GRIFFINS WRAP UP REGULAR SEASON WITH GAMES VERSUS LAKE ERIE AND CHARLOTTE

This Week’s Games
Thu., April 16 GRIFFINS at Lake Erie Monsters 7 p.m. WOOD 106.9 FM/1300 AM / AHLLive.com
Fri., April 17 Charlotte Checkers at GRIFFINS 7 p.m. WOOD 106.9 FM/1300 AM / AHLLive.com
Sat., April 18 Charlotte Checkers at GRIFFINS 7 p.m. WOOD 106.9 FM/1300 AM / AHLLive.com

Last Week’s Results
Wed., April 8 Milwaukee Admirals 2 at GRIFFINS 6 43-20-6-2, 94 pts. (1st, Midwest Division)
Fri., April 10 GRIFFINS 0 at San Antonio Rampage 2 43-21-6-2, 94 pts. (1st)
Sat., April 11 GRIFFINS 2 at San Antonio Rampage 1 OT 44-21-6-2, 96 pts. (1st)

73 Down, Three To Go: There’s still much to be finalized yet in the Western Conference playoff picture, but the Griffins secured four of six possible points last week and are guaranteed a top-four seed in the 2015 Calder Cup Playoffs. The Griffins, who sit one point ahead of the Rockford IceHogs in the Midwest Division race through 73 games played, will face the Lake Erie Monsters on the road on Thursday before returning to Van Andel Arena to conclude the regular season with a pair against the Charlotte Checkers. Last Wednesday, the Griffins toppled the Milwaukee Admirals, 6-2, at home with two goals coming from center Andreas Athanasiou, including a shorthanded tally and the game-winning goal. On Friday, the Griffins took on the San Antonio Rampage at the AT&T Center, where the Rampage served up a 2-0 shutout of the visitors. Grand Rapids was only able to rifle off 22 shots in the contest and was unable to connect on three power play attempts. On Saturday, the Rampage seemingly had the contest wrapped up by a 1-0 margin in the final minute of the third period, before Griffins captain Jeff Hoggan finally solved Rampage goaltender Sam Brittain after 119:11 of perfect goaltending. Then, just 16 seconds into the 3-on-3 portion of overtime, Andy Miele beat Brittain glove-side to give the Griffins a thrilling 2-1 victory.

Playoff Tickets: Fans who want to experience every Griffins game at Van Andel Arena during the 2015 Calder Cup Playoffs can now purchase a Griffins Playoff Pass. Enjoy the same great seat at significant savings plus the convenience of the “pay-as-we-play” method of payment. To reserve your Griffins Playoff Pass, please call (616) 774-4585 ext. 2. The on-sale date for single-game playoff tickets will be announced soon.

Friday Promotions: This Friday’s game gives fans the opportunity to enjoy $2 hot dogs and $2 domestic drafts from 6-8 p.m., while supplies last. 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/dzone. In addition, enjoy all of the popcorn you 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.

Season Finale/Saturday Promotions: The 2014-15 regular season home finale offers a variety of exciting promotions for fans. In Banquet Room B, fans can purchase an assortment of used Griffins equipment, including goalie gear, sticks, gloves and helmets. The sale will begin at 5:45 p.m. for Full Season and 20-Game Plan holders and 6 p.m. for all other fans. The Griffins’ Red Wings-inspired Friday jerseys will be autographed and auctioned off to the public after the game in the Intermission Restaurant, presented by Huntington Bank. Bring your skates to the rink and take to the ice one last time this season for the post-game open skate. Available for all Saturday games, Friends & Family 4-Packs include four tickets and $12 in concession cash for a great low price. To purchase yours, visit griffinshockey.com/f4p or call (616) 774-4585 ext. 2.

Clinched: With just one week remaining in the AHL’s regular season, the Griffins aim to win the Midwest Division title after having secured a playoff berth on April 2. By clinching, Jeff Blashill became the first coach in franchise history to qualify for the playoffs in three consecutive seasons – Bruce Cassidy, Danton Cole and Greg Ireland each made back-to-back playoff appearances. While everything could change throughout this week’s play – Grand Rapids could finish anywhere from first to fourth in the Western Conference and face any of nine teams in the first round – the Griffins would play the Oklahoma City Barons in the conference quarterfinals if the playoffs were to begin today. A look at the current division and conference standings:

Midwest Division

Remaining Western Conference Teams

Currently in playoff position
x Clinched playoff berth
y Clinched division title
*Eliminated from playoff contention

Excellence on Ice: Since Jan. 23, Grand Rapids has accumulated a 25-5-3-1 record (0.794). The team has also won 10 of 11 home games dating to Feb. 14 and has dropped just one home game in regulation since the start of February (11-1-2-0).

