GRIFFINS KICK OFF THREE-IN-THREE WITH FOURTH ANNUAL PURPLE COMMUNITY GAME

This Week’s Games
Fri., Feb. 13 San Antonio Rampage at GRIFFINS 7 p.m. WOOD 106.9 FM/1300 AM / AHLLive.com
Sat., Feb. 14 San Antonio Rampage at GRIFFINS 7 p.m. WOOD 106.9 FM/1300 AM / AHLLive.com
Sun., Feb. 15 GRIFFINS at Chicago Wolves 5 p.m. WOOD 106.9 FM/1300 AM / AHLLive.com

Last Week’s Results
Wed., Feb. 4 GRIFFINS 3 at Toronto Marlies 1 24-17-3-1, 52 pts. (3rd, Midwest Division)
Fri., Feb. 6 Rochester Americans 4 at GRIFFINS 5 OT 25-17-3-1, 54 pts. (3rd)
Sat., Feb. 7 Rochester Americans 4 at GRIFFINS 3 OT 25-17-4-1, 55 pts. (3rd)

Goaltender Tour: The Griffins picked up five of six possible points last week to maintain their third-place spot in the Midwest Division. Detroit goaltender Jonas Gustavsson, with the team on conditioning, got the start between the pipes in Wednesday’s game versus the Toronto Marlies at Ricoh Coliseum, and after surrendering an early goal, he turned aside the rest of the shots he faced to backstop the Griffins to a 3-1 victory. Teemu Pulkkinen (two goals) and Andy Miele (two assists) teamed up for a majority of Grand Rapids’ scoring, but it was rookie Mark Zengerle who notched the game-winning goal with 4:44 remaining in the third. Pulkkinen earned the insurance tally with an empty-netter. Friday saw the Griffins return to Van Andel Arena for the first of two back-to-back games against the Rochester Americans. In net for Grand Rapids was Jared Coreau, who earned back-to-back road shutouts on Jan. 29 against the Iowa Wild (6-0) and Jan. 30 against the Milwaukee Admirals (3-0). Coreau entered the game with a perfect streak of 140:32 but a late first-period goal by Johan Larsson saw Coreau’s streak come to an end at 160:06, which broke the Griffins franchise record that was previously held by Marc Lamothe (153:58, 11/7/02-11/16/02). Rochester tied the game with just 1:58 remaining to push Grand Rapids to overtime, but Nathan Paetsch scored the 5-4 game-winner 2:03 into the extra time. Rochester turned the tables on Saturday, when the Griffins fell in overtime to the Amerks, 4-3. Tom McCollum, who was on a five-game winning streak with the Griffins entering the night, saw his first start after missing 10 games while on recall with the Detroit Red Wings. Anthony Mantha, Andreas Athanasiou and Landon Ferraro all scored for Grand Rapids, but the team surrendered its 3-1 lead midway through the second to allow the Amerks to their eventual overtime win.

Purple Game Promotions: Nearly everything at Van Andel Arena will be in sync with the color associated with cancer survivors on Friday, as the Griffins host their fourth annual “Purple Community Game” to benefit Van Andel Institute. Fans can enjoy many purple elements, ranging from purple concession items to purple-themed songs and graphics during the game. They can also become a member of “Purple Community,” a group dedicated to connecting individuals who are passionate about fighting cancer and other diseases. Fans who would like to attend the game and support fundraising for cancer research can purchase a “Purple Pack” for $23, which includes two or more lower level center ice tickets and the opportunity to be part of the Griffins High Five Tunnel during the starting lineup introductions. A portion of the funds from every “Purple Pack” sold will be donated to Van Andel Institute. Tickets are available at griffinshockey.com/purple. Friday’s game also gives fans the opportunity to enjoy $2 hot dogs and $2 domestic drafts from 6-8 p.m., while supplies last. Purple beer will be available at select locations, including the D-ZONE, along with purple cotton candy, slushies, donuts and other assorted desserts. Fans can also take advantage of College Night specials, where college students can purchase an upper bowl ticket for $14 (or $13 in advance at The Zone) and stop by the McFadden’s concourse table to receive a free pass to the post-game party at McFadden’s. Every Friday night is a Griffins D-Zone night, where fans can have $2 beers and $2 hot dogs served directly to their seats. D-ZONE tickets are only available by calling 616-774-4585 ext. 2 or at griffinshockey.com/. In addition, fans can enjoy all of the popcorn they can eat with a special offer that includes four or more upper or lower level tickets and a Griffins popcorn bucket good for unlimited popcorn refills throughout the game! Popcorn packs are only available by calling 616-774-4585 ext. 2 or at griffinshockey.com/popcorn.

