoff debut during the 2014 Calder Cup Playoffs, goaltender Tom McCollum started 15 of 16 games for the Griffins during the 2015 postseason. In 16 career games, he shows a 9-6 record and a 2.59 GAA. Goaltender Jared Coreau owns a 0-1 playoff record and a 3.10 GAA after he made his postseason debut in Game 2 of last season’s Western Conference Quarterfinals versus Toronto.

Lying in Wait: As the Detroit Red Wings continue their first-round 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs series against the Tampa Bay Lightning, two members of their roster are eligible to play for the Griffins should the Wings be eliminated at any point. Center Andreas Athanasiou skated with Grand Rapids for 26 games and tallied 16 points (8-8—16). Athanasiou also suited up in all 16 playoff games for the Griffins a season ago and registered nine points (5-4—9). In 37 regular season games for the Red Wings, Athanasiou totaled 14 points (9-5—14) while averaging 9:01 time on ice. Center Joakim Andersson appeared in 19 games for the Griffins and accumulated five points (3-2—5). Andersson was also a member of the Griffins’ 2013 Calder Cup Championship team, contributing eight points (3-5—8) in 10 games. In 29 games with the Red Wings this season, he picked up three points (1-2—3) in 9:01 of ice time.

2015-16 Season in Review

Playoff Bound: With Grand Rapids’ 5-2 victory at Rochester on April 3, the Griffins clinched a Calder Cup Playoff berth for the 14th time in franchise history and fourth consecutive season. Grand Rapids lost nine of its first 11 games this season (2-8-0-1) but was able to rebound with a 42-22-1-0 mark since, including winning streaks of 15 (franchise record) and 13 games (second-longest) to advance to the postseason. Grand Rapids’ streak of four straight postseason appearances is the second-longest in the club’s 20-year history (5; 1999-2004) and is tied for the third-longest active streak in the AHL (14, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton; 5, Toronto; 4, Texas, Providence). The Griffins own a 74-68 (0.521) all-time record in the postseason and claimed the 2013 Calder Cup. Grand Rapids advanced to the Western Conference Finals last season before bowing out to Utica in six games. This season’s berth also marks the fifth time in as many full seasons as an AHL head coach that Todd Nelson has led his team to the Calder Cup Playoffs. In his four previous appearances in the postseason as an AHL head coach – all with the Oklahoma City Barons – Nelson compiled a 20-20 (0.500) record. The Griffins defeated the Nelson-led Barons in the 2013 Western Conference Finals in seven games en route to their Calder Cup championship. The 2016 Calder Cup Playoffs will mark Nelson’s second appearance in the postseason as a coach with the Griffins, as he served as an assistant on Danton Cole’s staff during the team’s run to the 2003 Western Conference Finals. As a player, Nelson played in 25 playoff games for Grand Rapids (1997, 1998, 2002) and recorded three points (1-2—3). Assistant coaches Bruce Ramsay and Ben Simon also have playoff experience with the Griffins, as Ramsay played in four games during the 1997 IHL Turner Cup Playoffs and Simon appeared in seven games during the 2007 Calder Cup Playoffs.

20th Season of Winning: The Griffins celebrated the franchise’s 20th season of play by rewriting the record books and embarking on a franchise-record 15-game winning streak from Nov. 18-Dec. 26 before Lake Erie halted the historic run on Dec. 27. Grand Rapids’ 15-game run marked the longest streak in the AHL since Norfolk set the standard by rattling off 28 in a row on its way to winning the Calder Cup in the 2011-12 season. Grand Rapids was not done yet, however, reeling off 13 consecutive wins from Feb. 20-March 19 to become the first team since the Calder Cup champion Hershey Bears in 2009-10 to record multiple double-digit winning streaks in the same season. Adding to the list, the Griffins also won a franchise-record 14 straight home games from Nov. 11, 2015-Jan. 15, 2016. Grand Rapids broke the 40-win barrier for the 13th time in franchise history and fourth consecutive season and reached the 90-point plateau for the 12th time in history and fourth straight year.

Freezer on Fulton Fanatics: With a near-capacity crowd of 10,506 at Van Andel Arena for the Griffins’ season finale – their fifth straight in excess of 10,000 – Grand Rapids finished the campaign with an average attendance of 8,543 (5th out of 30 AHL teams), its largest since the 1999-2000 season (8,819) and a 5.7% increase from 2014-15 (8,082). The Griffins achieved an average attendance increase at Van Andel Arena for the sixth consecutive year and the ninth time in the last 10 years.

Longest Winning Streaks in Griffins History:

Longest AHL Winning Streaks Since 1992:

Longest Home Winning Streaks in Griffins History:

Hockeytown West: Grand Rapids has three times tallied winning streaks of at least 11 games in the last 11 seasons, while its parent club in Detroit has never won more than nine consecutive games in its 90 seasons of play (seven times, most recently Oct. 18-Nov. 9, 2007).