It ‘Aint Over ‘Til It’s Over: Saturday marked the fourth time this season that the Griffins tied a game in the final 75 seconds of regulation before winning in either overtime or the shootout:

• Nov. 14 vs. Texas – 3-2 OTW
Mitch Callahan tied it at 18:46 of the 3rd and Teemu Pulkkinen won it at 6:59 of (and with one second left in) overtime

• Dec. 7 at Milwaukee – 2-1 SOW
Pulkkinen tied it at 19:10 of the 3rd before the Griffins prevailed 2-1 in the shootout

• Feb. 18 vs. Milwaukee – 4-3 OTW
Andy Miele tied it at 19:59 of the 3rd and won it at 2:09 of overtime

• April 11 at San Antonio – 2-1 OTW
Jeff Hoggan tied it at 19:11 of the 3rd and Miele won it at 3:44 of overtime

Been Awhile: The San Antonio Rampage’s 2-0 blanking of the Griffins last Friday marked the fourth time this season that Grand Rapids has been shut out. The last time the Griffins failed to score a goal was on Jan. 31 vs. Milwaukee in a 4-0 loss.

Thank You, Fans: Last Wednesday’s capacity crowd of 10,834 at Van Andel Arena was the Griffins’ ninth sellout of the season, their most since 2005-06 (10) and the fifth-highest total in the team’s 19 seasons. Presales for this weekend’s final two home games guarantee that Grand Rapids will realize an average attendance increase for the fifth straight season and eighth time in the last nine seasons.

Give Chase: Grand Rapids has chased the opposition’s starting goalie in two of the last three and three of the last seven games at Van Andel Arena. Last Wednesday, Magnus Hellberg was pulled from Milwaukee’s cage in favor of Marek Mazanec after the Griffins scored two goals in a matter of 29 seconds. Mazanec didn’t last long either, as he was later swapped out in favor of Hellberg after the Griffins’ sixth and final goal of the evening at 8:35 of the third period.

All-Stars: Griffins center Andy Miele and right wing Teemu Pulkkinen on Thursday were named to the 2014-15 American Hockey League First All-Star Team. This marks the first time that two players from the Griffins have been named to the First All-Star Team since Grand Rapids’ inaugural AHL season of 2001-02, when defenseman John Gruden and goaltender Martin Prusek earned the honors. Miele, 26, ranks second in the AHL in scoring with 67 points (24-43—67) in 67 games, ties for first in shootout goals (3) and ranks fifth in assists (43). A native of Detroit, Mich., he also leads the Griffins in points, assists, power play points (24) and power play assists (16). Detroit’s fourth choice (111th overall) in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, Pulkkinen still leads the AHL in goals with 34 and ties for seventh overall in scoring with 61 points (34-27—61) in 46 games, despite having been on recall to the Red Wings since March 7. The Vantaa, Finland, native has notched five goals, three assists, 10 PIM and a plus-five rating in 31 games with Detroit. The 23-year-old has strung together a multitude of accomplishments this season, including taking part in the AHL All-Star Classic, tying the Griffins’ franchise record of eight consecutive games with a goal, and earning his first NHL goal on Jan. 20 versus Minnesota. On March 4 versus Oklahoma City, Pulkkinen notched his second hat trick of the season; his first career hat trick came on Jan. 29 at Iowa, when he became the second Griffin ever to record a hat trick via three power play goals. Earlier this season, Pulkkinen became the first player in Griffins franchise history to record back-to-back 30 goal seasons (31 in 2013-14), and he is only the second Griffin to have ever logged multiple 30-goal seasons. A member of the AHL’s All-Rookie Team last season, Pulkkinen has followed in the footsteps of current Red Wing Gustav Nyquist, who was named to the all-rookie squad in 2011-12 and then the First All-Star Team in 2012-13.