Purple Jersey Auction: When Grand Rapids squares off against San Antonio on Friday, the Griffins will wear special purple accented jerseys during the game that will be autographed and auctioned off to the public after the game, with proceeds benefiting Van Andel Institute.

Griffins Winter Scarf Giveaway: The first 2,500 fans attending Saturday’s game versus the San Antonio Rampage will receive a Griffins winter scarf, courtesy of Centennial Securities. In addition, fans can bring their skates to the rink and take to the ice for the post-game open skate. Other post-game open skate dates include March 22 and April 18. Friends & Family 4-Packs are available for all Saturday games, and each pack incudes four tickets and $12 in concession cash for a great low price. Visit griffinshockey.com/f4p or call (616) 774-4585 ext. 2.

Griffins Leaders: Right wing Teemu Pulkkinen continues to lead the Griffins, and the entire league, in scoring with 53 points (27-26—53) in 41 games. Center Andy Miele sits in second on the team with 42 points (13-29—42) in 42 games, while left wing Mitch Callahan ranks third (16-22—38). Right wing Chris Bruton (80) leads the team in penalty minutes and defenseman Brennan Evans (58) ranks second. Defenseman Alexey Marchenko, who was recalled to Detroit last week, registers the highest plus/minus rating on the team (plus-15). The next-highest ranking is center Tomas Nosek with a plus-12 rating.

Athanasiou Returns: After breaking his jaw in a Dec. 12 game at Oklahoma City, rookie center Andreas Athanasiou missed 20 games while recovering from his injury. Athanasiou returned to the lineup for Friday’s game, roughly a week earlier than expected. The decision proved fruitful for the Griffins, as the London, Ontario, native scored an assist on Friday and followed it up with a goal on Saturday. In 27 games this season, Athanasiou has eight goals, 10 assists and a plus-nine rating.

The Midwest: There’s a new leader in the Midwest Division for the first time in over two months, as the now first-place Milwaukee Admirals (28-13-2-4, 62 pts.) defeated the second-place Rockford IceHogs (26-16-4-2, 58 pts.) on Friday and Saturday to take over the top spot. Grand Rapids (25-17-4-1, 55 pts.) holds onto its third-place spot after picking up five of six points last week, but the Griffins only have a one-point lead over the Chicago Wolves (24-18-5-1, 54 pts.), who are on a two-game winning streak. The Lake Erie Monsters (21-17-4-3, 49 pts.) have a 6-2-2-0 record in their last 10 games, but the team still ranks last in the division.

League Leader: Right wing Teemu Pulkkinen continued his scoring dominance last week after picking up five points (3-2—5) between Wednesday and Friday but being held scoreless on Saturday. The third-year Griffin ranks first in scoring in the league (53 pts.), first in goals (27), ties for first in power play goals (10), ranks second in shots (161) and second in game-winning goals (6).

Seven of Eight: The Griffins have picked up points in seven of their last eight games (1/23/15-2/7/15) and banked 13 of 18 possible points within that span. Grand Rapids also ran a four-game winning streak from Jan. 23-30, its longest of the season.

Sturdy Bulldog: Rookie defenseman Scott Czarnowczan earned his first professional goal in Friday’s 5-4 victory over the Rochester Americans. The 23-year-old has appeared in 16 contests with the Griffins this season, earning six points (1-5—6) and 16 penalty minutes. Signed to a Griffins contract on July 4, 2014, Czarnowczan has also played in 16 games with the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye, where he picked up 14 points (1-13—14). A native of Macomb, Mich., Czarnowczan spent four seasons with the Ferris State Bulldogs prior to turning pro, where he gathered 63 points (9-54—63) and 212 PIM in 141 collegiate games. In addition to captaining the Bulldogs during his senior season, Czarnowczan made an appearance with Ferris State in the 2012 NCAA Frozen Four Championship game.

