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Griffins’ 14-Game Points Streak vs. Milwaukee’s 19-Game Winning Streak

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Jonatan Berggren, detroit red wings, grand rapids griffins
Jonatan Berggren scored his 17th goal for Grand Rapids (Photo courtesy of Nicolas Carrillo/Grand Rapids Griffins)

Much like their parent team in Detroit, the Grand Rapids Griffins keep finding different ways to keep racking up points.

Jonatan Berggren and Elmer Soderblom scored 13 seconds apart Saturday night to lead the Griffins to a 4-1 win against the Texas Stars to extend their points streak to 14 games. Grand Rapids hasn’t lost in regulation since Jan. 12 when it fell 2-0 to Rockford. This is the team’s longest points streak in nine years.

Their streak, however, is in jeopardy today because the Griffins face a Milwaukee Admirals team (5 p.m. in Grand Rapids) that has won 19 games in a row. It’s the second-longest streak in AHL history. Sunday’s game will mark the first time in AHL history that two teams with points streaks of 14 or more games will be meeting on the ice.

Berggren and Soderblom scored their back-to-back goals in the second period to give Grand Rapids a lead it never lost. Berggren’s goal was his 17th and gave him 21 points in his past 19 games. Soderblom has seven goals.

Defenseman Simon Edvinsson also scored his seventh goal for the Griffins who are now three points ahead of Texas for second place in the Central Division. Grand Rapids is a whopping 17 points behind the division-leading Admirals.

Edvinsson Having Strong Season

Edvinsson has 26 points in 44 games.  With 25 games remaining in the Griffins’ 72-game season, Edvinsson is on pace for 11 goals and 41 points.

Defenseman Albert Johansson and forward Cross Hanas assisted on Soderblom’s goal. Johansson has five goals and 11 assists for 16 points this season. He has been a consistent performer for Grand Rapids in his two seasons there, and scouts tell Detroit Hockey Now that he will play in the NHL. He’s not an elite performer, but he’s a safe player, the kind of defender that coaches appreciate.

The Red Wings might have given Johansson a shot at playing some games last season had he not suffered an injury that took him out of the lineup for an extended period.