WINNING HABITS
This Week’s Games
Tues., Jan. 5 GRIFFINS at Manitoba Moose 8 p.m. WOOD 106.9 FM/1300 AM / AHLLive.com
Fri., Jan. 8 Milwaukee Admirals at GRIFFINS 7 p.m. WOOD 106.9 FM/1300 AM / AHLLive.com
Sat., Jan. 9 Lake Erie Monsters at GRIFFINS 7 p.m. WOOD 106.9 FM/1300 AM / AHLLive.com
Last Week’s Results
Tues., Dec. 29 GRIFFINS 0 at Milwaukee Admirals 3 17-10-0-1, 35 points (4th, Central Division)
Thurs., Dec. 31 Milwaukee Admirals 0 at GRIFFINS 3 18-10-0-1, 37 points (3rd)
Sun., Jan. 3 GRIFFINS 4 at Manitoba Moose 1 19-10-0-1, 39 points (3rd)
Hello, 2016: The Griffins concluded 2015 with a win and commenced 2016 victoriously. Following a 4-1 victory at Manitoba on Sunday, Grand Rapids has won 17 of its last 19 contests including the last two. The Griffins begin 2016 with a third-place standing in the Central Division.
Weekend Promotions: For Friday’s contest against Milwaukee, fans can enjoy $2 hot dogs and $2 domestic drafts from 6-8 p.m. while supplies last. On Saturday against Lake Erie, the first 2,500 fans in attendance will receive a 20th Anniversary Griffins blanket, courtesy of DTE Energy. Following the game, Griffins players will sign autographs from the team’s bench, thanks to Huntington Bank. Fans can also take their skates to the rink on Saturday and participate in the post-game open skate, presented by Arby’s.
Goaltender of the Month: Jared Coreau has been selected as the CCM/AHL Goaltender of the Month for December, as announced by the AHL on Monday. In 11 December starts, Coreau posted a 9-2-0 record along with a 1.92 goals-against average and a 0.938 save percentage. He becomes the fifth Griffins goaltender to earn monthly league (AHL/IHL) accolades and the first since Jimmy Howard in December 2007.
Shuttin’ It Down: Jared Coreau recorded his second shutout of the season and the fifth of his three-year professional career in Dec. 31’s 3-0 win over Milwaukee. Both of Coreau’s shutouts this year have come against the first-place Admirals (Nov. 27, Dec. 31). Coreau’s two blanking of opponents this season marks the fourth time in the franchise’s last 10 years that the same goaltender has recorded at least a pair of shutouts through the team’s first 30 games (2011-12 — Joey MacDonald, Oct. 18 at Hamilton and Nov. 2 vs. Lake Erie; 2008-09 — Daniel Larsson, Nov. 11 vs. Houston, Nov. 30 at Chicago and Dec. 21 at Rochester; 2007-08 — Jimmy Howard, Dec. 2 at Milwaukee and Dec. 7 vs. Syracuse). Coreau’s last week spanning Dec. 28-Jan. 3 saw him finish with a 2-1-0 record, 1.01 goals against average and a 0.959 save percentage.
Home Cooking: With a 3-0 win over Milwaukee on Dec. 31, the Griffins set a franchise record by winning their 11th straight game inside Van Andel Arena. Grand Rapids’ current stretch is tied for the fifth-longest home winning streak in the AHL since 2007-08 (24, Hershey, 2009-10; 15, Norfolk, 2011-12; 12, Hershey and Texas, 2013-14; 11, Grand Rapids, 2015-16, Providence, 2014-15, and Syracuse, 2007-08) and the Griffins have outscored their visitors by a 48-19 tally during the run.
Longest Home Winning Streaks in Griffins History:
| Games | Dates | Coach |
| 11 | Nov. 11-Dec. 31, 2015 | Todd Nelson |
| 10 | Jan. 23-Feb. 27, 2004 | Danton Cole |
| Dec. 22, 2000-Jan. 26, 2001 | Bruce Cassidy | |
| 9 | March 1-April 14, 2006 | Greg Ireland |
| 8 | Oct. 30-Dec. 7, 2013 | Jeff Blashill |
| Oct. 23-Nov. 13, 2009 | Curt Fraser |
We Meet Again: The Griffins renewed their rivalry with the Manitoba Moose, who returned to the AHL this season following a four-year absence, with a 4-1 victory on Sunday. The Griffins and Moose met in Winnipeg for the first time since Oct. 16, 2010 (3-2 W), and for the first time overall since Nov. 5, 2010 at Van Andel Arena (5-6 L). With the rivalry dating back to the 1996-97 IHL season, the Griffins own a 45-24-1-7 all-time record against the Moose, including a 22-14-0-2 mark on the road. Prior to this season, Brian Lashoff and Tom McCollum were the only current Grand Rapids players who had faced the Moose as members of the Griffins.
Play Nice: The Griffins and Monsters will be clashing for the eighth time this season on Saturday night at Van Andel Arena. The last time these two clubs met, Dec. 27 in Cleveland, they combined for an AHL season-high 158 PIM.
Busy, Busy: January will be the most frenetic month of the season on the ice for the Griffins as they are set to play 14 games in the 31-day month. The January schedule includes four sets of back-to-back games (Jan. 8-9, 12-13, 22-23, 29-30).
Short Rest: The Griffins post a 5-4 (0.556) record on the second night of a back-to-back this season, including wins in five of the last six. Grand Rapids is even in scoring with its opponents, 24-24, during the nine games on short rest.
Whoa, Nellie: Named the franchise’s 10th head coach on June 19, 2015, Todd Nelson has already attached his name to several records in Griffins lore. In the first few months under Nelson’s watch, Grand Rapids has set franchise records for overall win streak (15, Nov. 18-Dec. 26) and home win streak (11, Nov. 11-current). Additionally, the Griffins’ 0.833 winning percentage (10-2-0-0) in the month of December marked the most successful December ever in the franchise’s 20 seasons.
Against the Best: The Griffins own a 15-10-0-1 (0.596) record against teams with a winning record this season, including a 6-4-0-0 (0.600) mark against teams with a winning percentage greater than 0.600 as of Jan. 4. Grand Rapids has also posted a 16-5-0-1 (0.750) record against its Central Division rivals. Thus far, the division has shown to be one of the toughest in the AHL, as four Central teams rank in the top eight of the overall league standings.