Rookie Sharpshooter: Rookie center Mark Zengerle ranks first among AHL newcomers and third overall in shooting percentage at 24.1%. Zengerle has connected on seven of the 29 shots he has taken in his debut campaign with Grand Rapids.

On Paetsch: After notching two goals in Friday’s 5-4 overtime victory over Rochester, including the game-winner, defenseman Nathan Paetsch now has six goals this season, which is his most in a single campaign since joining the Griffins in 2012-13. He had four goals in each of his last two seasons with the team.

Walleye World: The ECHL’s Toledo Walleye (28-9-3-2, 61 pts.) have lost three consecutive games, which is their longest winless streak of the season. On Friday, the Walleye traveled to WesBanco Arena, where the Wheeling Nailers handed Toledo a 4-1 loss. Kyle Bonis earned the sole tally for Toledo in the contest. On Saturday, Martin Frk and Justin Mercier both scored in the second period to push the Walleye within one goal of tying the game, but a scoreless third period saw Elmira take home a 3-2 victory. Tyler Barnes (16-28—44) leads the Walleye in scoring, followed by Anthony Luciani (18-23—41) in second place. Due to their losing streak, the Walleye have fallen back down to second place in the North Division behind the Fort Wayne Komets (31-11-1-2). However, Toledo has three games in hand to its divisional rival.

Blueline Swap: The Detroit Red Wings on Monday assigned defenseman Xavier Ouellet to the Griffins. In addition, the Griffins released defenseman Jared Nightingale from his professional tryout. Ouellet, 21, has picked up three points (2-1—3), two penalty minutes and a plus-four rating in 21 games with Detroit this season, notching his first NHL point (assist) on Nov. 22 at Toronto and his first NHL goal on Nov. 28 at New Jersey. The Bayonne, France, native has also appeared in 24 games with Grand Rapids, registering eight points (1-7—8), 18 PIM and a plus-seven rating. Detroit’s second choice (48th overall) in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, Ouellet has totaled 94 career AHL games with the Griffins from 2013-15, logging 25 points (5-20—25), 40 PIM and a plus-10 rating. A 10-year AHL veteran, Nightingale made his Griffins debut in Saturday’s 4-3 overtime loss to the Rochester Americans at Van Andel Arena. The Jackson, Mich., native has also notched one assist in six games with the Hartford Wolf Pack and one assist in 20 games with the Norfolk Admirals this season. Prior to his stint with Grand Rapids, the 32-year-old defenseman spent 13 games with the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye, where he tallied three points (1-2—3) and 17 PIM. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound defenseman has amassed 51 points (14-37—51) and 888 PIM in 414 career games between the Griffins, Springfield Falcons (2005-06), Iowa Stars (2006-07), Wolf Pack (2007-11; 2014-15), Chicago Wolves (2007-08), Connecticut Whale (2011-12), Syracuse Crunch (2012-13), Rockford IceHogs (2013-14) and Admirals (2014-15). Prior to turning pro, Nightingale spent four seasons with Michigan State University, where he picked up 23 points (2-21—23) in 156 career CCHA games.

Scouting Report

Fri., Feb. 13 vs. San Antonio Rampage (27-15-4-0) – Van Andel Arena – 7 p.m.
Sat., Feb. 14 vs. San Antonio Rampage – Van Andel Arena – 7 p.m.
Radio: WOOD 106.9 FM/1300 AM at 6:35 p.m. (Fri. and Sat.) Web Casts: Video web cast at AHLLive.com, free audio available through woodradio.com. All-Time Series: 34-21-1-4-2 Overall, 17-10-1-2-1 Home. Season Series: First and second of four meetings overall, first and second of two at Van Andel Arena. NHL Affiliation: Florida Panthers. Head Coach: Tom Rowe (2nd season). Notes: The Rampage rank second in the West Division, tie for fourth in the Western Conference and tie for eighth overall…Among active skaters, right wing Bobby Butler ranks first on the team in scoring with 41 points (20-21—41) in 43 games, followed by right wing Mark Mancari (9-24—33) in second and center Rocco Grimaldi (8-22—30) in third. Butler also ties for sixth overall in scoring in the league...Center Brett Olson registers the highest plus/minus rating on the team at plus-11…Despite not ranking among the top goaltenders in terms of goals against average, San Antonio netminder Dan Ellis ranks second in wins with 21. Ellis posts a 2.58 GAA alongside a 21-8-2 record, two shutouts and a 0.907 save percentage…San Antonio has scored more goals than any other team (154) and it averages 3.35 goals per game.