Elite Status: The Griffins’ 15-game streak allowed them to join some rare company among professional hockey in North America. Consider that the Griffins’ 15-game run tied for the third-longest in the AHL since 1992 and that just three teams in the 98-year history of the NHL have recorded winning streaks of 15 or longer (17, 1992-93 Pittsburgh; 15, 1981-82 New York Islanders and 2012-13 Pittsburgh).

November and December to Remember: Despite a rough start to the campaign and an accompanying 2-8-0-1 mark, Grand Rapids showed its resolve by emphatically bouncing back over the next two months. The Griffins posted a 7-2-0-1 record in November, marking the second-most successful November over the last 10 years. The Griffins’ November winning percentage of 0.750 under Todd Nelson was eclipsed in the last decade by only Jeff Blashill’s 0.833 mark (10-2-0-0) during his second month at Grand Rapids’ helm in 2012. The Griffins went on to tally a 10-2-0-0 record in the final month of the calendar year after starting December with an 8-8-0-1 mark and closing at 18-10-0-1. In fact, Grand Rapids’ 0.833 winning percentage in December marked the most prosperous December in the franchise’s 20-year history, just edging out the 2000-01 team (12-3-0-0, 0.800%).

Worth Celebrating: The Griffins’ 5-1 win over Iowa on Nov. 25 marked the 800th regular season victory in franchise history. Over 1,590 contests to date, Grand Rapids shows a record (W-L-T-OTL-SOL) of 838-581-27-48-96 (0.587).

Magnificent Miele: Andy Miele has accumulated 106 goals and 205 assists in five AHL seasons (three in Portland, two in Grand Rapids). Miele’s 311 regular-season points rank as the second-most in the AHL since he made his debut on Oct. 8, 2011.

On the Plus Side: Of the 34 players who skated in at least one game for the Griffins this season, 25 posted a positive plus/minus rating. Rookie Robbie Russo paced the league with a plus-40 rating and fell just one short of equaling the team record for single-season plus/minus rating (Ivan Ciernik, 2000-01). Russo was on the ice 38 times when the opponent scored this season, and that includes three power play goals and two empty netters.

Clear Influence: A veteran of over 1,100 professional games, including 938 in the NHL, 37-year-old Daniel Cleary made his presence felt on the ice during his first season as a Griffin. Despite Cleary registering only 15 points (3-12—15), in the 35 games the 19-year pro was in the lineup the Griffins posted a staggering 27-7-1-0 (0.786) record.

Win Some and Lose Some: The Griffins finished with a 44-30-1-1 (0.592) record. Take a look at how Grand Rapids’ numbers stacked up between its 44 wins and 32 (including overtime and shootout) losses:

Back-to-Backs-to-Backs:
Grand Rapids played 23 sets of back-to-back games and four sets of three games in three days. Compare the statistics for when the Griffins played on consecutive nights.

Russo’s Awards x2: Griffins rookie defenseman Robbie Russo became the first player in the franchise’s 20-year history to earn both All-Rookie and All-Star Team accolades in the same season after he was named to the AHL Second All-Star Team. He is the 16th player in team history – and fourth defenseman – selected to a year-end All-Star Team and the first Griffins rookie ever to be named a first or second team All-Star. Since the league’s inception of the All-Rookie Team in 1996-97, Russo became the 17th player overall and the seventh defenseman to earn both All-Rookie and All-Star Team selections in the same season. In his first pro campaign after a stellar four-year collegiate career at Notre Dame, Russo tallied five goals and 34 assists (5-34—39) in 71 games for Grand Rapids, while posting a league-leading plus-40 rating. Russo, who was on the ice for only 35 even-strength goals by the opposition all season, also contributed offensively, ranking fourth among AHL rookie defensemen and 16th among all league blueliners in scoring. His 39 points established a new Griffins record for rookie defensemen and placed eighth on the team’s all-time rookie scoring list. Russo’s 34 assists are the most ever by a rookie defenseman, and he came just two shy of tying Gustav Nyquist’s record for assists by a first-year Griffin (36 in 2011-12).

Full Circle: Todd Nelson, 46, became the 10th head coach in Griffins franchise history on June 19, 2015, after splitting the 2014-15 season in head-coaching roles with the Oklahoma City Barons (AHL) and the Edmonton Oilers (NHL). The Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, native guided the Barons to a 15-6-2-2 record and first place in the West Division, before taking over for Dallas Eakins as the interim head coach of the Oilers on Dec. 15. In his first stint as an NHL head coach, Nelson led Edmonton to a 17-25-9 record in 51 games. As an AHL coach, Nelson owns a 220-141-13-35 overall record. The first player ever signed to a Griffins contract, Nelson is one of the most significant defensemen in franchise history. His 236 games played rank 19th all time and sixth among defensemen, while his 56 assists and 67 points both place 13th among Grand Rapids blueliners. Following in the footsteps of Danton Cole (2002-05), whom he served under as an assistant coach, Nelson is the second former Griffins player to be employed as Grand Rapids’ head coach. Assistant coaches Ben Simon (21 GP in 2006-07) and Bruce Ramsay (175 GP from 1996-99) also made their returns to Grand Rapids.