Movin’ On Up: On Nov. 18, just over seven weeks ago, Grand Rapids stood in last place in the league with a 0.227 winning percentage. Since that date, which marked the beginning of the Griffins’ 17 wins in 19 games stretch, Grand Rapids (0.650) has vaulted all the way up to the No. 4 spot in the Western Conference and No. 7 in the AHL.
November and December to Remember: The Griffins posted a 10-2-0-0 record in the final month of the calendar year after starting December with an 8-8-0-1 mark and closing at 18-10-0-1. In fact, Grand Rapids’ 0.833 winning percentage in December marked the most prosperous December in the franchise’s 20-year history, just edging out the 2000-01 team (12-3-0-0, 0.800%). The strong December record comes on the heels of a fruitful November, where the Griffins’ 7-2-0-1 tally marked their second-most successful November over the last 10 years. The Griffins’ November winning percentage of 0.750 under Todd Nelson was eclipsed in the last decade by only Jeff Blashill’s 0.8333 mark (10-2-0-0) during his second month at Grand Rapids’ helm in 2012.
Griffins Leaders: Eric Tangradi (14-11—25) and Andy Miele (6-18—24) continue to pace Grand Rapids in scoring, just ahead of Anthony Mantha (8-13—21), Mark Zengerle (5-13—18), Martin Frk (10-6—16), Andreas Athanasiou (8-8—16), and Robbie Russo (2-14—16).
Making the Grade: Eric Tangradi has accumulated points in 13 of the last 15 outings (11-9—20), including six multi-point contests. His eight-game point streak from Nov. 27-Dec. 26 set a Griffins’ best this season, and also included a three-game goal streak from Dec. 5-12. Tangradi’s team-leading 14 goals are buoyed by his fourth career hat trick recorded Dec. 5 against Lake Erie, one of three Griffins to net three goals in a game this season (Colin Campbell, Dec. 26 at LE; Tomas Jurco, Nov. 20 vs. San Diego). League wide, Tangradi is tied for sixth in goals (14) and tied for 25th in points (25).
Magic Numbers: The Griffins are a perfect 18-0-0-0 when scoring three or more goals and 14-1-0-0 when allowing two goals or fewer…Grand Rapids is 9-0-0-0 when leading after one period, 14-1-0-0 when leading after two and 14-1-0-0 when striking first.
Fantastic Frk: Martin Frk has found a groove lately, accumulating points in eight of the last 10 contests (7-6—13), including a stretch of consecutive three-point games (Dec. 19 vs. Texas and Dec. 26 at Lake Erie). Frk is the second Griffin this season to deliver back-to-back three-point efforts (Andy Miele, Nov. 25 vs. Iowa and Nov. 27 at Milwaukee). His seven goals scored over the last 10 games (Dec. 9-Jan. 3) are second-most in the AHL during that span. To top it off, his four-game goal streak lasting Dec. 18-27 set a Griffins’ long this year.
Stone Wall: Goaltenders Jared Coreau and Tom McCollum have been stout during the team’s recent successes, as Coreau is responsible for 13 victories and McCollum four. Coreau matched a career high (Dec. 31, 2014 vs. RFD) by recording 47 saves in a 3-2 victory over Lake Erie on Dec. 16. He is also responsible for both of the team’s shutouts this season, executing 22 saves in a 6-0 win over Milwaukee on Nov. 27 and 23 saves in a 3-0 win over the Admirals on Dec. 31. In a 3-2 loss at Lake Erie on Dec. 27, Coreau had his career best 11-game winning streak snapped, leaving him just one shy of tying Jimmy Howard’s record for a Grand Rapids goalie. His streak marked the third straight season in which a Griffins goalie posted eight or more consecutive victories (2014-15: Petr Mrazek, 8, Nov. 12-March 4; 2013-14: Mrazek, 10, Oct. 30-Feb. 1). The third-year Griffin has stopped 427 of 455 shots (0.938) faced over his last 15 games, posting a 1.88 GAA. Coreau’s 15 wins places him just one off the league lead and he also ranks inside the top 10 for save percentage (0.932, third) and GAA (2.11, sixth). McCollum stopped 41 shots in back-to-back appearances (Nov. 28 vs. Lake Erie, Dec. 5 vs. Lake Erie) and has turned away 137 of 142 shots (0.965) with a 1.24 GAA during his last four games.
Road Redemption: After dropping their first five away games, the Griffins have won seven of their last eight on the road, including a six-game winning streak that lasted from Nov. 21-Dec. 26. Grand Rapids has put together streaks of five consecutive wins or more on foreign ice in each of the last four seasons (2014-15: 7; 2013-14: 5; 2012-13: 6). On the road this season, the Griffins recorded their largest margin of victory in a 6-0 victory at Milwaukee on Nov. 27, mounted their biggest comeback in a 4-3 overtime win at Iowa on Dec. 13 after dipping into an early 3-0 deficit, and matched a season high for goals scored during a 7-3 win at Lake Erie on Dec. 26.
Russo’s Rookie Relevance: Rookie defenseman Robbie Russo registered just one assist and a single point through his first seven professional games this season. However, his eighth career game, Nov. 18 against Rockford, proved to be his coming out party as Russo exploded for a three-point night including scoring – in game-winning fashion – his first professional goal. Since Nov. 18, Russo leads the team with 13 assists in 19 games. Russo’s seven-game assist streak (Dec. 5-19) set a Griffins’ best this season and his plus-19 rating ranks fourth in the league.
Goal Scoring: Partly attributable to the Griffins’ current seventh-place standing in the AHL is the fact they rank in the top five for both goals for (3.13, tied for fourth) and goals against (2.40, fourth) per game.
No. 152: Center Tomas Nosek became the 152nd Griffin to play in the NHL after he debuted with the Red Wings during Detroit’s 3-2 win over Nashville on Dec. 26. Nosek has played in five games for Detroit and is yet to record a point.