Sun., Feb. 15 at Chicago Wolves (24-18-5-1) – Allstate Arena – 5 p.m.
Radio: WOOD 106.9 FM/1300 AM at 4:35 p.m. Web Casts: Video web cast at AHLLive.com, free audio available through woodradio.com. All-Time Series: 63-47-3-5-2 Overall, 31-26-1-2-0 Road. Season Series: 2-3-1-0 Overall, 1-1-0-0 Road. Seventh of eight meetings overall, third of four at Allstate Arena. NHL Affiliation: St. Louis Blues. Head Coach: John Anderson (13th season). Notes: The Wolves rank fourth in the Midwest Division, seventh in the Western Conference and tie for 15th overall…The Griffins and Wolves last met on Jan. 21 at Van Andel Arena, where Chicago defeated Grand Rapids, 4-2…Center Pat Cannone leads the squad in scoring with 36 points (10-26—36) in 48 games, second place belongs to right wing Shane Harper (21-12—33) and in third is center Philip McRae (15-15—30)…Defenseman Brett Regner registers the highest plus/minus rating for the Wolves (plus-18)…Harper leads the entire league in shooting percentage with 26.3%, notching 21 goals on 80 shots…Chicago goaltenders Jordan Binnington and Matt Climie are on pace with one another, each owning a 2.37 GAA and tying for 16th overall in the league. Binnington owns a 15-9-3 record and a 0.914 save percentage, and Climie owns a 9-9-3 record and 0.911 save percentage…Chicago’s power play ranks second (21.2%) and its penalty killing record ranks 15th (83.5%).

This Week’s Games
Fri., Feb. 13 San Antonio Rampage at GRIFFINS 7 p.m. WOOD 106.9 FM/1300 AM / AHLLive.com
Sat., Feb. 14 San Antonio Rampage at GRIFFINS 7 p.m. WOOD 106.9 FM/1300 AM / AHLLive.com
Sun., Feb. 15 GRIFFINS at Chicago Wolves 5 p.m. WOOD 106.9 FM/1300 AM / AHLLive.com

Last Week’s Results
Wed., Feb. 4 GRIFFINS 3 at Toronto Marlies 1 24-17-3-1, 52 pts. (3rd, Midwest Division)
Fri., Feb. 6 Rochester Americans 4 at GRIFFINS 5 OT 25-17-3-1, 54 pts. (3rd)
Sat., Feb. 7 Rochester Americans 4 at GRIFFINS 3 OT 25-17-4-1, 55 pts. (3rd)

Goaltender Tour: The Griffins picked up five of six possible points last week to maintain their third-place spot in the Midwest Division. Detroit goaltender Jonas Gustavsson, with the team on conditioning, got the start between the pipes in Wednesday’s game versus the Toronto Marlies at Ricoh Coliseum, and after surrendering an early goal, he turned aside the rest of the shots he faced to backstop the Griffins to a 3-1 victory. Teemu Pulkkinen (two goals) and Andy Miele (two assists) teamed up for a majority of Grand Rapids’ scoring, but it was rookie Mark Zengerle who notched the game-winning goal with 4:44 remaining in the third. Pulkkinen earned the insurance tally with an empty-netter. Friday saw the Griffins return to Van Andel Arena for the first of two back-to-back games against the Rochester Americans. In net for Grand Rapids was Jared Coreau, who earned back-to-back road shutouts on Jan. 29 against the Iowa Wild (6-0) and Jan. 30 against the Milwaukee Admirals (3-0). Coreau entered the game with a perfect streak of 140:32 but a late first-period goal by Johan Larsson saw Coreau’s streak come to an end at 160:06, which broke the Griffins franchise record that was previously held by Marc Lamothe (153:58, 11/7/02-11/16/02). Rochester tied the game with just 1:58 remaining to push Grand Rapids to overtime, but Nathan Paetsch scored the 5-4 game-winner 2:03 into the extra time. Rochester turned the tables on Saturday, when the Griffins fell in overtime to the Amerks, 4-3. Tom McCollum, who was on a five-game winning streak with the Griffins entering the night, saw his first start after missing 10 games while on recall with the Detroit Red Wings. Anthony Mantha, Andreas Athanasiou and Landon Ferraro all scored for Grand Rapids, but the team surrendered its 3-1 lead midway through the second to allow the Amerks to their eventual overtime win.