Hoggan Honored: The American Hockey League on Monday announced that Grand Rapids Griffins captain Jeff Hoggan has been named the 2014-15 winner of the Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award as the AHL player who best exemplifies the qualities of sportsmanship, determination and dedication to hockey. The award is voted on by coaches, players and members of the media in each of the league’s 30 cities. A native of Hope, B.C., Hoggan has continuously proven himself to be a leader both on and off the ice. In his third season with the Griffins and 13th as a professional despite being undrafted out of the University of Nebraska-Omaha, the 37-year-old Hoggan has banked 29 points (14-15—29), 39 PIM and a plus-22 rating this season. On Saturday, he scored the game-tying goal at San Antonio with just 49 seconds remaining, enabling an eventual overtime victory and preserving Grand Rapids’ one-point lead atop the Midwest Division. Renowned for his work ethic, competitiveness, preparation, and the culture he has helped create in the Griffins’ locker room, Hoggan has mentored more than a dozen players who have since graduated to the Detroit Red Wings and helped that franchise extend its playoff streak to 24 seasons. He is the second Griffin in four years to win the award, following Chris Minard’s selection in 2011-12.

No Rust for Coreau: Earning just his third start in the Griffins’ last 22 games from Feb. 20-April 11, Jared Coreau backstopped a 2-1 overtime victory over the San Antonio Rampage on Saturday, making 39 saves. His other two starts within that span resulted in a 4-3 loss at Lake Erie (March 21) and a 7-2 win over Toronto (April 4). After Saturday’s victory, Coreau has now earned wins in 9 of his last 10 games.

Red-Hot Rookies: Mark Zengerle (14-20—34, 15th), Anthony Mantha (15-18—33, T16th) and Andreas Athanasiou (16-16—32, T18th) all rank among the Griffins’ all-time single-season rookie scoring leaders. In addition, Athanasiou ranks 11th among the Griffins’ top single-season rookie goal scorers.

PK on Point: Grand Rapids’ penalty kill (87.1%) ranks fifth overall in the league. The Griffins have given up just one power play goal in 33 times shorthanded since March 27 (eight games), that coming during Saturday’s 2-1 overtime victory over San Antonio.

Have You Seen This Scorer?: Grand Rapids is currently without the services of three of its four top scorers. Teemu Pulkkinen (2nd) and Landon Ferraro (3rd) are both on recall with the Detroit Red Wings, while Mitch Callahan (4th) suffered a season-ending ACL injury on Feb. 13 versus San Antonio. Andy Miele is the Griffins’ top scorer and the only one of the four still on the active roster.

Big Ball of Great: Landon Ferraro, who was recalled to Detroit on April 6, scored his first NHL goal on Saturday versus the Carolina Hurricanes. The fifth-year Griffin’s goal was assisted by former Griffin and Grand Rapids native Luke Glendening. Ferraro’s accomplishment was underwritten by a 35-save shutout performance from goaltender Petr Mrazek.

Calder Redux: The Detroit Red Wings will kick off their 2015 Stanley Cup Playoff journey on Thursday, when the team takes on the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of the postseason. The two teams may look very familiar to one another, as a handful of members from both squads participated in the 2013 Calder Cup Finals between their AHL affiliates, the Griffins and Syracuse Crunch. Ten current Red Wings were involved in the series – including forwards Joakim Andersson, Landon Ferraro, Luke Glendening, Tomas Jurco, Gustav Nyquist, Teemu Pulkkinen (did not play), Riley Sheahan and Tomas Tatar; defenseman Danny DeKeyser; and goaltender Petr Mrazek. Meanwhile, seven current members of the Lightning skated against Grand Rapids.

Walleye World: The ECHL’s Toledo Walleye finished their regular season on Sunday with an 8-2 win versus Kalamazoo, giving the team a 50-15-5-2 record. For the first time in Walleye history, Toledo has won a division title and the Brabham Cup as the league’s overall leaders. Toledo completed the greatest turnaround from one season to the next in ECHL history, gaining 58 points this season from the total of 49 collected during the 2013-14 season. The previous best was set by Knoxville (+50) in 1992-1994 and matched by Greenville in 2003-2005. Toledo will open the 2015 Kelly Cup Playoffs with a best of seven matchup against the Wheeling Nailers. The Walleye took six of the seven regular season games against the Nailers, out-scoring them 28-16.

All in the Family: Twenty-four current and former Griffins helped the Detroit Red Wings earn a berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the 24th consecutive season. Coupled with this season’s success by Detroit’s AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids and ECHL club in Toledo, it marks just the second time in the Walleye’s six seasons of play that all three organizations qualified for the postseason. The only prior occurrence was the 2013 playoffs.