Doubling Up: Tied for fifth on the team in point production (8-8—16), Andreas Athanasiou, known as “Double A,” has been on a tear since the Red Wings reassigned him to the Griffins on Nov. 19. He has registered points in nine of 14 games in his return (7-7—14), including four multi-point efforts.
Mantha Mania: Ranking third on the team in points (8-13—21), Anthony Mantha has picked up points in eight of his last 12 games since returning from a four-game injury hiatus, including five multi-point outings.
Make it Happen, Captain: Captain Jeff Hoggan has scored a goal in three of the last seven games, giving him four for the season after he netted his first of the campaign back on Oct. 21 vs. Charlotte.
Welcome Back: Forward Triston Grant made his 2015-16 debut on Dec. 27 at Lake Erie after missing the first 26 games while recovering from a neck injury. Grant, a member of Grand Rapids’ 2013 Calder Cup champion squad, has played in 130 career games as a Griffin spanning three seasons (2012-13, 2013-14, 2015-16), registering 26 points (10-16—26) and 299 PIM. Grant has not recorded a point in four games with the Griffins this season.
Zengerle Pitches In: Mark Zengerle has displayed a consistent output over the season’s opening 30 games and ranks fourth on the team in points (5-13—18). The former Wisconsin Badgers standout has points in seven on the last nine games (3-6—9), including a season-best two goals on Sunday at Manitoba.
Andy Assister: Leading the team with 18 assists overall and second with 24 points (6-18—24), Andy Miele is responsible for six points (2-4—6) the last seven games. His three assists at Iowa on Nov. 25 tied a Griffins season-high as Mark Zengerle also contributed three assists in the same game.
0 to 100: Accounting for 94 points in 101 regular season games as a Griffin, Andy Miele is on pace to attain the 100-point career plateau reached by 32 players previously. Should he record six points in the next 20 games, he will rank among the 10 fastest Griffins to ever hit the century mark:
| Games | Player | Date |
| 81 | Michel Picard | April 12, 1997 |
| 87 | Kip Miller | Jan. 27, 2005 |
| 97 | Jeff Nelson | Dec. 21, 2003 |
| 98 | Donald MacLean | March 25, 2006 |
| 102 | Gustav Nyquist | Jan. 17, 2013 |
| 103 | Derek King | Feb. 14, 2001 |
| 107 | Slava Butsayev | Jan. 19, 2001 |
| 108 | Teemu Pulkkinen | Jan. 23, 2015 |
| 117 | Jiri Hudler | Oct. 28, 2005 |
| 121 | Glen Metropolit | Feb. 6, 1999 |
Camping Out: Aided by his first career hat trick on Dec. 26 at Lake Erie, Colin Campbell has recorded six points in the last seven outings (4-2—6).
Out of Action: Goaltender Tom McCollum has been unavailable the last 11 games due to injury…Mitch Callahan missed the last seven games and is expected to be out an extended amount of time with a broken jaw...The Griffins have combined to miss 54 games due to injury this season.
Climbing the Charts: Matching a season-best with 41 saves against Lake Erie on Dec. 5, Tom McCollum earned his 92nd win as a Griffin, which ranks second in franchise history behind only Joey MacDonald (109). McCollum, who needs four more appearances to equal MacDonald’s mark of 210, has broken the 5,000-save barrier this season and, with 5,113 stops, stands behind only MacDonald (5,362) in club archives.
Walleye World: A recent 6-4-0-0 stretch has the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye atop the North Division standings with an 18-10-1-3 record (40 points). The Walleye lead second-place Wheeling (15-13-2-2) by six points. Alden Hirschfeld (14-12—26) leads the team in points but is currently with Grand Rapids. Former Griffin Shane Berschbach (7-15—22), A.J. Jenks (9-12—21) and Joel Chouinard (5-15—20) also pace the offense. Rookie netminder Jake Paterson, Detroit’s second pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft who is currently with the Griffins, shows a 5-6-1-1 record with a 2.46 GAA and 0.921 save percentage as an understudy to former Michigan State Spartan Jeff Lerg (13-4-0-2, 1.96 GAA, 0.930%).
Record Setters: The Griffins posted a franchise-record 15-game winning streak from Nov. 18-Dec. 26 before Lake Erie halted the historic run on Dec. 27 by defeating Grand Rapids 3-2. Grand Rapids’ 15-game run marked the longest streak in the AHL since Norfolk set the standard by rattling off 28 in a row on its way to winning the Calder Cup in the 2011-12 season.
Elite Status: The Griffins’ 15-game streak allowed them to join some rare company among professional hockey in North America. Consider that the Griffins’ 15-game run tied for the third longest in the AHL since 1992 and that just three teams in the 98-year history of the NHL have recorded winning streaks of 15 or longer (17, 1992-93 Pittsburgh; 15, 1981-82 New York Islanders and 2012-13 Pittsburgh).
Longest Winning Streaks in Griffins History:
| Games | Dates | Coach |
| 15 | Nov. 18-Dec. 26, 2015 | Todd Nelson |
| 11 | March 5-31, 2006 | Greg Ireland |
| 9 | Feb. 14-March 4, 2015 | Jeff Blashill |
| Oct. 23-Nov. 13, 2009 | Curt Fraser | |
| Dec. 22, 2000-Jan. 12, 2001 | Bruce Cassidy | |
| 8 | Nov. 3-24, 2012 | Jeff Blashill |
Longest AHL Winning Streaks Since 1992:
| Year | Team | Length | Season Record | Division Finish | Postseason Result |
| 2011-12 | Norfolk | 28 | 55-18-1-2 | 1st East | Calder Cup Champions |
| 2004-05 | Philadelphia | 17 | 48-25-3-4 | 2nd East | Calder Cup Champions |
| 2007-08 | Syracuse | 15 | 46-26-2-6 | 2nd North | L, Division Finals |
| 1995-96 | Albany | 15 | 54-19-7-0 | 1st Central | L, Division Finals |
| 2015-16 | Grand Rapids | 15 | ? | ? | ? |
| 2004-05 | Manchester | 13 | 51-21-4-4 | 1st Atlantic | L, Division Finals |
Only on the West Side: Grand Rapids has twice put together winning streaks of at least 11 games in the last 11 seasons, while its parent club in Detroit has never won more than nine consecutive games in its 90 seasons of play (seven times, most recently Oct. 18-Nov. 9, 2007).
