PLAYOFF BOUND

This Week’s Games
Fri., April 8 Chicago Wolves at GRIFFINS 7 p.m. WOOD 106.9 FM/1300 AM / AHLLive.com
Sat., April 9 GRIFFINS at Chicago Wolves 8 p.m. WOOD 106.9 FM/1300 AM / AHLLive.com

Last Week’s Results
Tues., March 29 GRIFFINS 1 at Milwaukee Admirals 4 41-24-1-1 (84 points, 2nd Central Division)
Fri., April 1 GRIFFINS 6 at Rochester Americans 1 42-24-1-1 (86 points, 2nd)
Sat., April 2 GRIFFINS 3 at Toronto Marlies 6 42-25-1-1 (86 points, 3rd)
Sun., April 3 GRIFFINS 5 at Rochester Americans 2 43-25-1-1 (88 points, T2nd)


Opening Faceoff: Grand Rapids clinched a 2016 Calder Cup Playoff berth – its fourth consecutive – with a 5-2 victory at Rochester last Sunday…The Griffins earned a split in last week’s four-game road trip, finishing 2-2…Grand Rapids is 15-5 in its last 20 contests… Grand Rapids has won at least 40 games for the fourth consecutive season and the 13th time in franchise history…The Griffins’ 43 wins are tied for the most in the conference and the second-most in the AHL…Six games remain in the regular season for Grand Rapids – three at home and three on the road…The Griffins are tied for second in the Central Division, third in the Western Conference and sixth in the league with a 43-25-1-1 (0.629) record…The top four teams in the division all boast winning percentages above 0.600 and are separated by just six points.

Playoff Bound: With Grand Rapids’ 5-2 victory at Rochester last Sunday, the Griffins clinched a Calder Cup Playoff berth for the fourth consecutive season and 14th time overall in franchise history…Consider that the Griffins lost nine of their first 11 games this season (2-8-0-1) but have rebounded with a 41-17-1-0 mark since, including winning streaks of 15 games (franchise record) and 13 games 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 the third-longest active streak in the AHL (13, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton; 5, Toronto)…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 Final 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 has 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…This will be 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 Griffins' 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 Turner Cup Playoffs and Simon appeared in seven games during the 2007 Calder Cup Playoffs.

This Week’s Promotions: On Fridy against Chicago, fans can enjoy $2 hot dogs and $2 domestic drafts from 6-8 p.m., while supplies last.

Current Playoff Picture:

Home-Ice Importance: In the Central Division, Milwaukee, Lake Erie and Grand Rapids have all clinched playoff berths and Rockford’s magic number to clinch has been dwindled down to three…The top two teams in the division will have home-ice advantage for the first round…Grand Rapids is currently tied for second with Lake Erie…Against Central Division opponents at home, the Griffins are 21-4-1-0 (0.827), including a combined 11-2-0-0 mark against Rockford (3-1), Milwaukee (4-0) and Lake Erie (4-1).

Chouinard Assigned to Toledo: The Griffins have assigned defenseman Joel Chouinard to the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye. Chouinard accumulated four points (1-3—4) and a plus-three rating in nine games for Grand Rapids this season. He scored the game-winning goal in his Griffins debut, a 4-3 win at Iowa on Feb. 13. In 47 games for Toledo, Chouinard has totaled 28 points (7-21—28) – second-most among defensemen on the team – and helped the Walleye clinch the ECHL’s North Division title.

McCollum Named Man of the Year: The Griffins are proud to announce that Tom McCollum has been named the team’s winner of the IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year award for his outstanding contributions to the Grand Rapids community during the 2015-16 season. McCollum is the only three-time IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year nominee in the franchise’s 20 seasons.

Criscuolo Debuts: Last week, the Griffins signed forward Kyle Criscuolo to an amateur tryout for the remainder of the 2015-16 season and to a standard player’s contract for 2016-17. A native of Southampton, N.J., Criscuolo played four seasons for the Harvard Crimson (ECAC), where he appeared in 124 games and tallied 113 points (53-60—113). He served as a two-time captain for the Crimson, becoming the fourth multi-year captain in the team’s history and the first in nearly 70 years. In his senior season, Criscuolo, 23, ranked third on the team in points (19-13—32) and second in goals (19) while helping lead the Crimson to their second straight NCAA Tournament appearance. Criscuolo made his AHL debut in the Griffins’ 6-3 loss at Toronto last Saturday. In his first two pro games, Criscuolo has tallied six shots and a +2 rating.