New Era, New Logo: The Griffins began their 20th anniversary season with a brand-new logo and overall look, as the team changed its primary logo and colors on Aug. 18, 2015. Marking the first primary logo change in the history of the franchise, the Reebok-designed logo features Griff fiercely protecting the skyline of Grand Rapids, reinforcing the pride that the Griffins have in their city while portraying an aggressiveness that was absent from the original logo. Prior to its adoption as the primary logo, the artwork had been featured on the Griffins’ home Wednesday jerseys since 2012.

Lucky Number Seven: Seven Griffins ranked among the AHL's individual leaders during the regular season:

Take Me to Your Leaders: Following this year’s performances, many Griffins rank among the franchise’s all-time top 10 statistical leaders (regular season):

One for the Books: Several Griffins enjoyed seasons that ranked statistically among the best in franchise history:

Honor Roll: Six Griffins received significant individual honors from the AHL this season:

This Week’s Games
Fri., April 22 GRIFFINS at Milwaukee Admirals 8 p.m. ESPN 96.1 / AHLLive.com
Sat., April 23 GRIFFNS at Milwaukee Admirals 8 p.m. ESPN 96.1 / AHLLive.com

Last Week’s Results
Mon., April 11 GRIFFINS 0 at Iowa Wild 3 44-27-1-1 (90 points, 3rd Central Division)
Wed., April 13 Lake Erie Monsters 5 at GRIFFINS 3 44-28-1-1 (90 points, T3rd)
Fri., April 15 GRIFFINS 0 at Rockford IceHogs 4 44-29-1-1 (90 points, 4th)
Sat., April 16 Bakersfield Condors 3 at GRIFFINS 2 44-30-1-1 (90 points, 4th)

How We Got Here: Grand Rapids clinched a 2016 Calder Cup Playoff berth on April 3, thanks to a 5-2 victory at Rochester, but much was still to be determined for playoff positioning in the Central Division over the final two weeks of the regular season. With just over a week left in the regular season, Grand Rapids climbed to second place in the division following its 4-3 home win against Chicago on April 8, but a five-game losing streak to close the campaign saw the Griffins drop to the No. 4 seed. In the penultimate game of the season, Grand Rapids came up short in a matchup at Rockford that would have locked the Griffins into third in the division and a first-round matchup against the Lake Erie Monsters. Instead, the Griffins finished fourth and will face off against the division champion Milwaukee Admirals. Milwaukee won its fifth division crown since joining the AHL in 2001 and its first since the 2010-11 season. When the calendar turned to March, the Admirals sat in second place in the Central Division as the top four teams were bunched together and separated by a mere two points. Aided by a 13-game point streak from March 13-April 12, Milwaukee distanced itself from the rest of the pack over the final two months, closing the regular season with a 15-5-0-1 record.

Setting the Stage: The Griffins qualified for the postseason for the 14th time in their 20-year history with a 44-30-1-1 record, claiming the fourth seed in the Central Division and finishing 12th overall in the AHL. Grand Rapids will face the division champion Milwaukee Admirals (48-23-3-2, 101 pts.) in the best-of-five Central Division Semifinals, marking only the second time the teams have squared off in the postseason. Grand Rapids won the season series against Milwaukee by way of a 5-3 record, including a 4-0 mark at Van Andel Arena. Milwaukee is returning to the playoffs following a one-year absence that broke a string of 12 consecutive appearances. The Admirals’ 101 points are the most since accumulating 102 during the 2010-11 campaign. The Griffins and Admirals last met in the postseason exactly 10 years ago, as Milwaukee swept Grand Rapids in the 2006 Western Conference Finals.

All Remaining Griffins Games to Air on ESPN 96.1: The radio broadcasts for the Griffins’ 2016 Calder Cup Playoff games are moving to ESPN 96.1 FM from Newsradio WOOD 106.9 FM/1300 AM.

Griffins at the Bradley Center: This series will mark the Griffins’ final visits ever to the BMO Harris Bradley Center, which has hosted Grand Rapids 80 times since 1996, more than any other opposing arena. The Griffins own marks of 33-30-5-5-5 in 78 regular season visits and 0-2 in two playoff games. Having called the Bradley Center home since 1988, the Admirals will be moving across the street to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Panther Arena next season.

Second Time Around: The Griffins and Admirals will renew a rivalry that dates back to the IHL days. Since Milwaukee’s founding in 1977-78 and Grand Rapids’ inception in 1996-97, the teams have met a combined 152 times in the regular season, with the Griffins possessing a 78-54-7-6-7 edge. However, the 2016 Calder Cup Playoff meeting marks only the second time ever – and the 10th anniversary of the last meeting – that these clubs have played in the postseason. Grand Rapids’ 2005-06 team, which accumulated a franchise-record 115 points, was swept in the 2006 Western Conference Finals by Milwaukee.

