HALFWAY THERE

January 14, 2015

by Alan Cross – griffinshockey.com
____________________________

With the Grand Rapids Griffins on the precipice of the season’s halfway point, the team is currently in a playoff position after a recent hot streak. Sporting a 19-12-3-1 record through 35 games, the team ties for third in the Midwest Division and ties for seventh overall in the Western Conference with just three games to go before the midway.

Their resume checks out; the Griffins are 9-2-1-1 in their last 13 home games and 16-6-2-1 overall since Nov. 12.

It wasn’t always roses, though, as the team had a rough go to begin the season.

While a 4-0 shutout loss to Lake Erie on opening night was easy enough to shrug off, things started to look troublesome for Grand Rapids after the team went on a six-game losing streak from Oct. 24-Nov. 8. Sitting on a 3-6-1-0 record through their first 10 games, it was time for the Griffins to make a serious turnaround or face a season’s worth of chasing a playoff spot.

Fortunately, things changed.

“I think we're showing how good of a team we can be if we work hard. The beginning of the year we had a bit of a struggle, we weren't playing the full 60 minutes,” said Mitch Callahan following a 5-1 win over division rival Chicago on Jan. 10. “I think if you look at our lineup, our depth is really good. We could play any of our four lines against any other team's four lines. The way we've been playing, we have momentum and hopefully it carries on.”

It will be an ongoing battle, too, as the Midwest Division features a battle for positioning that shifts on a daily basis. Only 13 points separate the first-place Rockford IceHogs and fifth-place Lake Erie Monsters. In the middle, it’s a tight race between the Milwaukee Admirals (2nd, 43 pts.), Griffins (T3rd, 42 pts.) and Chicago Wolves (T3rd, 42 pts.). Whichever team finishes first in the division will receive an automatic bid to the playoffs, and the other teams will face uncertainty.

So what’s keeping the Griffins on track looking ahead?

To say Grand Rapids’ points leader, Teemu Pulkkinen, has been a huge factor this season would be an understatement. The second-year Griffin has lit up the AHL this season with 39 points (20-19—39) in 33 games, and he currently ranks third in the league in scoring and ties for first in goals. Pulkkinen has exploded for a six-game point streak and two eight-game point streaks at different points throughout the season.

Prior to his recall to Detroit on Jan. 8, Pulkkinen was on an eight-game goal streak, which ties Donald MacLean’s franchise record that was set in the 2005-06 season. Now he gets his chance with the Wings to see if his right-handed slapshot, referred to as the “Holy Slapper” by fans, can have the same success.

Pulkkinen’s success is aided largely by linemates Andy Miele and Callahan, who rank second and third on the team in scoring, respectively. As Grand Rapids’ top line, the trio have combined for 43 goals, 55 assists and 98 points. That’s more than third of the team’s total 287 points scored.

Jared Coreau’s sturdy performance in net has also been a big contributing factor. With both Petr Mrazek and Tom McCollum currently on recall to Detroit due to goaltender injuries, Coreau will assume the number-one position for the Griffins.

Coming into the 2014-15 campaign, it’s a spot most wouldn’t have predicted he’d land in. Last season, he registered a 4.03 goals against average and a 1-12-6 record in 20 games with the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye and a 4.39 GAA and a 0-4-0 record in five games with the Griffins.

Posting a complete turnaround from a forgettable debut season, Coreau earned his first start of the campaign on Nov. 29, when he backstopped the Griffins to a win behind a 35-save performance. It was all gravy from there, as he won his next five games in a row to tie a franchise record for best start to a season, previously set by Mrazek in 2012-13 and then McCollum last season.

And while many players have stepped up to the plate, others have been forced to step out.

The team has endured a few injuries that have left key players missing from the lineup at different points throughout the season. Miele missed the first three games of the season recovering from off-season surgery. Tomas Nosek was out from Oct. 24-Dec. 5 after he accidentally took a knife to the hand while trying to open a package in his home. And just as he was beginning to find his stride, Andreas Athanasiou suffered a broken jaw after taking a blow to the face in Oklahoma City on Dec. 12, a game in which he scored two goals and an assist.

Heading into the season’s second stanza, a healthy roster and continued contributions from key players could see the Griffins improve even further as the team aims to stay in playoff position.