Magnificent Miele: Andy Miele has accumulated 106 goals and 201 assists in five AHL seasons (three in Portland, two in Grand Rapids). Miele’s 307 regular-season points rank as the second-most in the AHL since he made his debut on Oct. 8, 2011.

Russo’s Rare Rookie Numbers: Thanks to a pair of assists in the last three games, Robbie Russo has established a new Griffins’ scoring record for rookie defensemen (5-34—39), passing Clay Wilson (2005-06) and Chad Billins (2012-13). His 39 points also move him into sole possession of eighth place on the team’s all-time rookie scoring list. Russo’s 34 helpers are already the most ever by a rookie defenseman and he is just two shy of tying Gustav Nyquist’s record for assists by a first-year Griffin (36 in 2011-12). He is currently third in that category, also trailing Glen Metropolit (35 in 1997-98).

Griffins Leaders: Andy Miele has four goals and six points (4-2—6) in the last five games and leads the Griffins in both points (18-40—58) and assists (40)…Miele is tied for sixth in the league in points…Eric Tangradi has assists in each of the last two games and points in four of the last five (2-3—5)…While ranking second on the team in points, Tangradi is tied for 13th in the AHL (26-28—54)…Mitch Callahan has four points (1-3—4) in the last five games after registering two points (1-1—2) in his previous 10…Brian Lashoff set a season-best with two assists in Sunday’s win at Rochester…Zach Nastasiuk recorded career highs in both goals (2) and points (3) last Sunday…The team leader in goals, Martin Frk is tied for third in the league with 27…Among league defensemen, rookie Robbie Russo is tied for 10th in point production (5-34—39) and is tied for fifth in assists (34)...Russo leads the league in plus/minus at +47.

Road Warriors: After playing nine of their last 10 games on the road over a stretch spanning 26 days (March 13-April 7), the Griffins will be back inside the friendly confines of Van Andel Arena on Friday to face the Chicago Wolves. Grand Rapids posted a 5-4 mark in its last nine road contests.

Home Ice Advantage: Averaging 8,356 fans per home game this season, the Griffins are on pace to secure an average attendance increase at Van Andel Arena for the sixth straight season and the ninth time in 10 years. Grand Rapids has taken full advantage of the raucous crowd support, tying for third in the league with 24 home victories and winning seven of its last eight. The club record for home wins in a season is 31, set back in 2000-01 when the league played an 82-game schedule.

On the Plus Side: Among the 18 Griffins skaters who have appeared in 20 or more games this season, 16 find themselves with a positive plus/minus rating and two are at zero. Rookie Robbie Russo paces the league at +47. Russo has been on the ice 31 times when the opponent scores and that includes three power play goals and two empty netters. As Russo climbs the AHL’s all-time list for single season plus/minus rating, take a look at the top 10 (the league began keeping the stat in 1991-92):

Stone Wall: Grand Rapids is the only team to place two goaltenders in both the top 10 for goals against average and the top five for save percentage. Tom McCollum is fourth in GAA (2.24) and tied for first in save percentage (0.931) while Jared Coreau is ninth in GAA (2.36) and tied for fourth in save percentage (0.925). McCollum’s 0.931 would currently place second on the team’s single-season top 10 list behind Joey MacDonald (0.936, 2003-04) while Coreau’s 0.925 would rank fifth. Behind Coreau and McCollum, the Griffins are threatening the franchise record for highest team save percentage in a season. Here’s where the Griffins’ overall mark of 0.923 currently stands (note this stat includes empty-net goals allowed by the team):

Terrific Tom: Grand Rapids’ all-time leader in appearances (222) and saves (5,569), goaltender Tom McCollum earned his 102nd win as a Griffin last Sunday at Rochester as he continues to chase down the club record for wins (Joey MacDonald, 109). Over his last 11 appearances, McCollum shows an impressive line of a 1.52 GAA and a 0.952 save percentage to go along with a 9-1-0 mark. His seven career shutouts tie him with current Detroit Red Wing Petr Mrazek for sixth on the franchise’s all-time list.

Consistent Coreau: Despite dropping his last three decisions, Jared Coreau remains one of the AHL’s elite goaltenders this season, placing in the top 10 for wins (29, third), shutouts (six, third), goals against average (2.36, ninth) and save percentage (0.925, tied for fourth). Coreau recorded his sixth shutout of the season at Chicago on March 13, equaling a club record for bagels in a season reached five times previously and most recently by Jimmy Howard in 2006-07. His shutout against the Wolves also marked Coreau’s fourth road blanking of the season, setting a new club record. Coreau’s 29 wins tie him for fifth with Jani Hurme (1999-00) on the team’s single-season list.