Three Join From Toledo: The Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday reassigned goaltender Jake Paterson from the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye to the Griffins. In addition, the Griffins recalled forward Alden Hirschfeld and defenseman Scott Czarnowczan from the Walleye. Detroit’s third choice (80th overall) in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, Paterson has split this season between the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers and Saginaw Spirit. In 24 games with Saginaw, Paterson accumulated a 12-11-1 record, a 3.48 goals against average and a 0.905 save percentage before being traded to Kitchener, where he posted a 14-10-2 regular season record with a 2.37 GAA and a 0.929 save percentage. The 20-year-old also suited up for six playoff games with the Rangers, producing a 2-4 record and a 5.18 GAA, before being reassigned to Toledo. Hirschfeld, 27, has spent a majority of his 2014-15 campaign with the Walleye, ranking sixth on the team in scoring with 44 points (11-33—44), 21 penalty minutes and a plus-15 rating in 59 games. The Dallas, Texas, native has also appeared in 10 games with Grand Rapids, notching an assist and 10 PIM. Signed to a one-year contract to the Griffins last July, Hirschfeld has skated in 23 games with Grand Rapids since 2013, earning a goal, two assists, seven PIM and a plus-one rating. The 23-year-old Czarnowczan has played in 27 games with Grand Rapids during his first professional season, tallying nine points (2-7—9), 26 PIM and a plus-10 rating. Czarnowczan secured his first AHL point (assist) versus Toronto on Dec. 19, before scoring his first goal on Feb. 6 versus Rochester. The Griffins re-signed Czarnowczan to a one-year contract on March 19. On top of his time with the Griffins, the Macomb, Mich., native has also notched 25 points (2-23—25), 12 PIM and a plus-13 rating in 29 games with Toledo.

Scouting Report

Thu., April 15 at Lake Erie Monsters (33-28-8-4) – Quicken Loans Arena – 7 p.m.
Radio: WOOD 106.9 FM/1300 AM at 6:35 p.m. Web Casts: Video web cast at AHLLive.com, free audio available through woodradio.com. All-Time Series: 30-20-3-6 Overall, 12-10-2-5 Road. Season Series: 4-4-1-0 Overall, 2-2-0-0 Road. Tenth of 10 meetings overall, fifth of five at Quicken Loans Arena. NHL Affiliation: Colorado Avalanche. Head Coach: Dean Chynoweth (2nd season). Notes: The Monsters are vying for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference, as the team currently ties for 11th, three points behind the eight-place Toronto Marlies…Lake Erie is on a two-game winning streak and defeated the Griffins, 4-3, when the two teams last met on March 21…The Monsters and Griffins have traded victories in all nine games during the season series so far, with neither team recording back-to-back wins...Left wing Andrew Agozzino has the clear scoring lead on the team, owning 58 points (28-30—58) in 71 games this season. The next highest-scoring skater is defenseman Stefan Elliot with 38 points (18-20—38) in 61 games, 20 points behind Agozzino…Right wing Daniel Maggio ranks fourth in the AHL in penalty minutes with 215 in 48 games…Right wing Kenny Ryan has been the deadliest scorer against the Griffins this season in the series, securing four goals and five assists in eight games against Grand Rapids…Lake Erie’s power play (17.5%) ties with Grand Rapids’ for 12th overall, while the Monsters’ penalty kill (83.8%) ranks 15th…Lake Erie is winless in its last three games at Quicken Loans Arena since April 1.

Fri., April 17 vs. Charlotte Checkers (30-36-6-1) – Van Andel Arena – 7 p.m.
Sat., April 18 vs. Charlotte Checkers – 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: 8-9-0-1 Overall, 3-5-0-0 Home. Season Series: 4-1-0-1 Overall, 1-1-0-0 Home. Seventh and eighth of eight meetings overall, third and fourth of four at Van Andel Arena. NHL Affiliation: Carolina Hurricanes. Head Coach: Jeff Daniels (4th season). Notes: The Checkers have been eliminated from playoff contention and currently rank fourth in the West Division, 13th in the Western Conference and 26th overall…Despite their standing the Checkers are not to be trifled with, as they’ve authored upsets of conference power Rockford (4-3 on Sunday) and playoff qualifier Oklahoma City (2-1 on April 3) during their last three outings…The Griffins fell to the Checkers, 2-1, in a shootout the last time the teams met on March 12 at Time Warner Cable Arena…Right wing Justin Shugg leads the team in scoring with a matching 20 goals and 20 assists, followed by right wing Chad LaRose’s 36 points (18-18—36)…Former Griffin Drew MacIntyre is a member of the Checkers this season, posting a 19-25-5 record, alongside a 2.85 goals against average and a 0.912 save percentage. MacIntyre stood on his head in the teams’ last meeting, backstopping Charlotte to the shootout victory with 47 saves over regulation and overtime, before blocking two of three attempts in the shootout…Charlotte’s power play (13.2%) ranks 28th overall and its penalty kill (85.1%) ties for 10th.