January 14, 2015

by Alan Cross – griffinshockey.com
____________________________

With the Grand Rapids Griffins on the precipice of the season’s halfway point, the team is currently in a playoff position after a recent hot streak. Sporting a 19-12-3-1 record through 35 games, the team ties for third in the Midwest Division and ties for seventh overall in the Western Conference with just three games to go before the midway.

Their resume checks out; the Griffins are 9-2-1-1 in their last 13 home games and 16-6-2-1 overall since Nov. 12.

It wasn’t always roses, though, as the team had a rough go to begin the season.

While a 4-0 shutout loss to Lake Erie on opening night was easy enough to shrug off, things started to look troublesome for Grand Rapids after the team went on a six-game losing streak from Oct. 24-Nov. 8. Sitting on a 3-6-1-0 record through their first 10 games, it was time for the Griffins to make a serious turnaround or face a season’s worth of chasing a playoff spot.

Fortunately, things changed.

“I think we're showing how good of a team we can be if we work hard. The beginning of the year we had a bit of a struggle, we weren't playing the full 60 minutes,” said Mitch Callahan following a 5-1 win over division rival Chicago on Jan. 10. “I think if you look at our lineup, our depth is really good. We could play any of our four lines against any other team's four lines. The way we've been playing, we have momentum and hopefully it carries on.”

It will be an ongoing battle, too, as the Midwest Division features a battle for positioning that shifts on a daily basis. Only 13 points separate the first-place Rockford IceHogs and fifth-place Lake Erie Monsters. In the middle, it’s a tight race between the Milwaukee Admirals (2nd, 43 pts.), Griffins (T3rd, 42 pts.) and Chicago Wolves (T3rd, 42 pts.). Whichever team finishes first in the division will receive an automatic bid to the playoffs, and the other teams will face uncertainty.

So what’s keeping the Griffins on track looking ahead?

To say Grand Rapids’ points leader, Teemu Pulkkinen, has been a huge factor this season would be an understatement. The second-year Griffin has lit up the AHL this season with 39 points (20-19—39) in 33 games, and he currently ranks third in the league in scoring and ties for first in goals. Pulkkinen has exploded for a six-game point streak and two eight-game point streaks at different points throughout the season.

Prior to his recall to Detroit on Jan. 8, Pulkkinen was on an eight-game goal streak, which ties Donald MacLean’s franchise record that was set in the 2005-06 season. Now he gets his chance with the Wings to see if his right-handed slapshot, referred to as the “Holy Slapper” by fans, can have the same success.

Pulkkinen’s success is aided largely by linemates Andy Miele and Callahan, who rank second and third on the team in scoring, respectively. As Grand Rapids’ top line, the trio have combined for 43 goals, 55 assists and 98 points. That’s more than third of the team’s total 287 points scored.

Jared Coreau’s sturdy performance in net has also been a big contributing factor. With both Petr Mrazek and Tom McCollum currently on recall to Detroit due to goaltender injuries, Coreau will assume the number-one position for the Griffins.

Coming into the 2014-15 campaign, it’s a spot most wouldn’t have predicted he’d land in. Last season, he registered a 4.03 goals against average and a 1-12-6 record in 20 games with the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye and a 4.39 GAA and a 0-4-0 record in five games with the Griffins.

Posting a complete turnaround from a forgettable debut season, Coreau earned his first start of the campaign on Nov. 29, when he backstopped the Griffins to a win behind a 35-save performance. It was all gravy from there, as he won his next five games in a row to tie a franchise record for best start to a season, previously set by Mrazek in 2012-13 and then McCollum last season.

And while many players have stepped up to the plate, others have been forced to step out.

The team has endured a few injuries that have left key players missing from the lineup at different points throughout the season. Miele missed the first three games of the season recovering from off-season surgery. Tomas Nosek was out from Oct. 24-Dec. 5 after he accidentally took a knife to the hand while trying to open a package in his home. And just as he was beginning to find his stride, Andreas Athanasiou suffered a broken jaw after taking a blow to the face in Oklahoma City on Dec. 12, a game in which he scored two goals and an assist.

Heading into the season’s second stanza, a healthy roster and continued contributions from key players could see the Griffins improve even further as the team aims to stay in playoff position.