Purple Game Promotions: Nearly everything at Van Andel Arena will be in sync with the color associated with cancer survivors on Friday, as the Griffins host their fourth annual “Purple Community Game” to benefit Van Andel Institute. Fans can enjoy many purple elements, ranging from purple concession items to purple-themed songs and graphics during the game. They can also become a member of “Purple Community,” a group dedicated to connecting individuals who are passionate about fighting cancer and other diseases. Fans who would like to attend the game and support fundraising for cancer research can purchase a “Purple Pack” for $23, which includes two or more lower level center ice tickets and the opportunity to be part of the Griffins High Five Tunnel during the starting lineup introductions. A portion of the funds from every “Purple Pack” sold will be donated to Van Andel Institute. Tickets are available at griffinshockey.com/purple. Friday’s game also gives fans the opportunity to enjoy $2 hot dogs and $2 domestic drafts from 6-8 p.m., while supplies last. Purple beer will be available at select locations, including the D-ZONE, along with purple cotton candy, slushies, donuts and other assorted desserts. Fans can also take advantage of College Night specials, where college students can purchase an upper bowl ticket for $14 (or $13 in advance at The Zone) and stop by the McFadden’s concourse table to receive a free pass to the post-game party at McFadden’s. Every Friday night is a Griffins D-Zone night, where fans can have $2 beers and $2 hot dogs served directly to their seats. D-ZONE tickets are only available by calling 616-774-4585 ext. 2 or at griffinshockey.com/. In addition, fans can enjoy all of the popcorn they can eat with a special offer that includes four or more upper or lower level tickets and a Griffins popcorn bucket good for unlimited popcorn refills throughout the game! Popcorn packs are only available by calling 616-774-4585 ext. 2 or at griffinshockey.com/popcorn.

Purple Jersey Auction: When Grand Rapids squares off against San Antonio on Friday, the Griffins will wear special purple accented jerseys during the game that will be autographed and auctioned off to the public after the game, with proceeds benefiting Van Andel Institute.

Griffins Winter Scarf Giveaway: The first 2,500 fans attending Saturday’s game versus the San Antonio Rampage will receive a Griffins winter scarf, courtesy of Centennial Securities. In addition, fans can bring their skates to the rink and take to the ice for the post-game open skate. Other post-game open skate dates include March 22 and April 18. Friends & Family 4-Packs are available for all Saturday games, and each pack incudes four tickets and $12 in concession cash for a great low price. Visit griffinshockey.com/f4p or call (616) 774-4585 ext. 2.

Griffins Leaders: Right wing Teemu Pulkkinen continues to lead the Griffins, and the entire league, in scoring with 53 points (27-26—53) in 41 games. Center Andy Miele sits in second on the team with 42 points (13-29—42) in 42 games, while left wing Mitch Callahan ranks third (16-22—38). Right wing Chris Bruton (80) leads the team in penalty minutes and defenseman Brennan Evans (58) ranks second. Defenseman Alexey Marchenko, who was recalled to Detroit last week, registers the highest plus/minus rating on the team (plus-15). The next-highest ranking is center Tomas Nosek with a plus-12 rating.

Athanasiou Returns: After breaking his jaw in a Dec. 12 game at Oklahoma City, rookie center Andreas Athanasiou missed 20 games while recovering from his injury. Athanasiou returned to the lineup for Friday’s game, roughly a week earlier than expected. The decision proved fruitful for the Griffins, as the London, Ontario, native scored an assist on Friday and followed it up with a goal on Saturday. In 27 games this season, Athanasiou has eight goals, 10 assists and a plus-nine rating.