This Week’s Games
Thu., April 16 GRIFFINS at Lake Erie Monsters 7 p.m. WOOD 106.9 FM/1300 AM / AHLLive.com
Fri., April 17 Charlotte Checkers at GRIFFINS 7 p.m. WOOD 106.9 FM/1300 AM / AHLLive.com
Sat., April 18 Charlotte Checkers at GRIFFINS 7 p.m. WOOD 106.9 FM/1300 AM / AHLLive.com

Last Week’s Results
Wed., April 8 Milwaukee Admirals 2 at GRIFFINS 6 43-20-6-2, 94 pts. (1st, Midwest Division)
Fri., April 10 GRIFFINS 0 at San Antonio Rampage 2 43-21-6-2, 94 pts. (1st)
Sat., April 11 GRIFFINS 2 at San Antonio Rampage 1 OT 44-21-6-2, 96 pts. (1st)

73 Down, Three To Go: There’s still much to be finalized yet in the Western Conference playoff picture, but the Griffins secured four of six possible points last week and are guaranteed a top-four seed in the 2015 Calder Cup Playoffs. The Griffins, who sit one point ahead of the Rockford IceHogs in the Midwest Division race through 73 games played, will face the Lake Erie Monsters on the road on Thursday before returning to Van Andel Arena to conclude the regular season with a pair against the Charlotte Checkers. Last Wednesday, the Griffins toppled the Milwaukee Admirals, 6-2, at home with two goals coming from center Andreas Athanasiou, including a shorthanded tally and the game-winning goal. On Friday, the Griffins took on the San Antonio Rampage at the AT&T Center, where the Rampage served up a 2-0 shutout of the visitors. Grand Rapids was only able to rifle off 22 shots in the contest and was unable to connect on three power play attempts. On Saturday, the Rampage seemingly had the contest wrapped up by a 1-0 margin in the final minute of the third period, before Griffins captain Jeff Hoggan finally solved Rampage goaltender Sam Brittain after 119:11 of perfect goaltending. Then, just 16 seconds into the 3-on-3 portion of overtime, Andy Miele beat Brittain glove-side to give the Griffins a thrilling 2-1 victory.

Playoff Tickets: Fans who want to experience every Griffins game at Van Andel Arena during the 2015 Calder Cup Playoffs can now purchase a Griffins Playoff Pass. Enjoy the same great seat at significant savings plus the convenience of the “pay-as-we-play” method of payment. To reserve your Griffins Playoff Pass, please call (616) 774-4585 ext. 2. The on-sale date for single-game playoff tickets will be announced soon.

Friday Promotions: This Friday’s game gives fans the opportunity to enjoy $2 hot dogs and $2 domestic drafts from 6-8 p.m., while supplies last. 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/dzone. In addition, enjoy all of the popcorn you 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.

Season Finale/Saturday Promotions: The 2014-15 regular season home finale offers a variety of exciting promotions for fans. In Banquet Room B, fans can purchase an assortment of used Griffins equipment, including goalie gear, sticks, gloves and helmets. The sale will begin at 5:45 p.m. for Full Season and 20-Game Plan holders and 6 p.m. for all other fans. The Griffins’ Red Wings-inspired Friday jerseys will be autographed and auctioned off to the public after the game in the Intermission Restaurant, presented by Huntington Bank. Bring your skates to the rink and take to the ice one last time this season for the post-game open skate. Available for all Saturday games, Friends & Family 4-Packs include four tickets and $12 in concession cash for a great low price. To purchase yours, visit griffinshockey.com/f4p or call (616) 774-4585 ext. 2.

Clinched: With just one week remaining in the AHL’s regular season, the Griffins aim to win the Midwest Division title after having secured a playoff berth on April 2. By clinching, Jeff Blashill became the first coach in franchise history to qualify for the playoffs in three consecutive seasons – Bruce Cassidy, Danton Cole and Greg Ireland each made back-to-back playoff appearances. While everything could change throughout this week’s play – Grand Rapids could finish anywhere from first to fourth in the Western Conference and face any of nine teams in the first round – the Griffins would play the Oklahoma City Barons in the conference quarterfinals if the playoffs were to begin today. A look at the current division and conference standings:

Midwest Division

Remaining Western Conference Teams

Currently in playoff position
x Clinched playoff berth
y Clinched division title
*Eliminated from playoff contention

Excellence on Ice: Since Jan. 23, Grand Rapids has accumulated a 25-5-3-1 record (0.794). The team has also won 10 of 11 home games dating to Feb. 14 and has dropped just one home game in regulation since the start of February (11-1-2-0).