Regular Season Series Notes: The season series between the teams was decided by one game in favor of Grand Rapids (5-3). However, the eight meetings were not that close, as all were determined by two or more goals. The closest contest score-wise ended in a 4-2 victory for Grand Rapids on Jan. 8, but it was a Cody Bass goal with 3:48 remaining that brought the Admirals to within two. The largest win for either side came in the first meeting of the season, on Nov. 27 in Milwaukee, as the Griffins blanked the Admirals 6-0 behind 22 saves from Jared Coreau. Milwaukee’s largest win came on Jan. 30, right before the all-star break, as Grand Rapids let up a season-high seven goals – including five in the second period – in a 7-3 loss. Louis-Marc Aubry scored a series-high seven points (6-1—7), as six of his 12 goals on the year came against the Admirals. Four Griffins registered five points: Anthony Mantha, Andy Miele and Eric Tangradi all tallied three goals and two assists while Mark Zengerle’s five points came via a series-high five assists. Zengerle also recorded a team-high 10 penalty minutes. Coreau was the goalie of record for all eight meetings, and showed a 1.89 GAA with a 0.932 save percentage while shutting out the Admirals twice. Tom McCollum made one relief appearance and allowed three goals in 34:27. On the Admirals’ side, Kevin Fiala (2-3—5) and Max Gortz (1-4—5) led the team in scoring against Grand Rapids. In six games, goaltender Marek Mazanec totaled a 2-4-0 record to go along with a 3.21 GAA and a 0.896 save percentage while Juuse Saros was 1-1-0 in two games and posted a 2.02 GAA and a 0.934 save percentage.

Milwaukee Connections: Several players and coaches from Beer City USA have connections to Brew City. Triston Grant played three seasons in Milwaukee during a pair of stints with the Admirals (2008-10 and 2014-15) and totaled 62 points (28-34—62) in 202 games. Joel Rechlicz was born in Milwaukee. Assistant coaches Ben Simon (18 GP in 2003-04) and Bruce Ramsay (3 GP in 1995-96) each had cups of coffee on the other side of Lake Michigan. Eric Tangradi and Adam Payerl were teammates from 2011-13 while playing for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, while Anthony Mantha and Anthony Richard were teammates in junior hockey, competing for the Val d’Or Foreurs from 2012-14.

Special Teams Breakdown: Milwaukee holds the statistical edge over Grand Rapids when it comes to special teams. The Admirals ranked second in the power play, generating 66 goals on 311 opportunities (21.2%) while the Griffins placed 22nd, converting 49 of 311 man-advantages (15.8%). Milwaukee produced 29.5% (66-224) of its goals from the power play while the Griffins relied on the power play for 20.6% (49-238) of its goals. Despite Milwaukee’s upper-hand in the power play, in the eight meetings between the teams this season, the Admirals were just 3-for-33 (9.1%) on the man-advantage while the Griffins were 3-for-30 (10.0%). Milwaukee tied for eighth in the penalty kill (84.9%) while the Griffins tied for 13th (83.7%).

2015-16 Griffins vs. Admirals:
Griffins Records: 5-3-0-0 Overall, 4-0-0-0 in Grand Rapids, 1-3-0-0 in Milwaukee
Admirals Records: 3-5-0-0 Overall, 0-4-0-0 in Grand Rapids, 3-1-0-0 in Milwaukee

Nov. 27 – Griffins 6, Admirals 0 – BMO Harris Bradley Center
In the first meeting of the season, Jared Coreau recorded his first of six shutouts on the season as Grand Rapids cruised past Milwaukee 6-0. The Griffins claimed their fifth win in a row while also snapping the division-leading Admirals’ franchise-record 10-game winning streak. Andy Miele put the Griffins on the board at the 13:31 mark and Eric Tangradi added to the lead 5:09 later as Grand Rapids led 2-0 after 20 minutes. Miele’s second goal of the night came in the second period before Grand Rapids added three insurance tallies in the third. Miele finished with three points (2-1—3).

Dec. 9 – Griffins 4, Admirals 1 – Van Andel Arena
In the first meeting between the teams at Van Andel Arena, the Griffins extended their winning streak to nine games and snapped the Admirals’ five-game road winning streak with a 4-1 victory. The score was tied through two periods before Martin Frk potted the game-winner 2:05 into the final frame. Eric Tangradi put the Griffins up two with less than two minutes remaining and then Louis-Marc Aubry’s empty-netter with 34 seconds left salted the game away. Jared Coreau stopped 23 of 24 shots as the Griffins held their opponent to a single goal for the third consecutive game and to two or fewer goals for the seventh straight outing.

Dec. 29 – Admirals 3, Griffins 0 – BMO Harris Bradley Center
The Admirals claimed their first win of the season series behind 30 saves from Marek Mazanec. Grand Rapids dropped its second straight contest after its franchise-record 15-game winning streak was halted on Dec. 27 at Lake Erie. Max Gortz broke a scoreless tie 1:43 into the second period, sending a wrister past Jared Coreau’s blocker side for a power play goal. At the 15:26 mark in the middle frame, Kevin Fiala extended Milwaukee’s lead. The Admirals added an empty net goal with 1:07 left as Coreau stopped 22 of 24 shots.