The Midwest: There’s a new leader in the Midwest Division for the first time in over two months, as the now first-place Milwaukee Admirals (28-13-2-4, 62 pts.) defeated the second-place Rockford IceHogs (26-16-4-2, 58 pts.) on Friday and Saturday to take over the top spot. Grand Rapids (25-17-4-1, 55 pts.) holds onto its third-place spot after picking up five of six points last week, but the Griffins only have a one-point lead over the Chicago Wolves (24-18-5-1, 54 pts.), who are on a two-game winning streak. The Lake Erie Monsters (21-17-4-3, 49 pts.) have a 6-2-2-0 record in their last 10 games, but the team still ranks last in the division.

League Leader: Right wing Teemu Pulkkinen continued his scoring dominance last week after picking up five points (3-2—5) between Wednesday and Friday but being held scoreless on Saturday. The third-year Griffin ranks first in scoring in the league (53 pts.), first in goals (27), ties for first in power play goals (10), ranks second in shots (161) and second in game-winning goals (6).

Seven of Eight: The Griffins have picked up points in seven of their last eight games (1/23/15-2/7/15) and banked 13 of 18 possible points within that span. Grand Rapids also ran a four-game winning streak from Jan. 23-30, its longest of the season.

Sturdy Bulldog: Rookie defenseman Scott Czarnowczan earned his first professional goal in Friday’s 5-4 victory over the Rochester Americans. The 23-year-old has appeared in 16 contests with the Griffins this season, earning six points (1-5—6) and 16 penalty minutes. Signed to a Griffins contract on July 4, 2014, Czarnowczan has also played in 16 games with the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye, where he picked up 14 points (1-13—14). A native of Macomb, Mich., Czarnowczan spent four seasons with the Ferris State Bulldogs prior to turning pro, where he gathered 63 points (9-54—63) and 212 PIM in 141 collegiate games. In addition to captaining the Bulldogs during his senior season, Czarnowczan made an appearance with Ferris State in the 2012 NCAA Frozen Four Championship game.

Rookie Sharpshooter: Rookie center Mark Zengerle ranks first among AHL newcomers and third overall in shooting percentage at 24.1%. Zengerle has connected on seven of the 29 shots he has taken in his debut campaign with Grand Rapids.

On Paetsch: After notching two goals in Friday’s 5-4 overtime victory over Rochester, including the game-winner, defenseman Nathan Paetsch now has six goals this season, which is his most in a single campaign since joining the Griffins in 2012-13. He had four goals in each of his last two seasons with the team.

Walleye World: The ECHL’s Toledo Walleye (28-9-3-2, 61 pts.) have lost three consecutive games, which is their longest winless streak of the season. On Friday, the Walleye traveled to WesBanco Arena, where the Wheeling Nailers handed Toledo a 4-1 loss. Kyle Bonis earned the sole tally for Toledo in the contest. On Saturday, Martin Frk and Justin Mercier both scored in the second period to push the Walleye within one goal of tying the game, but a scoreless third period saw Elmira take home a 3-2 victory. Tyler Barnes (16-28—44) leads the Walleye in scoring, followed by Anthony Luciani (18-23—41) in second place. Due to their losing streak, the Walleye have fallen back down to second place in the North Division behind the Fort Wayne Komets (31-11-1-2). However, Toledo has three games in hand to its divisional rival.