Fun While it Lasted: There was plenty of buzz surrounding the Griffins during their remarkable 15-game run. Let’s go by the numbers for when the streak started (Nov. 18) to when the streak ended (Dec. 27).
| 233 | losses accumulated by the rest of the league during that span |
| +168 | the Griffins' +/- rating |
| 39 | length, in days, of the streak |
| +39 | goal differential during the streak (66 GF, 27 GA) |
| 24 | spots in the AHL standings the Griffins moved up (No. 30-No. 6) |
| 18 | different Griffins who scored a goal |
| 13 | assists by Robbie Russo, tying for first in the league |
| 10 | goals scored by Eric Tangradi, the most in the AHL |
| 7 | twice the Griffins scored a season-high seven goals in a game (Nov. 20 vs. SD, Dec. 26 at LE) |
| 5 | AHL teams, including Grand Rapids, who have recorded a win streak of 15 or longer since 1992 |
| 3 | NHL teams who have ever recorded a win streak of 15 or longer |
| 3 | hat tricks by Grand Rapids players (Colin Campbell, Dec. 26 at LE; Eric Tangradi, Dec. 5 vs. LE; Tomas Jurco, Nov. 20 vs. SD) |
| 3 | goal deficit overcome by Grand Rapids in a 4-3 overtime win at Iowa on Dec. 13 |
| 1 | shutout by Griffins goaltenders (Jared Coreau, Nov. 27 at MIL) |
| 0.555 | combined winning percentage of the seven unique teams the Griffins defeated |
Scouting Report
Tuesday, Jan. 5 at Manitoba Moose (9-17-1-3) – MTS Centre – 8 p.m.
Radio: WOOD 106.9 FM/1300 AM at 7:35 p.m. Web Casts: Video web cast at AHLLive.com, free audio available through woodradio.com. All-Time Series: 22-14-0-0-2 Road, 45-24-1-1-7 Overall. Season Series: 1-0-0-0 Road, 1-0-0-0 Overall. Second of four meetings overall, second of two at MTS Centre. NHL Affiliation: Winnipeg Jets. Head Coach: Keith McCambridge (1st season). Notes: The Manitoba Moose are seventh in the Central Division, 14th in the Western Conference and 29th in the AHL with a 9-17-1-3 record (0.367)…The Moose are 6-6-1-2 at home this season…Manitoba ranks 29th in goals for (2.10) and 30th in shots for (26.17) per game...Brenden Kichton is tied for 13th among the league’s defensemen in point production with 19 points (3-16—19)…Kichton and Chase De Leo (8-9—17) lead the team in points…Eric Comrie has played the majority of the minutes in goal for the Moose, showing a 7-9-3-0 record, a 2.88 GAA, and a 0.913 save percentage… Spurred by a pair of goals from Mark Zengerle and 25 saves from Jared Coreau, Grand Rapids came away with a 4-1 win over Manitoba on Sunday.
Friday, Jan. 8 vs. Milwaukee Admirals (23-10-2-0) – Van Andel 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: 43-24-2-1-2 Home, 76-51-7-6-7 Overall. Season Series: 2-0-0-0 Home, 3-1-0-0 Overall. Fifth of eight meetings overall, third of four at Van Andel Arena. NHL Affiliation: Nashville Predators. Head Coach: Dean Evason (4th season). Notes: The Admirals rank first in the Central Division, first in the Western Conference and third in the AHL with a 23-10-2-0 record and 0.686 winning percentage…Milwaukee is 7-2-1-0 over its last 10 games and post a 9-4-2-0 road record this season…Admirals rookie netminder Juuse Saros stands eighth in the AHL with a 2.33 GAA…Milwaukee places 18th on the circuit in penalty killing at 83.2% and fifth in the power play at 20.5%...Frederick Gaudreau posts a line of 9-15—24 to lead the Admirals while rookie Max Gortz is second in point production (9-14—23)…Grand Rapids is 3-1 against Milwaukee this season, outscoring the Admirals by a 13-4 tally…Jared Coreau has shut out the Admirals twice this season (Nov. 27, Dec. 31)…Goals from Eric Tangradi, Jeff Hoggan and Louis-Marc Aubry helped Grand Rapids to a 3-0 win over Milwaukee in the last meeting between the clubs on Dec. 31…Aubry (3-1—4), Tangradi (3-1—4) and Andy Miele (2-2—4) lead the Griffins in four games against the Admirals.
Saturday, Jan. 9 vs. Lake Erie Monsters (17-12-2-2) – Van Andel 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: 20-10-1-1 Home, 35-22-3-7 Overall. Season Series: 2-0-0-0 Home, 4-2-0-1 Overall. Eighth of 12 meetings overall, third of six at Van Andel Arena. NHL Affiliation: Columbus Blue Jackets. Head Coach: Jared Bednar (1st season). Notes: The Lake Erie Monsters are fifth in the Central Division, seventh in the Western Conference and 13th in the AHL with a 17-12-2-2 record (0.576)…Monsters head coach Jared Bednar played for the Griffins during their 1998-99 IHL campaign, racking up 21 points (3-18—21) and a team-high 220 PIM in 74 games…Lake Erie is 3-6-1-0 in its last 10 and has dropped the last three…The Monsters are 6-9-2-0 on the road…Rookie goaltender Joonas Korpisalo is ninth among league backstops with a 2.34 goals against average…T.J. Tynan leads the Monsters with 23 points (2-21—23) while Josh Anderson (9-9—18) and Kerby Rychel (5-13—18) are tied for second…The Monsters rank 12th in goals against per game (2.76) but are 22nd in goals for (2.61)…Lake Erie ranks third in shots for per game (32.91) and fourth in shots against (27.21)…The Monsters are responsible for snapping the Griffins’ franchise record 15-game winning streak on Dec. 27…In the Dec. 27 game, which ended in a 3-2 Monsters victory, the two teams combined for an AHL season-high 158 PIM (GR 84, LE 74)…The Griffins have won four of the last five against the Monsters this season after dropping the first two…Grand Rapids has six players tied with five points to lead the team offensively against Lake Erie in seven games this season.