It ‘Aint Over ‘Til It’s Over: Saturday marked the fourth time this season that the Griffins tied a game in the final 75 seconds of regulation before winning in either overtime or the shootout:

• Nov. 14 vs. Texas – 3-2 OTW
Mitch Callahan tied it at 18:46 of the 3rd and Teemu Pulkkinen won it at 6:59 of (and with one second left in) overtime

• Dec. 7 at Milwaukee – 2-1 SOW
Pulkkinen tied it at 19:10 of the 3rd before the Griffins prevailed 2-1 in the shootout

• Feb. 18 vs. Milwaukee – 4-3 OTW
Andy Miele tied it at 19:59 of the 3rd and won it at 2:09 of overtime

• April 11 at San Antonio – 2-1 OTW
Jeff Hoggan tied it at 19:11 of the 3rd and Miele won it at 3:44 of overtime

Been Awhile: The San Antonio Rampage’s 2-0 blanking of the Griffins last Friday marked the fourth time this season that Grand Rapids has been shut out. The last time the Griffins failed to score a goal was on Jan. 31 vs. Milwaukee in a 4-0 loss.

Thank You, Fans: Last Wednesday’s capacity crowd of 10,834 at Van Andel Arena was the Griffins’ ninth sellout of the season, their most since 2005-06 (10) and the fifth-highest total in the team’s 19 seasons. Presales for this weekend’s final two home games guarantee that Grand Rapids will realize an average attendance increase for the fifth straight season and eighth time in the last nine seasons.

Give Chase: Grand Rapids has chased the opposition’s starting goalie in two of the last three and three of the last seven games at Van Andel Arena. Last Wednesday, Magnus Hellberg was pulled from Milwaukee’s cage in favor of Marek Mazanec after the Griffins scored two goals in a matter of 29 seconds. Mazanec didn’t last long either, as he was later swapped out in favor of Hellberg after the Griffins’ sixth and final goal of the evening at 8:35 of the third period.

All-Stars: Griffins center Andy Miele and right wing Teemu Pulkkinen on Thursday were named to the 2014-15 American Hockey League First All-Star Team. This marks the first time that two players from the Griffins have been named to the First All-Star Team since Grand Rapids’ inaugural AHL season of 2001-02, when defenseman John Gruden and goaltender Martin Prusek earned the honors. Miele, 26, ranks second in the AHL in scoring with 67 points (24-43—67) in 67 games, ties for first in shootout goals (3) and ranks fifth in assists (43). A native of Detroit, Mich., he also leads the Griffins in points, assists, power play points (24) and power play assists (16). Detroit’s fourth choice (111th overall) in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, Pulkkinen still leads the AHL in goals with 34 and ties for seventh overall in scoring with 61 points (34-27—61) in 46 games, despite having been on recall to the Red Wings since March 7. The Vantaa, Finland, native has notched five goals, three assists, 10 PIM and a plus-five rating in 31 games with Detroit. The 23-year-old has strung together a multitude of accomplishments this season, including taking part in the AHL All-Star Classic, tying the Griffins’ franchise record of eight consecutive games with a goal, and earning his first NHL goal on Jan. 20 versus Minnesota. On March 4 versus Oklahoma City, Pulkkinen notched his second hat trick of the season; his first career hat trick came on Jan. 29 at Iowa, when he became the second Griffin ever to record a hat trick via three power play goals. Earlier this season, Pulkkinen became the first player in Griffins franchise history to record back-to-back 30 goal seasons (31 in 2013-14), and he is only the second Griffin to have ever logged multiple 30-goal seasons. A member of the AHL’s All-Rookie Team last season, Pulkkinen has followed in the footsteps of current Red Wing Gustav Nyquist, who was named to the all-rookie squad in 2011-12 and then the First All-Star Team in 2012-13.

Hoggan Honored: The American Hockey League on Monday announced that Grand Rapids Griffins captain Jeff Hoggan has been named the 2014-15 winner of the Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award as the AHL player who best exemplifies the qualities of sportsmanship, determination and dedication to hockey. The award is voted on by coaches, players and members of the media in each of the league’s 30 cities. A native of Hope, B.C., Hoggan has continuously proven himself to be a leader both on and off the ice. In his third season with the Griffins and 13th as a professional despite being undrafted out of the University of Nebraska-Omaha, the 37-year-old Hoggan has banked 29 points (14-15—29), 39 PIM and a plus-22 rating this season. On Saturday, he scored the game-tying goal at San Antonio with just 49 seconds remaining, enabling an eventual overtime victory and preserving Grand Rapids’ one-point lead atop the Midwest Division. Renowned for his work ethic, competitiveness, preparation, and the culture he has helped create in the Griffins’ locker room, Hoggan has mentored more than a dozen players who have since graduated to the Detroit Red Wings and helped that franchise extend its playoff streak to 24 seasons. He is the second Griffin in four years to win the award, following Chris Minard’s selection in 2011-12.

