Griffins Trying For Another Three-Win Weekend

The Grand Rapids Griffins (13-4-2) will be on the second leg tonight of their quest to record a three-win weekend for the second time this season.

After beating the Milwaukee Admirals Friday night in a shootout, the Griffins play a road game against the Chicago Wolves tonight before returning home to Grand Rapids to play the surging Cleveland Monsters. The Cleveland group has won 10 games in a row.

On Oct. 25, 26 and 27, the Griffins won three consecutive roads (one against the Springfield Thunderbirds and two against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms).

Amadeus Lombardi and Cross Hanas, two of the Griffins’ most improved players, played a significant role against the 3-2 shootout win against the Admirals. Lombardi scored the tying goal with 51 seconds left in regulation. Hanas drew an assist. Hanas then scored the game-winner in the 10th round of the shootout.

Lombardi has nine goals and 15 points in 18 games. He boasts 13 points in the past 13 games, meaning he’s producing more offense than Marco Kasper was last season at the same point in his season. Last season, Lombardi only totaled five goals and 26 points in 70 games.

Hanas has six goals and eight points in 18 games after registering 16 points in 58 games last season. His start with the Red Wing organization has been undermined by injury.

Meanwhile, veteran Austin Watson, on an NHL contract, scored again Friday, giving him 13 points in 17 games. Six-foot-6 forward Tim Gettinger, a Red Wings contract holder, recently cleared from an injury, played his first game of the season and scored in the shootout.

The Griffins own the fourth-best record in the American Hockey League. They led the Central Division.  The Griffins rank second in the AHL with a 2.31 GAA.