This Week’s Games
Tues., Jan. 5 GRIFFINS at Manitoba Moose 8 p.m. WOOD 106.9 FM/1300 AM / AHLLive.com
Fri., Jan. 8 Milwaukee Admirals at GRIFFINS 7 p.m. WOOD 106.9 FM/1300 AM / AHLLive.com
Sat., Jan. 9 Lake Erie Monsters at GRIFFINS 7 p.m. WOOD 106.9 FM/1300 AM / AHLLive.com
Last Week’s Results
Tues., Dec. 29 GRIFFINS 0 at Milwaukee Admirals 3 17-10-0-1, 35 points (4th, Central Division)
Thurs., Dec. 31 Milwaukee Admirals 0 at GRIFFINS 3 18-10-0-1, 37 points (3rd)
Sun., Jan. 3 GRIFFINS 4 at Manitoba Moose 1 19-10-0-1, 39 points (3rd)
Hello, 2016: The Griffins concluded 2015 with a win and commenced 2016 victoriously. Following a 4-1 victory at Manitoba on Sunday, Grand Rapids has won 17 of its last 19 contests including the last two. The Griffins begin 2016 with a third-place standing in the Central Division.
Weekend Promotions: For Friday’s contest against Milwaukee, fans can enjoy $2 hot dogs and $2 domestic drafts from 6-8 p.m. while supplies last. On Saturday against Lake Erie, the first 2,500 fans in attendance will receive a 20th Anniversary Griffins blanket, courtesy of DTE Energy. Following the game, Griffins players will sign autographs from the team’s bench, thanks to Huntington Bank. Fans can also take their skates to the rink on Saturday and participate in the post-game open skate, presented by Arby’s.
Goaltender of the Month: Jared Coreau has been selected as the CCM/AHL Goaltender of the Month for December, as announced by the AHL on Monday. In 11 December starts, Coreau posted a 9-2-0 record along with a 1.92 goals-against average and a 0.938 save percentage. He becomes the fifth Griffins goaltender to earn monthly league (AHL/IHL) accolades and the first since Jimmy Howard in December 2007.
Shuttin’ It Down: Jared Coreau recorded his second shutout of the season and the fifth of his three-year professional career in Dec. 31’s 3-0 win over Milwaukee. Both of Coreau’s shutouts this year have come against the first-place Admirals (Nov. 27, Dec. 31). Coreau’s two blanking of opponents this season marks the fourth time in the franchise’s last 10 years that the same goaltender has recorded at least a pair of shutouts through the team’s first 30 games (2011-12 — Joey MacDonald, Oct. 18 at Hamilton and Nov. 2 vs. Lake Erie; 2008-09 — Daniel Larsson, Nov. 11 vs. Houston, Nov. 30 at Chicago and Dec. 21 at Rochester; 2007-08 — Jimmy Howard, Dec. 2 at Milwaukee and Dec. 7 vs. Syracuse). Coreau’s last week spanning Dec. 28-Jan. 3 saw him finish with a 2-1-0 record, 1.01 goals against average and a 0.959 save percentage.
Home Cooking: With a 3-0 win over Milwaukee on Dec. 31, the Griffins set a franchise record by winning their 11th straight game inside Van Andel Arena. Grand Rapids’ current stretch is tied for the fifth-longest home winning streak in the AHL since 2007-08 (24, Hershey, 2009-10; 15, Norfolk, 2011-12; 12, Hershey and Texas, 2013-14; 11, Grand Rapids, 2015-16, Providence, 2014-15, and Syracuse, 2007-08) and the Griffins have outscored their visitors by a 48-19 tally during the run.
Longest Home Winning Streaks in Griffins History:
| Games | Dates | Coach |
| 11 | Nov. 11-Dec. 31, 2015 | Todd Nelson |
| 10 | Jan. 23-Feb. 27, 2004 | Danton Cole |
| Dec. 22, 2000-Jan. 26, 2001 | Bruce Cassidy | |
| 9 | March 1-April 14, 2006 | Greg Ireland |
| 8 | Oct. 30-Dec. 7, 2013 | Jeff Blashill |
| Oct. 23-Nov. 13, 2009 | Curt Fraser |
We Meet Again: The Griffins renewed their rivalry with the Manitoba Moose, who returned to the AHL this season following a four-year absence, with a 4-1 victory on Sunday. The Griffins and Moose met in Winnipeg for the first time since Oct. 16, 2010 (3-2 W), and for the first time overall since Nov. 5, 2010 at Van Andel Arena (5-6 L). With the rivalry dating back to the 1996-97 IHL season, the Griffins own a 45-24-1-7 all-time record against the Moose, including a 22-14-0-2 mark on the road. Prior to this season, Brian Lashoff and Tom McCollum were the only current Grand Rapids players who had faced the Moose as members of the Griffins.
Play Nice: The Griffins and Monsters will be clashing for the eighth time this season on Saturday night at Van Andel Arena. The last time these two clubs met, Dec. 27 in Cleveland, they combined for an AHL season-high 158 PIM.
Busy, Busy: January will be the most frenetic month of the season on the ice for the Griffins as they are set to play 14 games in the 31-day month. The January schedule includes four sets of back-to-back games (Jan. 8-9, 12-13, 22-23, 29-30).
Short Rest: The Griffins post a 5-4 (0.556) record on the second night of a back-to-back this season, including wins in five of the last six. Grand Rapids is even in scoring with its opponents, 24-24, during the nine games on short rest.
Whoa, Nellie: Named the franchise’s 10th head coach on June 19, 2015, Todd Nelson has already attached his name to several records in Griffins lore. In the first few months under Nelson’s watch, Grand Rapids has set franchise records for overall win streak (15, Nov. 18-Dec. 26) and home win streak (11, Nov. 11-current). Additionally, the Griffins’ 0.833 winning percentage (10-2-0-0) in the month of December marked the most successful December ever in the franchise’s 20 seasons.
Against the Best: The Griffins own a 15-10-0-1 (0.596) record against teams with a winning record this season, including a 6-4-0-0 (0.600) mark against teams with a winning percentage greater than 0.600 as of Jan. 4. Grand Rapids has also posted a 16-5-0-1 (0.750) record against its Central Division rivals. Thus far, the division has shown to be one of the toughest in the AHL, as four Central teams rank in the top eight of the overall league standings.
