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Griffins Relish the Role of Underdog 2007 Calder Cup Playoff Primer... By Jason Kasiorek www.griffinscentral.com
The Grand Rapids Griffins are thankful that they have a berth in the Calder cup playoffs despite dropping all three games over the last weekend of the regular season. But the outlook for the post-season is surprisingly upbeat. Head Coach Greg Ireland was very optimistic this morning about his team's chances in the second season despite it's less than stellar finish. "Obviously things didn't go the way we would have wanted last weekend, but that is behind us...It's a new season" said Ireland. Seven of the eight games between Manitoba and Grand Rapids were decided by one goal including four that went to shootouts. Ireland said that the Griffins matched up well with the Moose, and played some good games against all of the top clubs in the west.
That's not to say that everything is rosy in Grand Rapids. The team opens the playoffs on the road where they have lost 9 of their last 10 games. Several veteran players have been "freelancing" according to Ireland, not following the team game plan, and frustrating the coaching staff and their teammates. Time has run out, and some of these players may find themselves on the outside looking in. The arrival of top prospects Cory Emmerton, Jan Mursak, and most recently Jakub Kindl gives the coach some options when putting together his lineup. Ireland said not to be surprised to see several of them in the lineup against the Moose.
Among several positives going into the playoffs relayed by Coach Ireland are the play of second year man Ryan Oulahen, "the most improved player on the team", and the surging Eric Himelfarb who is "playing some of his best hockey of the season". The Griffins leaders, Captain Matt Ellis, and alternates Derek Meech and Dan Smith are playing well, and the emergence of rookies Scott Parse and Jamie Tardif have added some spark to the team. Last but not least is ace netminder Jimmy Howard's elevated level of play down the stretch, adding a critical component to any playoff team.
Provided the Griffins can stay out of the box, this series is up for grabs, with the hardest working team moving on to the second round.
Northern Division Semi-Finals
#1 Manitoba Moose vs #4 Grand Rapids Griffins
Game 1 @ Manitoba Thursday April 19th Game 2 @ Manitoba Saturday April 21st Game 3 @ Grand Rapids Monday April 23rd Game 4 @ Grand Rapids Wednesday April 25th Game 5 @ Grand Rapids Friday April 27th *if Necessary Game 6 @ Manitoba Sunday April 29th *if Necessary Game 7 @ Manitoba Tuesday May 1st *if Necessary
#1 Manitoba Moose | #4 Grand Rapids Griffins |
REGULAR SEASON TOTALS | REGULAR SEASON TOTALS |
Overall: 45-23-7-5 | Overall: 37-32-6-5 |
Home: 25-10-3-2 | Home: 22-13-2 |
Road: 20-13-4-3 | Road: 15-19-4-2 |
Goals For: 232 | Goals For: 226 |
Goals Against: 201 | Goals Against: 244 |
PP Rank: 18th (16.1%) - 76PPG | PP Rank: 27th (12.5%) - 55PPG |