No Rust for Coreau: Earning just his third start in the Griffins’ last 22 games from Feb. 20-April 11, Jared Coreau backstopped a 2-1 overtime victory over the San Antonio Rampage on Saturday, making 39 saves. His other two starts within that span resulted in a 4-3 loss at Lake Erie (March 21) and a 7-2 win over Toronto (April 4). After Saturday’s victory, Coreau has now earned wins in 9 of his last 10 games.

Red-Hot Rookies: Mark Zengerle (14-20—34, 15th), Anthony Mantha (15-18—33, T16th) and Andreas Athanasiou (16-16—32, T18th) all rank among the Griffins’ all-time single-season rookie scoring leaders. In addition, Athanasiou ranks 11th among the Griffins’ top single-season rookie goal scorers.

PK on Point: Grand Rapids’ penalty kill (87.1%) ranks fifth overall in the league. The Griffins have given up just one power play goal in 33 times shorthanded since March 27 (eight games), that coming during Saturday’s 2-1 overtime victory over San Antonio.

Have You Seen This Scorer?: Grand Rapids is currently without the services of three of its four top scorers. Teemu Pulkkinen (2nd) and Landon Ferraro (3rd) are both on recall with the Detroit Red Wings, while Mitch Callahan (4th) suffered a season-ending ACL injury on Feb. 13 versus San Antonio. Andy Miele is the Griffins’ top scorer and the only one of the four still on the active roster.

Big Ball of Great: Landon Ferraro, who was recalled to Detroit on April 6, scored his first NHL goal on Saturday versus the Carolina Hurricanes. The fifth-year Griffin’s goal was assisted by former Griffin and Grand Rapids native Luke Glendening. Ferraro’s accomplishment was underwritten by a 35-save shutout performance from goaltender Petr Mrazek.

Calder Redux: The Detroit Red Wings will kick off their 2015 Stanley Cup Playoff journey on Thursday, when the team takes on the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of the postseason. The two teams may look very familiar to one another, as a handful of members from both squads participated in the 2013 Calder Cup Finals between their AHL affiliates, the Griffins and Syracuse Crunch. Ten current Red Wings were involved in the series – including forwards Joakim Andersson, Landon Ferraro, Luke Glendening, Tomas Jurco, Gustav Nyquist, Teemu Pulkkinen (did not play), Riley Sheahan and Tomas Tatar; defenseman Danny DeKeyser; and goaltender Petr Mrazek. Meanwhile, seven current members of the Lightning skated against Grand Rapids.

Walleye World: The ECHL’s Toledo Walleye finished their regular season on Sunday with an 8-2 win versus Kalamazoo, giving the team a 50-15-5-2 record. For the first time in Walleye history, Toledo has won a division title and the Brabham Cup as the league’s overall leaders. Toledo completed the greatest turnaround from one season to the next in ECHL history, gaining 58 points this season from the total of 49 collected during the 2013-14 season. The previous best was set by Knoxville (+50) in 1992-1994 and matched by Greenville in 2003-2005. Toledo will open the 2015 Kelly Cup Playoffs with a best of seven matchup against the Wheeling Nailers. The Walleye took six of the seven regular season games against the Nailers, out-scoring them 28-16.

All in the Family: Twenty-four current and former Griffins helped the Detroit Red Wings earn a berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the 24th consecutive season. Coupled with this season’s success by Detroit’s AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids and ECHL club in Toledo, it marks just the second time in the Walleye’s six seasons of play that all three organizations qualified for the postseason. The only prior occurrence was the 2013 playoffs.

