PETR MRAZEK AND ADAM ALMQUIST NAMED TO AHL SECOND ALL-STAR TEAM

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Grand Rapids Griffins goaltender Petr Mrazek and defenseman Adam Almquist on Thursday were named to the 2013-14 American Hockey League Second All-Star Team.

Mrazek, 22, ranks first among AHL goaltenders with a 2.03 goals against average and a 0.927 save percentage, while owning a 22-7-1 record through 30 games. In addition, Mrazek boasts a 4-1 shootout record, a 0.750 shootout percentage, 1,711:36 minutes in net and has allowed only 58 goals on 790 shots faced. The Ostrava, Czech Republic, native has posted both an eight-game winning streak from Feb. 22-March 22 and a 10-game winning streak from Oct. 30-Feb. 1.

Detroit’s fifth choice (141st overall) in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, Mrazek has earned three AHL shutouts this season, in addition to his first NHL shutout for the Red Wings via a 14-save performance on Nov. 2 versus the Edmonton Oilers. The 6-foot-1, 187-pound Mrazek has appeared between the pipes in eight games with Detroit, showing a 2.01 GAA, a 0.916 save percentage and a 1-4-0 record.

Almquist, 23, ranks second on the team and first among Griffins defensemen in scoring with 52 points (4-48—52) and boasts a plus-nine rating, 56 penalty minutes and a 0.286 shootout percentage. Among league defensemen, the 5-foot-11, 178-pound blueliner ranks third in scoring, first in assists, second in power play assists (25) and fourth in power play points (27), and he ranks third among all AHL scorers in assists.

On March 7 against the Iowa Wild, Almquist tallied his 40th (assist) and 41st (goal) points of the campaign, marking the fifth time in Griffins franchise history that a defenseman has tallied at least 40 points in a single season. Furthermore, his 48 assists are the most ever tallied by a Griffins defenseman in a single season. Almquist ties with Calle Jarnkrok for the team’s longest assist streak of the 2013-14 campaign (five games, Jan. 24–Feb. 1) and also ties for the most assists in a game this season, earning four separate three-assist performances.

Detroit’s seventh choice (210th overall) in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, Almquist made his NHL debut with the Wings on Nov. 4 at Winnipeg, becoming the 135th Griffins alumnus to play in the NHL. He subsequently tallied his first NHL goal and point on Nov. 7 versus Dallas. In all, Almquist has appeared in two games with Detroit, notching one point (1-0—1) and two shots on goal.

Almquist is the first Griffins defenseman since 2005-06 (Bryan Helmer – 2nd Team) and Mrazek the first goalie since 2002-03 (Marc Lamothe – 1st Team) to be named to the AHL’s All-Star Team. They are the third and fourth Griffins to be honored by the AHL during the last 24 hours, following the selections of right wing Teemu Pulkkinen and defenseman Ryan Sproul to the AHL’s All-Rookie Team on Wednesday.

The other members of the AHL Second All-Star Team, as voted by AHL coaches, players and media in each of the league’s 30 member cities, are left wing Zach Boychuck (Charlotte), right wing Spencer Abbott (Toronto) and center Andy Miele (Portland); and defenseman Brad Hunt (Oklahoma City). The AHL First All-Star Team consists of left wing Mike Hoffman (Binghamton), right wing Colton Sceviour (Texas) and center Travis Morin (Texas); defensemen T.J. Brennan (Toronto) and Adam Clendening (Rockford); and goaltender Jake Allen (Chicago).