Clear Influence: A veteran of over 1,100 professional games including 938 in the NHL, 37-year-old Daniel Cleary has made his presence felt on the ice during his first season as a Griffin. Despite Cleary registering only 14 points (3-11—14) on the season, in the 33 games the 19th year pro is in the lineup the Griffins post a staggering 26-6-1-0 (0.803) record. Cleary has goals in the last two games.

Win Some and Lose Some: The Griffins own a 43-25-1-1 (0.629) record through 70 games. Take a look at how Grand Rapids’ numbers stack up between its 43 wins and 27 (including overtime and shootout) losses:

Back-to-Back-to-Backs: Compare the statistics for when the Griffins play on consecutive nights:

Free Hockey: In their 11 games that have gone to either overtime or a shootout, the Griffins post a 0.818 winning percentage – second-highest in the league (8-1 OT, 1-1 SO).

Goal Scoring: One of four teams to rank inside the top 10 in both goals for and goals against per game, the Griffins are the only ones to place in the top four in each category (goals for, 3.23, fourth; goals against, 2.47, tied for third).

Magic Numbers: The Griffins are 39-4-1-0 when scoring three or more goals and 32-5-0-0 when allowing two or fewer…Grand Rapids is 23-4-0-0 when leading after one period and 29-2-0-0 when leading after two...The Griffins’ 39 first goals are tied for seventh in the league while showing a 31-7-1-0 mark when striking first.

Against the Best: The Griffins own a 27-17-0-1 (0.611) mark against teams with a winning record this season, including an 18-13-0-1 (0.578) mark against teams with a winning percentage greater than 0.600 thru April 4. Grand Rapids will face opponents with a combined winning percentage of 0.517 over its final six contests.

Walleye World: Sporting the second-best record in the ECHL, the Toledo Walleye (46-19-2-3, 97 points) have clinched the North Division title and will be heading to the postseason for the fourth time in team history. Toledo came just short of reaching the Kelly Cup Finals a season ago, losing in three overtimes in the deciding seventh game of the Eastern Conference Finals against South Carolina. The Walleye are led on offense by former Griffin Shane Berschbach (24-43—67) and Tyler Sikura (16-32—48). Rookie netminder Jake Paterson, Detroit’s second pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, shows a 17-9-1-1 record with a 2.22 GAA and 0.923 save percentage as an understudy to former Michigan State Spartan Jeff Lerg (28-10-1-2, 2.13 GAA, 0.927%).

Scouting Report

Friday, April 8 vs. Chicago Wolves (30-33-5-3) – Van Andel Arena – 7 p.m.
Saturday, April 9 at Chicago Wolves – Allstate Arena – 8 p.m.
Radio: WOOD 106.9 FM/1300 AM at 6:35 p.m. on Friday, 7:35 p.m. on Saturday. Web Casts: Video web cast at AHLLive.com. All-Time Series: 35-21-2-3-2 Home, 70-48-2-6-2 Overall. Season Series: 2-0-1-0 Home, 5-0-1-0 Overall. Seventh and eighth meetings of eight overall, fourth of four at Van Andel Arena, fourth of four at Allstate Arena. NHL Affiliation: St. Louis Blues. Head Coach: John Anderson (14th season). Notes: The Chicago Wolves rank sixth in the Central Division, 12th in the Western Conference and tied for 24th overall with a 30-33-5-3 record (0.479)…Chicago has lost five of its last seven including the last three…The Wolves have lost their last five at Allstate Arena…Grand Rapids has earned points in 11 of the last 14 meetings overall against Chicago (9-3-2-0)…Grand Rapids has won the last six at Allstate Arena dating back to Dec. 30, 2014…Two of the three games at Van Andel Arena this year have been decided in overtime, as the Wolves handed the Griffins their lone overtime loss of the season on Jan. 17…In three games at Allstate Arena this year, the Griffins are outscoring the Wolves 11-1, as Jared Coreau has shut out Chicago twice…Griffins head coach Todd Nelson served as an assistant coach with the Wolves for two seasons (2006-08) and won the 2008 Calder Cup in his final season with Chicago…Griffins assistant coach Ben Simon spent three seasons playing for the Wolves (2001-03, 2004-05) and helped Chicago capture the Calder Cup in 2002…Chicago posts a league-low 28 first goals and have been outscored in the opening 20 minutes, 70-48…Center Pat Cannone leads the Wolves with 49 points (20-29—49)…Rookie Jacob Doty is fourth in the league with 163 penalty minutes while the Wolves as a team average 16.37 PIM per game, fifth-highest in the league…In the last meeting between the teams, March 13 at Allstate Arena, Coreau set a Grand Rapids record for most saves in a shutout (45) as the Griffins earned a 4-0 victory.

