GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The final horn on Sunday blared, and the held breaths could finally exhale in a roar of cheers. With it, the Grand Rapids Griffins set off a celebration that put the entire American Hockey League on notice.
The Griffins kicked off the week with a two-game set against the Texas Stars, who boasted the AHL’s top two scorers in Logan Stankoven and Mavrik Bourque. The Griffins won both games (1-0 and 4-1) on the strength of their defense and goaltending, shutting down the dynamic duo and limiting their production to just one assist by Bourque.
Grand Rapids followed up the two emotionally charged wins with a determined effort on Sunday to hand the Milwaukee Admirals their first loss in 20 games by the final of 4-2, and with it taking their point streak to 15 games (11-0-2-2).
Back in December, the Griffins were in 6th place in the Central Division. It would have been unfathomable to believe in a week – let alone a month – that Grand Rapids had. Three convincing wins this week have announced that these Griffins have arrived and are here to stay.
Holding Down the Fort
The week’s success was – as expected of head coach Dan Watson’s teams – a complete effort from the entire roster. That shouldn’t take away from the spotlight firmly on Griffins goaltender Sebastian Cossa. On Wednesday night, Cossa kicked off the week with his first AHL shutout in nail-biting fashion. Following Albert Johansson’s opening marker just 25 seconds into the game, Texas and Grand Rapids traded chances for the next 59 minutes.
Both Cossa and Texas goaltender Remi Porier remained perfect throughout, and the 1-0 score from the first shift of the game ended up being the final after both goaltenders dueled to the final buzzer.
What did Cossa do for an encore? Just a casual 37-save performance to halt the second-longest winning streak in AHL history, outdueling fellow blue-chip prospect Yaroslav Askarov in the process. Topping off his performance was a well-earned nod as Cossa was named the AHL Player of the Week.
Sebastian Cossa: Is He a Top Goaltender?
For whatever reasons – whether it was Cossa’s introduction to professional hockey in the ECHL last season or the success of Jesper Wallstedt in Iowa, he has taken a back seat in discussions for top young netminders in the AHL. It’s time to bring Cossa back into those discussions.
Cossa’s 8-1-2 record since the Christmas break coincides with the Griffins’ massive turnaround from outside the playoff picture to division power. His .930 save percentage over that time would put him up there with names like Askarov, Dustin Wolf, and Clay Stevenson for some of the best in the league. The big man has been athletic, positionally sound, and isn’t giving up the rebounds that plagued his early days in Grand Rapids. In fact, he’s making some of the more difficult stops look easy.
The draft pick was questioned at the time. It was lamented after tough exhibitions and early struggles.
No one is questioning Cossa’s ability to come up in big games any longer.
Mr. Griffin’s Unit
Last season, Brian Lashoff wrapped up an astounding career in professional hockey, remaining with a single organization from junior hockey until retirement. The steady defender known as “Mr. Griffin” was given an entire day in his honor by the mayor of Grand Rapids on his last game day. If that doesn’t tell you what Lashoff means to this city and team, then perhaps it would shock you to learn that Lashoff turned in his skates for a spot behind the bench.
Lashoff joined Coach Watson’s staff as an assistant and took over the defense and penalty kill. Killing penalties at an 80% clip so far this season, the penalty killers took over in the statement games of the week.
Texas, with its prolific scorers, came in with the league’s third-best power play. They went 0/5 in two games against the Griffins (doubly impressive since, prior to this series, Texas was 8/25 in the six games against Grand Rapids). The Griffins’ penalty killers gave the Stars’ shooters no lanes to work with and suffocated their puck movement. When there was space, Cossa and Michael Hutchinson were there to smother any momentum.
In Sunday’s thriller, the Griffins jumped out to a 4-0 lead before two goals in 20 seconds brought the Admirals right back into the game. Five (!!!) consecutive penalty kills followed for the Griffins, opening the door for a potent Milwaukee team on a 19-game heater to climb back in.
The Griffins bent but never broke on the penalty kill, playing smart hockey positionally and getting their sticks in the lanes. When their sticks broke, they put their bodies on the line to block shots. The Admirals threw everything they had to tie the game up, and the Griffins took every blow and gave it right back.
Class is in Session
Chemistry. It is a subject many of us struggled with in high school, but one that we live with every day, whether we understand it or not. The Griffins and Coach Watson understand it. The early growing pains helped this team understand its identity and ultimately helped them find their confidence in their game, and the results speak for themselves on the ice.
Jonatan Berggren’s numbers with the puck don’t surprise anyone, but how he and fellow Swede Simon Edvinsson have handled the puck has shone out. Their celebrations explode with emotion, and the boulders of early season struggles seemed to have left their skates.
Staying on the Swedes, Elmer Soderblom has been blossoming with his own confidence as of late – firing home a massive goal on Saturday’s game. The big man has been skating well and making plays with more regularity, which is rewarding him with ice time.
It all stems from that swagger that has been following the Griffins during this 15-game point streak. Coach Watson wants them to come to the rink and have fun while playing for one another. The plays are being made smoothly with precision, becoming lethal to their opponents.
The Griffins went from 16 points back of Texas in December to a five-point cushion over their rivals and in the driver’s seat for second place in the Central Division. The Grand Rapids Griffins have arrived, and they are here to stay.