Dec. 31 – Griffins 3, Admirals 0 – Van Andel Arena
Jared Coreau pitched a 23-save shutout before a sold-out Van Andel Arena, as the Griffins rang out 2015 with their franchise-record 11th consecutive home win, a 3-0 decision over the Central Division-leading Admirals. The Griffins, who avenged a loss in Milwaukee two days earlier by an identical 3-0 score, won for the 16th time in 18 contests, a span during which they ended both a 10-game and, now, a five-game winning streak by the Admirals. After a scoreless opening period, Eric Tangradi put the Griffins on the board in the second period before they added two more markers in the final 20 minutes.

Jan. 8 – Griffins 4, Admirals 2 – Van Andel Arena
The Griffins defeated the Milwaukee Admirals 4-2 at Van Andel Arena to extend a franchise record with their 12th consecutive home victory, but the game’s ultimate result was the least of anyone’s concerns. With 6:19 remaining in the second period, forward Alden Hirschfeld suffered a seizure on the Griffins’ bench. After being attended to by paramedics and Griffins medical and training staffs, he was transported in stable condition to a local hospital. Just 2:33 into the contest, Jeff Hoggan stole a clearing pass at the Milwaukee blue line and fed Tomas Nosek in the high slot for the first goal. Martin Frk added the second goal of the night on a power play at the 12:48 mark of the first period. Nathan Paetsch tallied the game-winning goal at the 3:49 mark of the second period and Louis-Marc Aubry tacked on the fourth goal.

Jan. 30 – Admirals 7, Griffins 3 – BMO Harris Bradley Center
The Admirals scored five second-period goals – including three in a 3:17 span – as the Griffins saw their losing streak reach five games. Louis-Marc Aubry netted a pair of goals in a middle frame that saw both sides combine for eight goals from seven different goal scorers. Jared Coreau’s night was cut short as he was replaced by Tom McCollum following a Cody Hodgson goal that gave Milwaukee a four-goal cushion 5:33 into the second period.

Feb. 17 – Griffins 4, Admirals 1 – Van Andel Arena
Anthony Mantha’s first career hat trick powered the Griffins to a 4-1 victory over the Admirals. Mantha scored in each period and added an assist to also mark his first four-point game, as the Griffins toppled a first-place team for the second straight home game. Grand Rapids jumped out to a 2-0 lead before the game was six minutes old after Mantha potted his first of the night followed by a Nathan Paetsch goal. Jared Coreau turned aside 29 of 30 shots for his 23rd win of the season.

March 29 – Admirals 4, Griffins 1 – BMO Harris Bradley Center
In the final regular season meeting between the teams at the BMO Harris Bradley Center, the Griffins dropped their fourth straight game, falling to the division-leading Admirals 4-1. The result also extended the Admirals’ point streak to seven games. Taylor Aronson tallied a pair of assists and Juuse Saros stopped 28-of-29 shots for the Admirals while Andy Miele netted Grand Rapids’ lone goal.

Going Way Back: The upcoming series between the Griffins and Admirals will actually mark the third series ever between pro teams from Grand Rapids and Milwaukee. The Grand Rapids Owls defeated the Admirals four games to three in the 1979 IHL Turner Cup Quarterfinals.

Between the Pipes: The Griffins and the Admirals have both boasted stellar goaltending play throughout the season. Tom McCollum and Jared Coreau rank ninth and 10th, respectively, in goals against average, while their counterparts, Juuse Saros and Marek Mazanec, place fourth and tied for 12th in GAA. Coreau (6) and McCollum (1) have combined for seven shutouts while Saros and Mazanec have collected eight bagels (four each). Saros and Coreau finished tied for fourth in the league with 29 wins.

Bench Bosses: Todd Nelson became the 10th head coach in Griffins franchise history on June 19, 2015, after splitting the 2014-15 season in head-coaching roles with the Oklahoma City Barons (AHL) and the Edmonton Oilers (NHL). Following in the footsteps of Danton Cole (2002-05), whom he served under as an assistant coach, Nelson is the second former Griffins player to be employed as Grand Rapids’ head coach. The Griffins stumbled out of the gate to begin the 2015-16 season, winning just two of their first 11 games (2-8-0-1). After the difficult start, Nelson guided the Griffins on a franchise record 15-game winning streak from Nov. 18-Dec. 26 to kick start the rest of the season. For good measure, Nelson authored a 13-game winning streak from Feb. 20-March 19 and became the first head coach in club history to tally multiple double-digit winning streaks at any point during their tenure, let alone in one season. The Griffins 2016 Calder Cup Playoff berth marks the fifth time in as many full seasons as an AHL head coach that Nelson has led his team to the postseason. Nelson also becomes the seventh full-time coach in team history to lead the Griffins to the playoffs in his first year at the helm. Dean Evason has guided the Admirals to three postseason appearances in his four seasons as their head coach. Milwaukee closed the 2015-16 campaign with 101 points, its most under Evason and the highest total since racking up 102 points in the 2010-11 season. Despite a 161-103-21-19 (0.595) record under Evason in the regular season, the Admirals are 1-9 under him in the postseason. Evason joined the Admirals following seven years of service to the Washington Capitals as an assistant (2005-12) and helped the Caps appear in the Stanley Cup Playoffs five times.