Movin’ On Up: On Nov. 18, just over seven weeks ago, Grand Rapids stood in last place in the league with a 0.227 winning percentage. Since that date, which marked the beginning of the Griffins’ 17 wins in 19 games stretch, Grand Rapids (0.650) has vaulted all the way up to the No. 4 spot in the Western Conference and No. 7 in the AHL.
November and December to Remember: The Griffins posted a 10-2-0-0 record in the final month of the calendar year after starting December with an 8-8-0-1 mark and closing at 18-10-0-1. In fact, Grand Rapids’ 0.833 winning percentage in December marked the most prosperous December in the franchise’s 20-year history, just edging out the 2000-01 team (12-3-0-0, 0.800%). The strong December record comes on the heels of a fruitful November, where the Griffins’ 7-2-0-1 tally marked their second-most successful November over the last 10 years. The Griffins’ November winning percentage of 0.750 under Todd Nelson was eclipsed in the last decade by only Jeff Blashill’s 0.8333 mark (10-2-0-0) during his second month at Grand Rapids’ helm in 2012.
Griffins Leaders: Eric Tangradi (14-11—25) and Andy Miele (6-18—24) continue to pace Grand Rapids in scoring, just ahead of Anthony Mantha (8-13—21), Mark Zengerle (5-13—18), Martin Frk (10-6—16), Andreas Athanasiou (8-8—16), and Robbie Russo (2-14—16).
Making the Grade: Eric Tangradi has accumulated points in 13 of the last 15 outings (11-9—20), including six multi-point contests. His eight-game point streak from Nov. 27-Dec. 26 set a Griffins’ best this season, and also included a three-game goal streak from Dec. 5-12. Tangradi’s team-leading 14 goals are buoyed by his fourth career hat trick recorded Dec. 5 against Lake Erie, one of three Griffins to net three goals in a game this season (Colin Campbell, Dec. 26 at LE; Tomas Jurco, Nov. 20 vs. San Diego). League wide, Tangradi is tied for sixth in goals (14) and tied for 25th in points (25).
Magic Numbers: The Griffins are a perfect 18-0-0-0 when scoring three or more goals and 14-1-0-0 when allowing two goals or fewer…Grand Rapids is 9-0-0-0 when leading after one period, 14-1-0-0 when leading after two and 14-1-0-0 when striking first.
Fantastic Frk: Martin Frk has found a groove lately, accumulating points in eight of the last 10 contests (7-6—13), including a stretch of consecutive three-point games (Dec. 19 vs. Texas and Dec. 26 at Lake Erie). Frk is the second Griffin this season to deliver back-to-back three-point efforts (Andy Miele, Nov. 25 vs. Iowa and Nov. 27 at Milwaukee). His seven goals scored over the last 10 games (Dec. 9-Jan. 3) are second-most in the AHL during that span. To top it off, his four-game goal streak lasting Dec. 18-27 set a Griffins’ long this year.
Stone Wall: Goaltenders Jared Coreau and Tom McCollum have been stout during the team’s recent successes, as Coreau is responsible for 13 victories and McCollum four. Coreau matched a career high (Dec. 31, 2014 vs. RFD) by recording 47 saves in a 3-2 victory over Lake Erie on Dec. 16. He is also responsible for both of the team’s shutouts this season, executing 22 saves in a 6-0 win over Milwaukee on Nov. 27 and 23 saves in a 3-0 win over the Admirals on Dec. 31. In a 3-2 loss at Lake Erie on Dec. 27, Coreau had his career best 11-game winning streak snapped, leaving him just one shy of tying Jimmy Howard’s record for a Grand Rapids goalie. His streak marked the third straight season in which a Griffins goalie posted eight or more consecutive victories (2014-15: Petr Mrazek, 8, Nov. 12-March 4; 2013-14: Mrazek, 10, Oct. 30-Feb. 1). The third-year Griffin has stopped 427 of 455 shots (0.938) faced over his last 15 games, posting a 1.88 GAA. Coreau’s 15 wins places him just one off the league lead and he also ranks inside the top 10 for save percentage (0.932, third) and GAA (2.11, sixth). McCollum stopped 41 shots in back-to-back appearances (Nov. 28 vs. Lake Erie, Dec. 5 vs. Lake Erie) and has turned away 137 of 142 shots (0.965) with a 1.24 GAA during his last four games.
Road Redemption: After dropping their first five away games, the Griffins have won seven of their last eight on the road, including a six-game winning streak that lasted from Nov. 21-Dec. 26. Grand Rapids has put together streaks of five consecutive wins or more on foreign ice in each of the last four seasons (2014-15: 7; 2013-14: 5; 2012-13: 6). On the road this season, the Griffins recorded their largest margin of victory in a 6-0 victory at Milwaukee on Nov. 27, mounted their biggest comeback in a 4-3 overtime win at Iowa on Dec. 13 after dipping into an early 3-0 deficit, and matched a season high for goals scored during a 7-3 win at Lake Erie on Dec. 26.
Russo’s Rookie Relevance: Rookie defenseman Robbie Russo registered just one assist and a single point through his first seven professional games this season. However, his eighth career game, Nov. 18 against Rockford, proved to be his coming out party as Russo exploded for a three-point night including scoring – in game-winning fashion – his first professional goal. Since Nov. 18, Russo leads the team with 13 assists in 19 games. Russo’s seven-game assist streak (Dec. 5-19) set a Griffins’ best this season and his plus-19 rating ranks fourth in the league.
Goal Scoring: Partly attributable to the Griffins’ current seventh-place standing in the AHL is the fact they rank in the top five for both goals for (3.13, tied for fourth) and goals against (2.40, fourth) per game.
No. 152: Center Tomas Nosek became the 152nd Griffin to play in the NHL after he debuted with the Red Wings during Detroit’s 3-2 win over Nashville on Dec. 26. Nosek has played in five games for Detroit and is yet to record a point.