Three Join From Toledo: The Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday reassigned goaltender Jake Paterson from the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye to the Griffins. In addition, the Griffins recalled forward Alden Hirschfeld and defenseman Scott Czarnowczan from the Walleye. Detroit’s third choice (80th overall) in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, Paterson has split this season between the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers and Saginaw Spirit. In 24 games with Saginaw, Paterson accumulated a 12-11-1 record, a 3.48 goals against average and a 0.905 save percentage before being traded to Kitchener, where he posted a 14-10-2 regular season record with a 2.37 GAA and a 0.929 save percentage. The 20-year-old also suited up for six playoff games with the Rangers, producing a 2-4 record and a 5.18 GAA, before being reassigned to Toledo. Hirschfeld, 27, has spent a majority of his 2014-15 campaign with the Walleye, ranking sixth on the team in scoring with 44 points (11-33—44), 21 penalty minutes and a plus-15 rating in 59 games. The Dallas, Texas, native has also appeared in 10 games with Grand Rapids, notching an assist and 10 PIM. Signed to a one-year contract to the Griffins last July, Hirschfeld has skated in 23 games with Grand Rapids since 2013, earning a goal, two assists, seven PIM and a plus-one rating. The 23-year-old Czarnowczan has played in 27 games with Grand Rapids during his first professional season, tallying nine points (2-7—9), 26 PIM and a plus-10 rating. Czarnowczan secured his first AHL point (assist) versus Toronto on Dec. 19, before scoring his first goal on Feb. 6 versus Rochester. The Griffins re-signed Czarnowczan to a one-year contract on March 19. On top of his time with the Griffins, the Macomb, Mich., native has also notched 25 points (2-23—25), 12 PIM and a plus-13 rating in 29 games with Toledo.

Scouting Report

Thu., April 15 at Lake Erie Monsters (33-28-8-4) – Quicken Loans Arena – 7 p.m.
Radio: WOOD 106.9 FM/1300 AM at 6:35 p.m. Web Casts: Video web cast at AHLLive.com, free audio available through woodradio.com. All-Time Series: 30-20-3-6 Overall, 12-10-2-5 Road. Season Series: 4-4-1-0 Overall, 2-2-0-0 Road. Tenth of 10 meetings overall, fifth of five at Quicken Loans Arena. NHL Affiliation: Colorado Avalanche. Head Coach: Dean Chynoweth (2nd season). Notes: The Monsters are vying for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference, as the team currently ties for 11th, three points behind the eight-place Toronto Marlies…Lake Erie is on a two-game winning streak and defeated the Griffins, 4-3, when the two teams last met on March 21…The Monsters and Griffins have traded victories in all nine games during the season series so far, with neither team recording back-to-back wins...Left wing Andrew Agozzino has the clear scoring lead on the team, owning 58 points (28-30—58) in 71 games this season. The next highest-scoring skater is defenseman Stefan Elliot with 38 points (18-20—38) in 61 games, 20 points behind Agozzino…Right wing Daniel Maggio ranks fourth in the AHL in penalty minutes with 215 in 48 games…Right wing Kenny Ryan has been the deadliest scorer against the Griffins this season in the series, securing four goals and five assists in eight games against Grand Rapids…Lake Erie’s power play (17.5%) ties with Grand Rapids’ for 12th overall, while the Monsters’ penalty kill (83.8%) ranks 15th…Lake Erie is winless in its last three games at Quicken Loans Arena since April 1.

Fri., April 17 vs. Charlotte Checkers (30-36-6-1) – Van Andel Arena – 7 p.m.
Sat., April 18 vs. Charlotte Checkers – 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: 8-9-0-1 Overall, 3-5-0-0 Home. Season Series: 4-1-0-1 Overall, 1-1-0-0 Home. Seventh and eighth of eight meetings overall, third and fourth of four at Van Andel Arena. NHL Affiliation: Carolina Hurricanes. Head Coach: Jeff Daniels (4th season). Notes: The Checkers have been eliminated from playoff contention and currently rank fourth in the West Division, 13th in the Western Conference and 26th overall…Despite their standing the Checkers are not to be trifled with, as they’ve authored upsets of conference power Rockford (4-3 on Sunday) and playoff qualifier Oklahoma City (2-1 on April 3) during their last three outings…The Griffins fell to the Checkers, 2-1, in a shootout the last time the teams met on March 12 at Time Warner Cable Arena…Right wing Justin Shugg leads the team in scoring with a matching 20 goals and 20 assists, followed by right wing Chad LaRose’s 36 points (18-18—36)…Former Griffin Drew MacIntyre is a member of the Checkers this season, posting a 19-25-5 record, alongside a 2.85 goals against average and a 0.912 save percentage. MacIntyre stood on his head in the teams’ last meeting, backstopping Charlotte to the shootout victory with 47 saves over regulation and overtime, before blocking two of three attempts in the shootout…Charlotte’s power play (13.2%) ranks 28th overall and its penalty kill (85.1%) ties for 10th.