Blueline Swap: The Detroit Red Wings on Monday assigned defenseman Xavier Ouellet to the Griffins. In addition, the Griffins released defenseman Jared Nightingale from his professional tryout. Ouellet, 21, has picked up three points (2-1—3), two penalty minutes and a plus-four rating in 21 games with Detroit this season, notching his first NHL point (assist) on Nov. 22 at Toronto and his first NHL goal on Nov. 28 at New Jersey. The Bayonne, France, native has also appeared in 24 games with Grand Rapids, registering eight points (1-7—8), 18 PIM and a plus-seven rating. Detroit’s second choice (48th overall) in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, Ouellet has totaled 94 career AHL games with the Griffins from 2013-15, logging 25 points (5-20—25), 40 PIM and a plus-10 rating. A 10-year AHL veteran, Nightingale made his Griffins debut in Saturday’s 4-3 overtime loss to the Rochester Americans at Van Andel Arena. The Jackson, Mich., native has also notched one assist in six games with the Hartford Wolf Pack and one assist in 20 games with the Norfolk Admirals this season. Prior to his stint with Grand Rapids, the 32-year-old defenseman spent 13 games with the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye, where he tallied three points (1-2—3) and 17 PIM. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound defenseman has amassed 51 points (14-37—51) and 888 PIM in 414 career games between the Griffins, Springfield Falcons (2005-06), Iowa Stars (2006-07), Wolf Pack (2007-11; 2014-15), Chicago Wolves (2007-08), Connecticut Whale (2011-12), Syracuse Crunch (2012-13), Rockford IceHogs (2013-14) and Admirals (2014-15). Prior to turning pro, Nightingale spent four seasons with Michigan State University, where he picked up 23 points (2-21—23) in 156 career CCHA games.

Scouting Report

Fri., Feb. 13 vs. San Antonio Rampage (27-15-4-0) – Van Andel Arena – 7 p.m.
Sat., Feb. 14 vs. San Antonio Rampage – Van Andel Arena – 7 p.m.
Radio: WOOD 106.9 FM/1300 AM at 6:35 p.m. (Fri. and Sat.) Web Casts: Video web cast at AHLLive.com, free audio available through woodradio.com. All-Time Series: 34-21-1-4-2 Overall, 17-10-1-2-1 Home. Season Series: First and second of four meetings overall, first and second of two at Van Andel Arena. NHL Affiliation: Florida Panthers. Head Coach: Tom Rowe (2nd season). Notes: The Rampage rank second in the West Division, tie for fourth in the Western Conference and tie for eighth overall…Among active skaters, right wing Bobby Butler ranks first on the team in scoring with 41 points (20-21—41) in 43 games, followed by right wing Mark Mancari (9-24—33) in second and center Rocco Grimaldi (8-22—30) in third. Butler also ties for sixth overall in scoring in the league...Center Brett Olson registers the highest plus/minus rating on the team at plus-11…Despite not ranking among the top goaltenders in terms of goals against average, San Antonio netminder Dan Ellis ranks second in wins with 21. Ellis posts a 2.58 GAA alongside a 21-8-2 record, two shutouts and a 0.907 save percentage…San Antonio has scored more goals than any other team (154) and it averages 3.35 goals per game.

Sun., Feb. 15 at Chicago Wolves (24-18-5-1) – Allstate Arena – 5 p.m.
Radio: WOOD 106.9 FM/1300 AM at 4:35 p.m. Web Casts: Video web cast at AHLLive.com, free audio available through woodradio.com. All-Time Series: 63-47-3-5-2 Overall, 31-26-1-2-0 Road. Season Series: 2-3-1-0 Overall, 1-1-0-0 Road. Seventh of eight meetings overall, third of four at Allstate Arena. NHL Affiliation: St. Louis Blues. Head Coach: John Anderson (13th season). Notes: The Wolves rank fourth in the Midwest Division, seventh in the Western Conference and tie for 15th overall…The Griffins and Wolves last met on Jan. 21 at Van Andel Arena, where Chicago defeated Grand Rapids, 4-2…Center Pat Cannone leads the squad in scoring with 36 points (10-26—36) in 48 games, second place belongs to right wing Shane Harper (21-12—33) and in third is center Philip McRae (15-15—30)…Defenseman Brett Regner registers the highest plus/minus rating for the Wolves (plus-18)…Harper leads the entire league in shooting percentage with 26.3%, notching 21 goals on 80 shots…Chicago goaltenders Jordan Binnington and Matt Climie are on pace with one another, each owning a 2.37 GAA and tying for 16th overall in the league. Binnington owns a 15-9-3 record and a 0.914 save percentage, and Climie owns a 9-9-3 record and 0.911 save percentage…Chicago’s power play ranks second (21.2%) and its penalty killing record ranks 15th (83.5%).