PP vs GR: 12 for 59 (20.3%) - 12PPG, 3SHGA | PP vs Manitoba: 2 for 50 (4.0%) - 2PPG, 0SHGA |
PK Rank: 1st (89.7%) - 5SHG, 42PPGA | PK Rank: 13th (83.2%) - 24SHG, 85PPGA |
PK vs GR: 48 for 50 (96.0%) - 0SHG, 2PPGA | PK vs Manitoba: 47 for 59 (79.7%) - 3SHG, 12PPGA |
Manitoba Moose Playoff Roster |
No. | Player | Pos. | Shoots | Ht | Wt | DOB | Birthplace |
1 | Drew MacIntyre | G | L | 6-1 | 185 | Jun. 24, 1983 | Charlottetown, PEI |
2 | Alex Edler | D | L | 6-3 | 194 | Apr. 21, 1986 | Ostersund, Sweden |
5 | Daniel Rahimi | D | L | 6-3 | 213 | Apr. 28, 1987 | Umea, SWE |
6 | Prestin Ryan | D | L | 6-0 | 190 | Jan. 6, 1980 | Arcola, SK |
7 | Mason Raymond | LW | L | 6-0 | 170 | Sep. 17, 1985 | Calgary, AB |
8 | Nathan McIver | D | L | 6-2 | 195 | Jan. 6, 1985 | Summerside, PEI |
10 | Brandon Reid | C | R | 5-8 | 185 | Mar. 9, 1981 | Kirkland, PQ |
12 | Mike Keane | RW | R | 5-11 | 185 | May. 29, 1967 | Winnipeg, MB |
13 | Mike (S.) Brown | RW | R | 6-0 | 210 | Jun. 24, 1985 | Northbrook, IL |
14 | Marc Chouinard | C | R | 6-4 | 200 | May. 6, 1977 | Charlesbourg, PQ |
15 | Jason Jaffray | LW | L | 6-1 | 205 | Jun. 30, 1981 | Olds, AB |
16 | Michael Grabner | RW | L | 6-1 | 177 | Oct. 5, 1987 | Villach, AUT |
18 | J.J. Hunter | C | L | 6-1 | 196 | Jul. 6, 1980 | Shaunavon, SK |
20 | Brad Moran | C | L | 5-11 | 185 | Mar. 20, 1979 | Abbotsford, BC |
22 | Jesse Schultz | RW | R | 6-0 | 192 | Sep. 28, 1982 | Strasbourg, SK |
23 | Dustin Wood | D | L | 6-1 | 208 | May. 21, 1981 | Scarborough, ON |
26 | Brendan Brooks | RW | R | 5-10 | 185 | Nov. 26, 1978 | St. Catharines, ON |
27 | Maxime Fortunus | D | R | 6-1 | 190 | Jul. 28, 1983 | La Prairie, PQ |
29 | Colby Genoway | RW | R | 6-1 | 201 | Dec. 12, 1983 | Morden, MB |
30 | Dov Grumet-Morris | G | L | 6-2 | 198 | Feb. 28, 1982 | Evanston, IL |
32 | Tyler Bouck | LW | L | 6-0 | 196 | Jan. 13, 1980 | Camrose, AB |
33 | Wade Flaherty | G | L | 6-0 | 190 | Jan. 11, 1968 | Terrace, BC |
37 | Lee Goren | RW | R | 6-3 | 205 | Dec. 26, 1977 | Winnipeg, MB |
38 | Yannick Tremblay | D | L | 6-2 | 180 | Nov. 15, 1975 | Pointe-aux-Trembles, PQ |
45 | Shaun Heshka | D | R | 6-1 | 195 | Jun. 30, 1985 | Melville, SK |
Grand Rapids Griffins Playoff Roster |
No. | Player | Pos. | Shoots | Ht | Wt | DOB | Birthplace |
1 | Stefan Liv | G | L | 6-0 | 177 | Jul. 23, 1980 | Gdynia, Poland |
3 | Danny Syvret | D | L | 5-11 | 203 | Jun. 13, 1985 | Millgrove, ON |
4 | Dan Smith | D | L | 6-3 | 220 | Oct. 19, 1976 | Fernie, BC |
5 | Brad Norton | D | L | 6-6 | 245 | Feb. 13, 1975 | Cambridge, MA |
6 | Jonathan Ericsson | D | L | 6-5 | 218 | Mar. 2, 1984 | Karlskrona, Sweden |
8 | Ben Simon | LW | L | 6-0 | 195 | Jun. 14, 1978 | Shaker Heights, OH |
9 | Kip Miller | C | L | 5-10 | 190 | Jun. 11, 1969 | Lansing, MI |
10 | Jakub Kindl | D | L | 6-3 | 202 | Feb. 10, 1987 | Sumperk, Czech Republic |
11 | Jan Mursak | LW | R | 5-11 | 173 | Jan. 20, 1988 | Maribor, Slovenia |
13 | Tony Voce | LW | L | 5-8 | 195 | Oct. 30, 1980 | Philadelphia, PA |