This Week’s Games
Fri., April 8 Chicago Wolves at GRIFFINS 7 p.m. WOOD 106.9 FM/1300 AM / AHLLive.com
Sat., April 9 GRIFFINS at Chicago Wolves 8 p.m. WOOD 106.9 FM/1300 AM / AHLLive.com

Last Week’s Results
Tues., March 29 GRIFFINS 1 at Milwaukee Admirals 4 41-24-1-1 (84 points, 2nd Central Division)
Fri., April 1 GRIFFINS 6 at Rochester Americans 1 42-24-1-1 (86 points, 2nd)
Sat., April 2 GRIFFINS 3 at Toronto Marlies 6 42-25-1-1 (86 points, 3rd)
Sun., April 3 GRIFFINS 5 at Rochester Americans 2 43-25-1-1 (88 points, T2nd)


Opening Faceoff: Grand Rapids clinched a 2016 Calder Cup Playoff berth – its fourth consecutive – with a 5-2 victory at Rochester last Sunday…The Griffins earned a split in last week’s four-game road trip, finishing 2-2…Grand Rapids is 15-5 in its last 20 contests… Grand Rapids has won at least 40 games for the fourth consecutive season and the 13th time in franchise history…The Griffins’ 43 wins are tied for the most in the conference and the second-most in the AHL…Six games remain in the regular season for Grand Rapids – three at home and three on the road…The Griffins are tied for second in the Central Division, third in the Western Conference and sixth in the league with a 43-25-1-1 (0.629) record…The top four teams in the division all boast winning percentages above 0.600 and are separated by just six points.

Playoff Bound: With Grand Rapids’ 5-2 victory at Rochester last Sunday, the Griffins clinched a Calder Cup Playoff berth for the fourth consecutive season and 14th time overall in franchise history…Consider that the Griffins lost nine of their first 11 games this season (2-8-0-1) but have rebounded with a 41-17-1-0 mark since, including winning streaks of 15 games (franchise record) and 13 games 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 the third-longest active streak in the AHL (13, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton; 5, Toronto)…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 Final 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 has 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…This will be 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 Griffins' 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 Turner Cup Playoffs and Simon appeared in seven games during the 2007 Calder Cup Playoffs.

This Week’s Promotions: On Fridy against Chicago, fans can enjoy $2 hot dogs and $2 domestic drafts from 6-8 p.m., while supplies last.

Home-Ice Importance: In the Central Division, Milwaukee, Lake Erie and Grand Rapids have all clinched playoff berths and Rockford’s magic number to clinch has been dwindled down to three…The top two teams in the division will have home-ice advantage for the first round…Grand Rapids is currently tied for second with Lake Erie…Against Central Division opponents at home, the Griffins are 21-4-1-0 (0.827), including a combined 11-2-0-0 mark against Rockford (3-1), Milwaukee (4-0) and Lake Erie (4-1).

Chouinard Assigned to Toledo: The Griffins have assigned defenseman Joel Chouinard to the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye. Chouinard accumulated four points (1-3—4) and a plus-three rating in nine games for Grand Rapids this season. He scored the game-winning goal in his Griffins debut, a 4-3 win at Iowa on Feb. 13. In 47 games for Toledo, Chouinard has totaled 28 points (7-21—28) – second-most among defensemen on the team – and helped the Walleye clinch the ECHL’s North Division title.

McCollum Named Man of the Year: The Griffins are proud to announce that Tom McCollum has been named the team’s winner of the IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year award for his outstanding contributions to the Grand Rapids community during the 2015-16 season. McCollum is the only three-time IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year nominee in the franchise’s 20 seasons.

Criscuolo Debuts: Last week, the Griffins signed forward Kyle Criscuolo to an amateur tryout for the remainder of the 2015-16 season and to a standard player’s contract for 2016-17. A native of Southampton, N.J., Criscuolo played four seasons for the Harvard Crimson (ECAC), where he appeared in 124 games and tallied 113 points (53-60—113). He served as a two-time captain for the Crimson, becoming the fourth multi-year captain in the team’s history and the first in nearly 70 years. In his senior season, Criscuolo, 23, ranked third on the team in points (19-13—32) and second in goals (19) while helping lead the Crimson to their second straight NCAA Tournament appearance. Criscuolo made his AHL debut in the Griffins’ 6-3 loss at Toronto last Saturday. In his first two pro games, Criscuolo has tallied six shots and a +2 rating.