Playoff Facts and Figures: Grand Rapids has won 15 of its 27 total playoff series and owns a combined 74-68 record during those games, going 36-36 on home ice and 38-32 on the road. Despite getting eliminated short of the Calder Cup Finals in each of the last two seasons, both teams the Griffins lost to went on to either win the Cup (Texas in 2014) or appear in the finals (Utica in 2015). Grand Rapids is 4-3 all-time in best-of-five series, having won its last four. Overall, the Griffins’ all-time record in Game 1 of a series is 12-15.

Back for More: Seven members of the Griffins’ 2013 Calder Cup championship team are still members of the active roster: forwards Louis-Marc Aubry, Triston Grant, Jeff Hoggan, Mitch Callahan; defensemen Brian Lashoff and Nathan Paetsch; and goaltender Tom McCollum. Grand Rapids returns 17 players from last year’s team that advanced to the Western Conference Finals.

Long Runs: The Griffins’ 50 playoff games from 2013-15 were the most ever by an AHL team over a three-year span, with captain Jeff Hoggan and defenseman Nathan Paetsch playing in each of those contests. Grand Rapids went 7-2 in playoff series under then-head coach and current Detroit bench boss Jeff Blashill, winning the Calder Cup in 2013, advancing to the second round in 2014 and falling in the conference finals last year.

Experience Counts: Twenty-two players on the Griffins’ roster have AHL postseason experience — Louis-Marc Aubry (3-1—4 in 30 GP), Tyler Bertuzzi (7-5—12 in 14 GP), Mitch Callahan (7-9—16 in 32 GP), Colin Campbell (0-1—1 in 10 GP), Daniel Cleary (2-3—5 in 8 GP), goaltender Jared Coreau (0-1 record, 3.10 GAA in 1 GP), Martin Frk (0-2—2 in 6 GP), Triston Grant (3-7—10 in 63 GP), Alden Hirschfeld (1-0—1 in 6 GP), Jeff Hoggan (19-25—44 in 88 GP, two Calder Cups), Nick Jensen (0-4—4 in 26 GP), Brian Lashoff (1-8—9 in 42 GP), Anthony Mantha (2-2—4 in 16 GP), goaltender Tom McCollum (9-6 record, 2.59 GAA in 16 GP), Andy Miele (4-13—17 in 19 GP), Zach Nastasiuk (0-1—1 in 11 GP), Tomas Nosek (2-5—7 in 12 GP), Xavier Ouellet (1-5—6 in 24 GP), Nathan Paetsch (2-22—24 in 75 GP), Ryan Sproul (2-3—5 in 15 GP), Eric Tangradi (5-7—12 in 14 GP), Mark Zengerle (2-9—11 in 16 GP). Six skaters also have experience at the NHL level: Cleary (24-28—52 in 121 GP, Stanley Cup with Detroit in 2008), Lashoff (0-0—0 in 8 GP), Ouellet (0-0—0 in 1 GP), Paetsch (0-0—0 in 1 GP), Joel Rechlicz (0-0—0 in 2 GP), and Tangradi (0-1—1 in 3 GP).

Playoff Roster: The following 27 players are eligible to suit up for the Griffins in the postseason: goaltenders Jared Coreau, Tom McCollum; defensemen Nick Jensen, Brian Lashoff, Xavier Ouellet, Nathan Paetsch, Robbie Russo, Ryan Sproul, Vili Saarijarvi, Dan Renouf; and forwards Louis-Marc Aubry, Tyler Bertuzzi, Mitch Callahan, Colin Campbell, Daniel Cleary, Kyle Criscuolo, Martin Frk, Triston Grant, Alden Hirschfeld (INJ), Jeff Hoggan, Anthony Mantha, Andy Miele, Zach Nastasiuk, Tomas Nosek, Joel Rechlicz, Eric Tangradi and Mark Zengerle. Additionally, if assigned by the Red Wings, forwards Andreas Athanasiou and Joakim Andersson will be eligible for Calder Cup Playoff action.

Four the Captain: The Griffins have advanced to the Calder Cup playoffs in each of Jeff Hoggan’s four years with the team. Originally signed to a professional tryout prior to the start of the 2012 season, Hoggan captained the Griffins to the franchise’s first Calder Cup the following spring.

Full Blast Bertuzzi: Rookie Tyler Bertuzzi will look to capture the same magic he used last season when he burst onto the scene in his playoff debut. Bertuzzi joined the Griffins for the last two regular season games of the 2014-15 season after his OHL season in Guelph came to an end. Skating in 14 postseason games, Bertuzzi accumulated 12 points (7-5—12) and led the AHL with four game-winning goals.