Doubling Up: Tied for fifth on the team in point production (8-8—16), Andreas Athanasiou, known as “Double A,” has been on a tear since the Red Wings reassigned him to the Griffins on Nov. 19. He has registered points in nine of 14 games in his return (7-7—14), including four multi-point efforts.
Mantha Mania: Ranking third on the team in points (8-13—21), Anthony Mantha has picked up points in eight of his last 12 games since returning from a four-game injury hiatus, including five multi-point outings.
Make it Happen, Captain: Captain Jeff Hoggan has scored a goal in three of the last seven games, giving him four for the season after he netted his first of the campaign back on Oct. 21 vs. Charlotte.
Welcome Back: Forward Triston Grant made his 2015-16 debut on Dec. 27 at Lake Erie after missing the first 26 games while recovering from a neck injury. Grant, a member of Grand Rapids’ 2013 Calder Cup champion squad, has played in 130 career games as a Griffin spanning three seasons (2012-13, 2013-14, 2015-16), registering 26 points (10-16—26) and 299 PIM. Grant has not recorded a point in four games with the Griffins this season.
Zengerle Pitches In: Mark Zengerle has displayed a consistent output over the season’s opening 30 games and ranks fourth on the team in points (5-13—18). The former Wisconsin Badgers standout has points in seven on the last nine games (3-6—9), including a season-best two goals on Sunday at Manitoba.
Andy Assister: Leading the team with 18 assists overall and second with 24 points (6-18—24), Andy Miele is responsible for six points (2-4—6) the last seven games. His three assists at Iowa on Nov. 25 tied a Griffins season-high as Mark Zengerle also contributed three assists in the same game.
0 to 100: Accounting for 94 points in 101 regular season games as a Griffin, Andy Miele is on pace to attain the 100-point career plateau reached by 32 players previously. Should he record six points in the next 20 games, he will rank among the 10 fastest Griffins to ever hit the century mark:
| Games | Player | Date |
| 81 | Michel Picard | April 12, 1997 |
| 87 | Kip Miller | Jan. 27, 2005 |
| 97 | Jeff Nelson | Dec. 21, 2003 |
| 98 | Donald MacLean | March 25, 2006 |
| 102 | Gustav Nyquist | Jan. 17, 2013 |
| 103 | Derek King | Feb. 14, 2001 |
| 107 | Slava Butsayev | Jan. 19, 2001 |
| 108 | Teemu Pulkkinen | Jan. 23, 2015 |
| 117 | Jiri Hudler | Oct. 28, 2005 |
| 121 | Glen Metropolit | Feb. 6, 1999 |
Camping Out: Aided by his first career hat trick on Dec. 26 at Lake Erie, Colin Campbell has recorded six points in the last seven outings (4-2—6).
Out of Action: Goaltender Tom McCollum has been unavailable the last 11 games due to injury…Mitch Callahan missed the last seven games and is expected to be out an extended amount of time with a broken jaw...The Griffins have combined to miss 54 games due to injury this season.
Climbing the Charts: Matching a season-best with 41 saves against Lake Erie on Dec. 5, Tom McCollum earned his 92nd win as a Griffin, which ranks second in franchise history behind only Joey MacDonald (109). McCollum, who needs four more appearances to equal MacDonald’s mark of 210, has broken the 5,000-save barrier this season and, with 5,113 stops, stands behind only MacDonald (5,362) in club archives.
Walleye World: A recent 6-4-0-0 stretch has the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye atop the North Division standings with an 18-10-1-3 record (40 points). The Walleye lead second-place Wheeling (15-13-2-2) by six points. Alden Hirschfeld (14-12—26) leads the team in points but is currently with Grand Rapids. Former Griffin Shane Berschbach (7-15—22), A.J. Jenks (9-12—21) and Joel Chouinard (5-15—20) also pace the offense. Rookie netminder Jake Paterson, Detroit’s second pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft who is currently with the Griffins, shows a 5-6-1-1 record with a 2.46 GAA and 0.921 save percentage as an understudy to former Michigan State Spartan Jeff Lerg (13-4-0-2, 1.96 GAA, 0.930%).
Record Setters: The Griffins posted a franchise-record 15-game winning streak from Nov. 18-Dec. 26 before Lake Erie halted the historic run on Dec. 27 by defeating Grand Rapids 3-2. Grand Rapids’ 15-game run marked the longest streak in the AHL since Norfolk set the standard by rattling off 28 in a row on its way to winning the Calder Cup in the 2011-12 season.
Elite Status: The Griffins’ 15-game streak allowed them to join some rare company among professional hockey in North America. Consider that the Griffins’ 15-game run tied for the third longest in the AHL since 1992 and that just three teams in the 98-year history of the NHL have recorded winning streaks of 15 or longer (17, 1992-93 Pittsburgh; 15, 1981-82 New York Islanders and 2012-13 Pittsburgh).
Longest Winning Streaks in Griffins History:
| Games | Dates | Coach |
| 15 | Nov. 18-Dec. 26, 2015 | Todd Nelson |
| 11 | March 5-31, 2006 | Greg Ireland |
| 9 | Feb. 14-March 4, 2015 | Jeff Blashill |
| Oct. 23-Nov. 13, 2009 | Curt Fraser | |
| Dec. 22, 2000-Jan. 12, 2001 | Bruce Cassidy | |
| 8 | Nov. 3-24, 2012 | Jeff Blashill |
Longest AHL Winning Streaks Since 1992:
| Year | Team | Length | Season Record | Division Finish | Postseason Result |
| 2011-12 | Norfolk | 28 | 55-18-1-2 | 1st East | Calder Cup Champions |
| 2004-05 | Philadelphia | 17 | 48-25-3-4 | 2nd East | Calder Cup Champions |
| 2007-08 | Syracuse | 15 | 46-26-2-6 | 2nd North | L, Division Finals |
| 1995-96 | Albany | 15 | 54-19-7-0 | 1st Central | L, Division Finals |
| 2015-16 | Grand Rapids | 15 | ? | ? | ? |
| 2004-05 | Manchester | 13 | 51-21-4-4 | 1st Atlantic | L, Division Finals |
Only on the West Side: Grand Rapids has twice put together winning streaks of at least 11 games in the last 11 seasons, while its parent club in Detroit has never won more than nine consecutive games in its 90 seasons of play (seven times, most recently Oct. 18-Nov. 9, 2007).