Magnificent Miele: Andy Miele has accumulated 106 goals and 201 assists in five AHL seasons (three in Portland, two in Grand Rapids). Miele’s 307 regular-season points rank as the second-most in the AHL since he made his debut on Oct. 8, 2011.

Russo’s Rare Rookie Numbers: Thanks to a pair of assists in the last three games, Robbie Russo has established a new Griffins’ scoring record for rookie defensemen (5-34—39), passing Clay Wilson (2005-06) and Chad Billins (2012-13). His 39 points also move him into sole possession of eighth place on the team’s all-time rookie scoring list. Russo’s 34 helpers are already the most ever by a rookie defenseman and he is just two shy of tying Gustav Nyquist’s record for assists by a first-year Griffin (36 in 2011-12). He is currently third in that category, also trailing Glen Metropolit (35 in 1997-98).

Griffins Leaders: Andy Miele has four goals and six points (4-2—6) in the last five games and leads the Griffins in both points (18-40—58) and assists (40)…Miele is tied for sixth in the league in points…Eric Tangradi has assists in each of the last two games and points in four of the last five (2-3—5)…While ranking second on the team in points, Tangradi is tied for 13th in the AHL (26-28—54)…Mitch Callahan has four points (1-3—4) in the last five games after registering two points (1-1—2) in his previous 10…Brian Lashoff set a season-best with two assists in Sunday’s win at Rochester…Zach Nastasiuk recorded career highs in both goals (2) and points (3) last Sunday…The team leader in goals, Martin Frk is tied for third in the league with 27…Among league defensemen, rookie Robbie Russo is tied for 10th in point production (5-34—39) and is tied for fifth in assists (34)...Russo leads the league in plus/minus at +47.

Road Warriors: After playing nine of their last 10 games on the road over a stretch spanning 26 days (March 13-April 7), the Griffins will be back inside the friendly confines of Van Andel Arena on Friday to face the Chicago Wolves. Grand Rapids posted a 5-4 mark in its last nine road contests.

Home Ice Advantage: Averaging 8,356 fans per home game this season, the Griffins are on pace to secure an average attendance increase at Van Andel Arena for the sixth straight season and the ninth time in 10 years. Grand Rapids has taken full advantage of the raucous crowd support, tying for third in the league with 24 home victories and winning seven of its last eight. The club record for home wins in a season is 31, set back in 2000-01 when the league played an 82-game schedule.

On the Plus Side: Among the 18 Griffins skaters who have appeared in 20 or more games this season, 16 find themselves with a positive plus/minus rating and two are at zero. Rookie Robbie Russo paces the league at +47. Russo has been on the ice 31 times when the opponent scores and that includes three power play goals and two empty netters.

Stone Wall: Grand Rapids is the only team to place two goaltenders in both the top 10 for goals against average and the top five for save percentage. Tom McCollum is fourth in GAA (2.24) and tied for first in save percentage (0.931) while Jared Coreau is ninth in GAA (2.36) and tied for fourth in save percentage (0.925). McCollum’s 0.931 would currently place second on the team’s single-season top 10 list behind Joey MacDonald (0.936, 2003-04) while Coreau’s 0.925 would rank fifth.

Terrific Tom: Grand Rapids’ all-time leader in appearances (222) and saves (5,569), goaltender Tom McCollum earned his 102nd win as a Griffin last Sunday at Rochester as he continues to chase down the club record for wins (Joey MacDonald, 109). Over his last 11 appearances, McCollum shows an impressive line of a 1.52 GAA and a 0.952 save percentage to go along with a 9-1-0 mark. His seven career shutouts tie him with current Detroit Red Wing Petr Mrazek for sixth on the franchise’s all-time list.

Consistent Coreau: Despite dropping his last three decisions, Jared Coreau remains one of the AHL’s elite goaltenders this season, placing in the top 10 for wins (29, third), shutouts (six, third), goals against average (2.36, ninth) and save percentage (0.925, tied for fourth). Coreau recorded his sixth shutout of the season at Chicago on March 13, equaling a club record for bagels in a season reached five times previously and most recently by Jimmy Howard in 2006-07. His shutout against the Wolves also marked Coreau’s fourth road blanking of the season, setting a new club record. Coreau’s 29 wins tie him for fifth with Jani Hurme (1999-00) on the team’s single-season list.