Breaking the Streak: Grand Rapids enters Game 1 of the Central Division Semifinals at Milwaukee after closing the regular season on a five-game losing streak. However, over the course of the 76-game season, the Griffins have proven they can snap out of a losing funk even while on the road. In fact, Grand Rapids’ most lopsided win of the season – a 9-1 victory at Rockford on Feb. 5 that matched a franchise record for largest margin of victory – came on the heels of a five-game losing streak. The Griffins also put an end to a four-game skid by claiming a 6-1 victory at Rochester on April 1.

Time to Shine: After making his playoff debut during the 2014 Calder Cup Playoffs, goaltender Tom McCollum started 15 of 16 games for the Griffins during the 2015 postseason. In 16 career games, he shows a 9-6 record and a 2.59 GAA. Goaltender Jared Coreau owns a 0-1 playoff record and a 3.10 GAA after he made his postseason debut in Game 2 of last season’s Western Conference Quarterfinals versus Toronto.

Lying in Wait: As the Detroit Red Wings continue their first-round 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs series against the Tampa Bay Lightning, two members of their roster are eligible to play for the Griffins should the Wings be eliminated at any point. Center Andreas Athanasiou skated with Grand Rapids for 26 games and tallied 16 points (8-8—16). Athanasiou also suited up in all 16 playoff games for the Griffins a season ago and registered nine points (5-4—9). In 37 regular season games for the Red Wings, Athanasiou totaled 14 points (9-5—14) while averaging 9:01 time on ice. Center Joakim Andersson appeared in 19 games for the Griffins and accumulated five points (3-2—5). Andersson was also a member of the Griffins’ 2013 Calder Cup Championship team, contributing eight points (3-5—8) in 10 games. In 29 games with the Red Wings this season, he picked up three points (1-2—3) in 9:01 of ice time.

2015-16 Season in Review

Playoff Bound: With Grand Rapids’ 5-2 victory at Rochester on April 3, the Griffins clinched a Calder Cup Playoff berth for the 14th time in franchise history and fourth consecutive season. Grand Rapids lost nine of its first 11 games this season (2-8-0-1) but was able to rebound with a 42-22-1-0 mark since, including winning streaks of 15 (franchise record) and 13 games (second-longest) to advance to the postseason. Grand Rapids’ streak of four straight postseason appearances is the second-longest in the club’s 20-year history (5; 1999-2004) and is tied for the third-longest active streak in the AHL (14, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton; 5, Toronto; 4, Texas, Providence). The Griffins own a 74-68 (0.521) all-time record in the postseason and claimed the 2013 Calder Cup. Grand Rapids advanced to the Western Conference Finals last season before bowing out to Utica in six games. This season’s berth also marks the fifth time in as many full seasons as an AHL head coach that Todd Nelson has led his team to the Calder Cup Playoffs. In his four previous appearances in the postseason as an AHL head coach – all with the Oklahoma City Barons – Nelson compiled a 20-20 (0.500) record. The Griffins defeated the Nelson-led Barons in the 2013 Western Conference Finals in seven games en route to their Calder Cup championship. The 2016 Calder Cup Playoffs will mark Nelson’s second appearance in the postseason as a coach with the Griffins, as he served as an assistant on Danton Cole’s staff during the team’s run to the 2003 Western Conference Finals. As a player, Nelson played in 25 playoff games for Grand Rapids (1997, 1998, 2002) and recorded three points (1-2—3). Assistant coaches Bruce Ramsay and Ben Simon also have playoff experience with the Griffins, as Ramsay played in four games during the 1997 IHL Turner Cup Playoffs and Simon appeared in seven games during the 2007 Calder Cup Playoffs.

20th Season of Winning: The Griffins celebrated the franchise’s 20th season of play by rewriting the record books and embarking on a franchise-record 15-game winning streak from Nov. 18-Dec. 26 before Lake Erie halted the historic run on Dec. 27. Grand Rapids’ 15-game run marked the longest streak in the AHL since Norfolk set the standard by rattling off 28 in a row on its way to winning the Calder Cup in the 2011-12 season. Grand Rapids was not done yet, however, reeling off 13 consecutive wins from Feb. 20-March 19 to become the first team since the Calder Cup champion Hershey Bears in 2009-10 to record multiple double-digit winning streaks in the same season. Adding to the list, the Griffins also won a franchise-record 14 straight home games from Nov. 11, 2015-Jan. 15, 2016. Grand Rapids broke the 40-win barrier for the 13th time in franchise history and fourth consecutive season and reached the 90-point plateau for the 12th time in history and fourth straight year.

Freezer on Fulton Fanatics: With a near-capacity crowd of 10,506 at Van Andel Arena for the Griffins’ season finale – their fifth straight in excess of 10,000 – Grand Rapids finished the campaign with an average attendance of 8,543 (5th out of 30 AHL teams), its largest since the 1999-2000 season (8,819) and a 5.7% increase from 2014-15 (8,082). The Griffins achieved an average attendance increase at Van Andel Arena for the sixth consecutive year and the ninth time in the last 10 years.

Hockeytown West: Grand Rapids has three times tallied winning streaks of at least 11 games in the last 11 seasons, while its parent club in Detroit has never won more than nine consecutive games in its 90 seasons of play (seven times, most recently Oct. 18-Nov. 9, 2007).

