Down on the Farm: Grand Rapids Griffins Latest Updates

This is the second installment of “Down on the Farm,” where we take a look at the latest happenings with the Red Wings’ AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins.

Following their 5-2 New Year’s Eve win over the Rockford IceHogs, the Grand Rapids Griffins opened 2017 with three more home games: Wednesday the 4th versus the Iowa Wild, Friday the 6th versus the Charlotte Checkers, and Saturday the 7th versus the IceHogs.

Wednesday’s game against the Wild featured a total of eleven goals. Ben Street scored twice within the first 7:02, including a short-handed goal. Grand Rapids would build a 3-1 lead early in the second, only to have Iowa tie it at three with 9:12 left in the second. But despite this, the Griffins would never give the Wild the lead, as they jumped back out in front with two more goals before the end of the second. Iowa would pull within one on two separate occasions in the third, though they were never able to knot it up. Griffins win 6-5.

The Griffins/Wild game was a goal fest, whereas Friday night’s Griffins/Checkers tilt was anything but. Grand Rapids surrendered two goals over the final 3:29 of the first, digging themselves an early hole. Charlotte would not score again; however, goaltender Daniel Altshuller stood tall for his team, making 22 of 23 saves over the final two periods, including 14 of 14 in the third. Griffins lose 2-1.

Looking to bounce back, Grand Rapids welcomed the Rockford IceHogs back to Van Andel Arena for the second time since New Year’s Eve. And boy did they ever bounce back! Ben Street once again potted two quick goals to get the Griffins off and running. He and his team never looked back, thrashing the IceHogs by a 6-1 final.

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Griffins Stats

The Grand Rapids Griffins sit atop the Central Division with a 22-9-1-2 record, good for third in the AHL. Their home record of 13-4-0-2 is fifth best in the AHL, and their road record of 9-5-1-0 is sixth best.

The Griffins’ league best power play continues to get it done. They went 1/2 against the Wild, 1/3 against the Checkers, and 2/6 against the IceHogs, bringing their power play percentage to 27.6 on the season.