14 | Matt Hussey | LW | L | 6-1 | 210 | May. 28, 1979 | New Haven, CT |
15 | Cory Emmerton | C | L | 6-0 | 190 | Jun. 1, 1988 | St. Thomas, ON |
16 | Ryan Oulahen | LW | L | 6-0 | 185 | Mar. 26, 1985 | Newmarket, ON |
17 | Evan McGrath | C | L | 6-0 | 195 | Jan. 14, 1986 | Oakville, ON |
18 | Jon Insana | D | R | 6-1 | 202 | Sep. 2, 1980 | Mount Clemens, MI |
19 | Eric Himelfarb | C | R | 5-9 | 175 | Jan. 1, 1983 | Thornhill, ON |
20 | Jamie Tardif | RW | R | 6-0 | 203 | Jan. 23, 1985 | Welland, ON |
22 | Kyle Quincey | D | L | 6-2 | 215 | Aug. 12, 1985 | Kitchener, ON |
23 | Matt Ellis | C | L | 6-1 | 210 | Aug. 31, 1981 | Welland, ON |
25 | Jonas Johansson | RW | R | 6-2 | 200 | Mar. 18, 1984 | Jonkoping, Sweden |
26 | Adam Keefe | RW | L | 5-10 | 195 | Apr. 26, 1984 | Brampton, ON |
27 | Darryl Bootland | RW | R | 6-2 | 199 | Nov. 2, 1981 | Bradford, ON |
28 | Derek Meech | D | L | 5-11 | 197 | Apr. 21, 1984 | Winnipeg, MB |
29 | Scott Parse | F | R | 6-1 | 185 | Nov. 5, 1984 | Portage, MI |
33 | Jimmy Howard | G | L | 6-1 | 215 | Mar. 26, 1984 | Syracuse, NY |
34 | Jeff Campbell | LW | R | 5-9 | 175 | May. 9, 1981 | Hensall, ON |
Season Series: 2-3-0-3
11/3/06 GR 4 - Man 0
11/4/06 GR 5 - Man 4 -Shootout
11/7/06 GR 1 - Man 2
11/8/06 GR 1 - Man 2
3/16/07 GR 2 - Man 3 -Shootout
3/17/07 GR 2 - Man 3
3/23/07 GR 2 - Man 3 -Shootout
3/24/07 GR 3 - Man 4 -Shootout
Moose Team Leaders | Griffins Team Leaders |
REGULAR SEASON | REGULAR SEASON |
Goals: Jaffrey (35), Goren (26), Moran (25) | Goals: Ellis (26), Miller (25), Bootland (18) |
Assists: Moran (47), Jaffrey (46), Goren (42) | Assists: Miller (47), Hussey (29), Ellis (23) |
Points: Jaffrey (81), Moran (72), Goren (68) | Points: Miller (72), Ellis (49), Hussey (44) |
PP Goals: Jaffrey (16), Moran (7), Goren (10) | PP Goals: Miller, Ellis (10), Langfeld (6) |
SH Goals: Jaffrey (2), Keane, Hansen, Edler (1) | SH Goals: Ellis, Himelfarb (5), Simon, Meech, Oulahen (3) |
Plus/Minus: Jaffrey (+12), Goren (+8), Genoway (+8) | Plus/Minus: Smith (+13), Insana (+12), Galvin (+7) |
PIM: Brown (194), McIver (139), Ryan (125) | PIM: Bootland (222), Quincey (126), Norton (102) |
Head-to-Head |
2006-07 vs GR | 2006-07 vs Manitoba |
Goals: Jaffrey (6), Goren (3), Moran (2) | Goals: Miller (3), Insana, Langfeld, Ellis, Hussey, Voce (2) |
Assists: Moran (5), Goren, Smith (4) | Assists: Quincey (5), Miller, Ericsson (3) |
Points: Jaffrey (9), Moran, Goren (7) | Points: Quincey (6), Miller (6), Langfeld, Ellis, Hussey (4) |
PP Goals: Jaffrey (4), Goren (2) | PP Goals: Syvret, Miller (1) |
SH Goals: N/A | SH Goals: Ellis, Hussey, Brooks (1) |
Plus/Minus: Raymond (+1), No other players over 0 | Plus/Minus: Quincey (+6), Miller (+4) |
PIM: McIver (30), Goren (12), Moran, Rypien, Hansen (10) | PIM: Bootland (19), Smith (18), Keefe (17) |
SOG: Jaffrey (33), Goren (25), Ryan (21) |
SOG: Hussey (25), Quincey (16), Langfeld, Ellis, Miller (14) |
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