Elite Status: The Griffins’ 15-game streak allowed them to join some rare company among professional hockey in North America. Consider that the Griffins’ 15-game run tied for the third-longest in the AHL since 1992 and that just three teams in the 98-year history of the NHL have recorded winning streaks of 15 or longer (17, 1992-93 Pittsburgh; 15, 1981-82 New York Islanders and 2012-13 Pittsburgh).

November and December to Remember: Despite a rough start to the campaign and an accompanying 2-8-0-1 mark, Grand Rapids showed its resolve by emphatically bouncing back over the next two months. The Griffins posted a 7-2-0-1 record in November, marking the second-most successful November over the last 10 years. The Griffins’ November winning percentage of 0.750 under Todd Nelson was eclipsed in the last decade by only Jeff Blashill’s 0.833 mark (10-2-0-0) during his second month at Grand Rapids’ helm in 2012. The Griffins went on to tally a 10-2-0-0 record in the final month of the calendar year after starting December with an 8-8-0-1 mark and closing at 18-10-0-1. In fact, Grand Rapids’ 0.833 winning percentage in December marked the most prosperous December in the franchise’s 20-year history, just edging out the 2000-01 team (12-3-0-0, 0.800%).

Worth Celebrating: The Griffins’ 5-1 win over Iowa on Nov. 25 marked the 800th regular season victory in franchise history. Over 1,590 contests to date, Grand Rapids shows a record (W-L-T-OTL-SOL) of 838-581-27-48-96 (0.587).

On the Plus Side: Of the 34 players who skated in at least one game for the Griffins this season, 25 posted a positive plus/minus rating. Rookie Robbie Russo paced the league with a plus-40 rating and fell just one short of equaling the team record for single-season plus/minus rating (Ivan Ciernik, 2000-01). Russo was on the ice 38 times when the opponent scored this season, and that includes three power play goals and two empty netters.

Clear Influence: A veteran of over 1,100 professional games, including 938 in the NHL, 37-year-old Daniel Cleary made his presence felt on the ice during his first season as a Griffin. Despite Cleary registering only 15 points (3-12—15), in the 35 games the 19-year pro was in the lineup the Griffins posted a staggering 27-7-1-0 (0.786) record.

Russo’s Awards x2: Griffins rookie defenseman Robbie Russo became the first player in the franchise’s 20-year history to earn both All-Rookie and All-Star Team accolades in the same season after he was named to the AHL Second All-Star Team. He is the 16th player in team history – and fourth defenseman – selected to a year-end All-Star Team and the first Griffins rookie ever to be named a first or second team All-Star. Since the league’s inception of the All-Rookie Team in 1996-97, Russo became the 17th player overall and the seventh defenseman to earn both All-Rookie and All-Star Team selections in the same season. In his first pro campaign after a stellar four-year collegiate career at Notre Dame, Russo tallied five goals and 34 assists (5-34—39) in 71 games for Grand Rapids, while posting a league-leading plus-40 rating. Russo, who was on the ice for only 35 even-strength goals by the opposition all season, also contributed offensively, ranking fourth among AHL rookie defensemen and 16th among all league blueliners in scoring. His 39 points established a new Griffins record for rookie defensemen and placed eighth on the team’s all-time rookie scoring list. Russo’s 34 assists are the most ever by a rookie defenseman, and he came just two shy of tying Gustav Nyquist’s record for assists by a first-year Griffin (36 in 2011-12).

Full Circle: Todd Nelson, 46, became the 10th head coach in Griffins franchise history on June 19, 2015, after splitting the 2014-15 season in head-coaching roles with the Oklahoma City Barons (AHL) and the Edmonton Oilers (NHL). The Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, native guided the Barons to a 15-6-2-2 record and first place in the West Division, before taking over for Dallas Eakins as the interim head coach of the Oilers on Dec. 15. In his first stint as an NHL head coach, Nelson led Edmonton to a 17-25-9 record in 51 games. As an AHL coach, Nelson owns a 220-141-13-35 overall record. The first player ever signed to a Griffins contract, Nelson is one of the most significant defensemen in franchise history. His 236 games played rank 19th all time and sixth among defensemen, while his 56 assists and 67 points both place 13th among Grand Rapids blueliners. Following in the footsteps of Danton Cole (2002-05), whom he served under as an assistant coach, Nelson is the second former Griffins player to be employed as Grand Rapids’ head coach. Assistant coaches Ben Simon (21 GP in 2006-07) and Bruce Ramsay (175 GP from 1996-99) also made their returns to Grand Rapids.

New Era, New Logo: The Griffins began their 20th anniversary season with a brand-new logo and overall look, as the team changed its primary logo and colors on Aug. 18, 2015. Marking the first primary logo change in the history of the franchise, the Reebok-designed logo features Griff fiercely protecting the skyline of Grand Rapids, reinforcing the pride that the Griffins have in their city while portraying an aggressiveness that was absent from the original logo. Prior to its adoption as the primary logo, the artwork had been featured on the Griffins’ home Wednesday jerseys since 2012.