Fun While it Lasted: There was plenty of buzz surrounding the Griffins during their remarkable 15-game run. Let’s go by the numbers for when the streak started (Nov. 18) to when the streak ended (Dec. 27).
| 233 | losses accumulated by the rest of the league during that span |
| +168 | the Griffins' +/- rating |
| 39 | length, in days, of the streak |
| +39 | goal differential during the streak (66 GF, 27 GA) |
| 24 | spots in the AHL standings the Griffins moved up (No. 30-No. 6) |
| 18 | different Griffins who scored a goal |
| 13 | assists by Robbie Russo, tying for first in the league |
| 10 | goals scored by Eric Tangradi, the most in the AHL |
| 7 | twice the Griffins scored a season-high seven goals in a game (Nov. 20 vs. SD, Dec. 26 at LE) |
| 5 | AHL teams, including Grand Rapids, who have recorded a win streak of 15 or longer since 1992 |
| 3 | NHL teams who have ever recorded a win streak of 15 or longer |
| 3 | hat tricks by Grand Rapids players (Colin Campbell, Dec. 26 at LE; Eric Tangradi, Dec. 5 vs. LE; Tomas Jurco, Nov. 20 vs. SD) |
| 3 | goal deficit overcome by Grand Rapids in a 4-3 overtime win at Iowa on Dec. 13 |
| 1 | shutout by Griffins goaltenders (Jared Coreau, Nov. 27 at MIL) |
| 0.555 | combined winning percentage of the seven unique teams the Griffins defeated |
Scouting Report
Tuesday, Jan. 5 at Manitoba Moose (9-17-1-3) – MTS Centre – 8 p.m.
Radio: WOOD 106.9 FM/1300 AM at 7:35 p.m. Web Casts: Video web cast at AHLLive.com, free audio available through woodradio.com. All-Time Series: 22-14-0-0-2 Road, 45-24-1-1-7 Overall. Season Series: 1-0-0-0 Road, 1-0-0-0 Overall. Second of four meetings overall, second of two at MTS Centre. NHL Affiliation: Winnipeg Jets. Head Coach: Keith McCambridge (1st season). Notes: The Manitoba Moose are seventh in the Central Division, 14th in the Western Conference and 29th in the AHL with a 9-17-1-3 record (0.367)…The Moose are 6-6-1-2 at home this season…Manitoba ranks 29th in goals for (2.10) and 30th in shots for (26.17) per game...Brenden Kichton is tied for 13th among the league’s defensemen in point production with 19 points (3-16—19)…Kichton and Chase De Leo (8-9—17) lead the team in points…Eric Comrie has played the majority of the minutes in goal for the Moose, showing a 7-9-3-0 record, a 2.88 GAA, and a 0.913 save percentage… Spurred by a pair of goals from Mark Zengerle and 25 saves from Jared Coreau, Grand Rapids came away with a 4-1 win over Manitoba on Sunday.
Friday, Jan. 8 vs. Milwaukee Admirals (23-10-2-0) – Van Andel 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: 43-24-2-1-2 Home, 76-51-7-6-7 Overall. Season Series: 2-0-0-0 Home, 3-1-0-0 Overall. Fifth of eight meetings overall, third of four at Van Andel Arena. NHL Affiliation: Nashville Predators. Head Coach: Dean Evason (4th season). Notes: The Admirals rank first in the Central Division, first in the Western Conference and third in the AHL with a 23-10-2-0 record and 0.686 winning percentage…Milwaukee is 7-2-1-0 over its last 10 games and post a 9-4-2-0 road record this season…Admirals rookie netminder Juuse Saros stands eighth in the AHL with a 2.33 GAA…Milwaukee places 18th on the circuit in penalty killing at 83.2% and fifth in the power play at 20.5%...Frederick Gaudreau posts a line of 9-15—24 to lead the Admirals while rookie Max Gortz is second in point production (9-14—23)…Grand Rapids is 3-1 against Milwaukee this season, outscoring the Admirals by a 13-4 tally…Jared Coreau has shut out the Admirals twice this season (Nov. 27, Dec. 31)…Goals from Eric Tangradi, Jeff Hoggan and Louis-Marc Aubry helped Grand Rapids to a 3-0 win over Milwaukee in the last meeting between the clubs on Dec. 31…Aubry (3-1—4), Tangradi (3-1—4) and Andy Miele (2-2—4) lead the Griffins in four games against the Admirals.
Saturday, Jan. 9 vs. Lake Erie Monsters (17-12-2-2) – Van Andel 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: 20-10-1-1 Home, 35-22-3-7 Overall. Season Series: 2-0-0-0 Home, 4-2-0-1 Overall. Eighth of 12 meetings overall, third of six at Van Andel Arena. NHL Affiliation: Columbus Blue Jackets. Head Coach: Jared Bednar (1st season). Notes: The Lake Erie Monsters are fifth in the Central Division, seventh in the Western Conference and 13th in the AHL with a 17-12-2-2 record (0.576)…Monsters head coach Jared Bednar played for the Griffins during their 1998-99 IHL campaign, racking up 21 points (3-18—21) and a team-high 220 PIM in 74 games…Lake Erie is 3-6-1-0 in its last 10 and has dropped the last three…The Monsters are 6-9-2-0 on the road…Rookie goaltender Joonas Korpisalo is ninth among league backstops with a 2.34 goals against average…T.J. Tynan leads the Monsters with 23 points (2-21—23) while Josh Anderson (9-9—18) and Kerby Rychel (5-13—18) are tied for second…The Monsters rank 12th in goals against per game (2.76) but are 22nd in goals for (2.61)…Lake Erie ranks third in shots for per game (32.91) and fourth in shots against (27.21)…The Monsters are responsible for snapping the Griffins’ franchise record 15-game winning streak on Dec. 27…In the Dec. 27 game, which ended in a 3-2 Monsters victory, the two teams combined for an AHL season-high 158 PIM (GR 84, LE 74)…The Griffins have won four of the last five against the Monsters this season after dropping the first two…Grand Rapids has six players tied with five points to lead the team offensively against Lake Erie in seven games this season.