Clear Influence: A veteran of over 1,100 professional games including 938 in the NHL, 37-year-old Daniel Cleary has made his presence felt on the ice during his first season as a Griffin. Despite Cleary registering only 14 points (3-11—14) on the season, in the 33 games the 19th year pro is in the lineup the Griffins post a staggering 26-6-1-0 (0.803) record. Cleary has goals in the last two games.

Free Hockey: In their 11 games that have gone to either overtime or a shootout, the Griffins post a 0.818 winning percentage – second-highest in the league (8-1 OT, 1-1 SO).

Goal Scoring: One of four teams to rank inside the top 10 in both goals for and goals against per game, the Griffins are the only ones to place in the top four in each category (goals for, 3.23, fourth; goals against, 2.47, tied for third).

Magic Numbers: The Griffins are 39-4-1-0 when scoring three or more goals and 32-5-0-0 when allowing two or fewer…Grand Rapids is 23-4-0-0 when leading after one period and 29-2-0-0 when leading after two...The Griffins’ 39 first goals are tied for seventh in the league while showing a 31-7-1-0 mark when striking first.

Against the Best: The Griffins own a 27-17-0-1 (0.611) mark against teams with a winning record this season, including an 18-13-0-1 (0.578) mark against teams with a winning percentage greater than 0.600 thru April 4. Grand Rapids will face opponents with a combined winning percentage of 0.517 over its final six contests.

Walleye World: Sporting the second-best record in the ECHL, the Toledo Walleye (46-19-2-3, 97 points) have clinched the North Division title and will be heading to the postseason for the fourth time in team history. Toledo came just short of reaching the Kelly Cup Finals a season ago, losing in three overtimes in the deciding seventh game of the Eastern Conference Finals against South Carolina. The Walleye are led on offense by former Griffin Shane Berschbach (24-43—67) and Tyler Sikura (16-32—48). Rookie netminder Jake Paterson, Detroit’s second pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, shows a 17-9-1-1 record with a 2.22 GAA and 0.923 save percentage as an understudy to former Michigan State Spartan Jeff Lerg (28-10-1-2, 2.13 GAA, 0.927%).

Scouting Report

Friday, April 8 vs. Chicago Wolves (30-33-5-3) – Van Andel Arena – 7 p.m.
Saturday, April 9 at Chicago Wolves – Allstate Arena – 8 p.m.
Radio: WOOD 106.9 FM/1300 AM at 6:35 p.m. on Friday, 7:35 p.m. on Saturday. Web Casts: Video web cast at AHLLive.com. All-Time Series: 35-21-2-3-2 Home, 70-48-2-6-2 Overall. Season Series: 2-0-1-0 Home, 5-0-1-0 Overall. Seventh and eighth meetings of eight overall, fourth of four at Van Andel Arena, fourth of four at Allstate Arena. NHL Affiliation: St. Louis Blues. Head Coach: John Anderson (14th season). Notes: The Chicago Wolves rank sixth in the Central Division, 12th in the Western Conference and tied for 24th overall with a 30-33-5-3 record (0.479)…Chicago has lost five of its last seven including the last three…The Wolves have lost their last five at Allstate Arena…Grand Rapids has earned points in 11 of the last 14 meetings overall against Chicago (9-3-2-0)…Grand Rapids has won the last six at Allstate Arena dating back to Dec. 30, 2014…Two of the three games at Van Andel Arena this year have been decided in overtime, as the Wolves handed the Griffins their lone overtime loss of the season on Jan. 17…In three games at Allstate Arena this year, the Griffins are outscoring the Wolves 11-1, as Jared Coreau has shut out Chicago twice…Griffins head coach Todd Nelson served as an assistant coach with the Wolves for two seasons (2006-08) and won the 2008 Calder Cup in his final season with Chicago…Griffins assistant coach Ben Simon spent three seasons playing for the Wolves (2001-03, 2004-05) and helped Chicago capture the Calder Cup in 2002…Chicago posts a league-low 28 first goals and have been outscored in the opening 20 minutes, 70-48…Center Pat Cannone leads the Wolves with 49 points (20-29—49)…Rookie Jacob Doty is fourth in the league with 163 penalty minutes while the Wolves as a team average 16.37 PIM per game, fifth-highest in the league…In the last meeting between the teams, March 13 at Allstate Arena, Coreau set a Grand Rapids record for most saves in a shutout (45) as the Griffins earned a 4-0 victory.