GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Texas Stars gear up for a road trip this week up to Michigan’s west side for a two-game series with the Grand Rapids with massive implications in the Central Division race. Separated by just a single point, the four-point swing of Wednesday and Saturday’s games at Van Andel Arena could send ripple effects in the standings all the way into the postseason.
With the Milwaukee Admirals on a 17-game winning streak and all but clinching the Division crown, all signs point to this series being an absolute dogfight for the inside track at #2 in the division. With two teams stocked with talent from top to bottom, who has the advantage?
Tale of the Tape
So far, the season series between these division rivals is fairly one-sided. Texas comes in with a 5-1 record over the Griffins, who managed to collect just three points in those six games. The usual suspects lead the way for the Stars: Logan Stankoven and Mavrik Bourque. They pace Texas with eight points each in those six games, adding to their league-leading totals in scoring. As a team, Texas has outscored the Griffins 25-15 over those six games.
While Taro Hirose has been doing his thing against Texas – he and Tim Gettinger lead the Griffins with 6 points in the season series – the Griffins have been struggling to find offensive hands against Texas so far this season. Namely – Simon Edvinsson’s two assists in the six games stick out for the Griffins.
The goaltending tandem of Matthew Murray and Remi Porier each sport at least a .902 save percentage (with Porier sporting a 4-0 record). Meanwhile, the Griffins’ tenders have struggled to stymie Texas’ shooters. Sebastian Cossa and Michael Hutchinson have a combined .858 save percentage in the six games played in November and December.
Riding the Rapids
However – these aren’t the Griffins of early December. Remember, they slogged through the mud for the first few months of the season until the Christmas break. Since then, Grand Rapids has piled on the points, riding the momentum of a 12-game point streak (8-0-4). Now they are knocking on the door for second place in the Central.
Several of the prospects – after rough starts to the season – have found their momentum in 2024. Marco Kasper – the first-round pick of Detroit in 2022 – is the first to come to mind. After starting his American Hockey League career with one goal in 10 games, Kasper’s pushed the throttle on his offensive game with eight points in his last 11. He’s becoming more involved with the puck and without. Now teams in the Central are starting to learn how hard Kasper is to play against.
Perhaps the most prominent by pedigree, Kasper is clearly not the only driving factor in a Griffins team firing off on all cylinders. Carter Mazur has been an absolute menace at the front of the net and in the corners. His 23 hard-earned points are good for third on the Griffins. Cossa’s been dialed in the crease, collecting six wins in his last nine starts and making the big saves to put his team in a position to win every night.
Swager in the Skates
But it’s been how the Griffins have attained these points in the streak that has been most impressive. They’ve rallied from behind in the third period again and again. They’ve been hounding after the puck and selling out on defense. Jonatan Berggren has been all he’s been advertised with the puck on his stick with 38 points to pace Grand Rapids – but had perhaps his most impressive play of the season on the defensive side of the puck during this point streak.
Most of all: they’ve got a swagger in their skates right now that was missing back in the dog days of November when they first ran into the high-flying Stars. Confidence can be all the difference in a developing young player, and the Griffins are flooding Van Andel Arena with it.
These Griffins are a different animal.
Starpower
12-game point streak on one side. 5-game point streak with the top two scorers in the league (by quite a large margin). Implications that could be felt in April when it’s all said and done.
Does it get any better than this?
This week, expect the stars to be the stars – and that doesn’t exist solely for Texas. Big players come up at big times, and there should be a playoff atmosphere in a packed Van Andel Arena that’s been waiting since before the COVID-19 pandemic for another run in the playoffs.
With four big points on the line, the battleground is set, and the fireworks are primed. Wednesday night’s puck drop puts two teams with Calder Cup aspirations on the railroad tracks for a heavyweight showdown. Things are in motion now that cannot be undone.
Check out Wednesday and Saturday’s action on AHLtv or on the AHL app!
