WELCOME BACK, MY FRIENDS ...

MILWAUKEE, Wisc. A replenished and rejuvenated attack fueled a dominating first period performance, as the Grand Rapids Griffins wrapped up a five-game road trip with an impressive 5-0 win over the Milwaukee Admirals at the Bradley Center Wednesday night.

The first power play for the Griffins paid immediate dividends, as rookie defenseman Clay Wilson blasted an aspirin tablet past Milwaukee goaltender Pekka Rinne. Darryl Bootland and Tomas Kopecky combined for assists on the score, staking Grand Rapids to a 1-0 lead at 9:57 of the first period.

The return of forward Nate DiCasmirro, out for four games with an injury, coupled with the promotion of center Jeff Nelson from Muskegon of the UHL proved pivotal as well. The two drew helpers by pressuring Rinne with a strong attack, allowing Eric Himelfarb to gather a loose puck off a deflection out front and make it a 2-0 margin at 12:52.

Valtteri Filppula made his presence known in his return assignment from the Detroit Red Wings, firing home his 12th goal of the campaign with help from Bootland and Wilson at 15:31, as the Griffins took a commanding 3-0 lead into the break.

Wilson struck again in the second, this time short-handed, on a feed from Donald MacLean after Nelson forced a turnover at center ice. The former Michigan Tech standout logged the first multi-goal game of his career; his third score of the year.

Bootland made good on another power play chance after setting up camp on the right side and burying his eighth goal of the season with just 12 seconds remaining in the man-advantage. Nick Martens assisted for a 5-0 Griffins edge after two.

Jimmy Howard halted all 23 shots he faced for his first Griffins victory since a 3-2 shootout win at Manitoba on November 23rd before an extended stint with the Red Wings. The rookie goaltenders first career professional shutout was also the first for the Griffins in 41 games; the last whitewash coming against the Cleveland Barons also, coincidentally, a 5-0 decision posted by Joey MacDonald last spring (3/29/05).

Grand Rapids begins a five-game set at Van Andel Arena tomorrow night at 7 p.m. against the Hershey Bears, their first Eastern Conference opponent of the season. The Griffins are now just a single point behind Manitoba in the North Division with two games in hand.