10/25 GDT: Hamilton Bulldogs @ Grand Rapids Griffins

[Aussie_Wing 354]

Hamilton Bulldogs (4-0-1) @ Grand Rapids Griffins (2-0-1)

V

The Griffins will finally play their home opener at Van Andel Arena as they take on the Hamilton Bulldogs in what will be a very good test for the young Griffins. The Bulldogs have a few highly rated NHL prospects such as Max Pacioretty, the 19 year old power forward the Canadiens drafted in 2007. Jakub Kindl will be up against former Kitchener defensive teammate Yannick Weber. Former 1st rounder Shawn Belle, now with his 3rd NHL team, is also in the line-up.

The Griffins haven’t played in nearly a week and are likely to be a bit rusty but playing in front of their home crowd for the first time this season should give them a lift. Energetic forward Darren Helm is back in the line-up and should log heavy minutes as he strives to be back up with Detroit.

Possible line-up (subject to change):

Leino - Abdelkader - Haydar
Wilson - Pare - Helm
Ritola - Emmerton - Mursak
McGrath - Oulahen - Downey

Ericsson - Pyett
Galvin - Kindl
Jozsa - Stafford

Howard
Larsson

Team Leaders:

Goals: Leino, Hayder, Wilson, Abdelkader (2)
Assists: Ritola, Pyett (3)
Points: Ritola, Leino, Hayder (4)
Penalty Minutes: Wilson (13)

Notes:

• Howard and Larsson have been splitting the starts and it’s unknown who will get the start at this stage. Most likely Howard.
• Kindl and Ritola have registered a point in every game thus far.
• Abdelkader left the Griffins last game in the 2nd period with a knee injury but is expected to play. Edited October 25, 2008 by Aussie_Wing

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

5-2 Griffins. Helm, Pare, Abdelkader, Downey, and Ericsson. Downey also gets into a couple scraps with Alex Henry and Ryan Flinn, earning two victories.

[Coyote0106 2]

I can't wait. It's finally game-day. I will post up my opinions after the game...but it's about time! It's going to be the first big test this young season. Hamilton is good, so we will finally be able to know how good they really are.

A quick side note, it really is a different team. The coach has gone on record several times now saying how energetic this team really is, and how the arena NEEDS to be full of cheering fans. Last year, all we heard was "Stothers is like a father to the players....blah blah blah". It's good to have a real coach, it might have taken the Wings two years, but they finally got their man.

[Aussie_Wing 354]

All I'm going to say (well, this and more) is....

Mattias freaking Ritola!!!!!

2 goals and an assist!

Scoring summary so far:

1. GR Stafford, (1) (Ritola, Wilson), 1:42

1. GR Abdelkader, (3) (Ericsson, Helm), 3:19 (PP)

1. GR Ritola, (2) (Emmerton, Wilson), 4:51

1. GR Ritola, (3) (Emmerton), 8:55

4-2 the score with 5 minutes remaining in the 2nd period. Howard in net, 9 saved on 11 shots.

[Aussie_Wing 354]

2 - HAM Glumac, 15:21 - Instigating , 2 min

2 - HAM Glumac, 15:21 - Fighting , 5 min

2 - HAM Glumac, 15:21 - Misconduct - Instigating (47.10), 10 min

2 - GR Abdelkader, 15:21 - Boarding , 2 min

2 - GR Abdelkader, 15:21 - Fighting , 5 min

All he needs is an assist for the Gordie Howe hat trick!

Score is now 5-3, Leino scored the 5th assisted by Helm. Howard 17 saves on 20 shots.

[br0ken.b0nes 0]

Just got home from the Griffins home opener...had to leave a bit early due to dumpin beer on Glumac in the box...

For the record...Glumac squeezed his Gatorade bottle into the crowd and it was a knee-jerk reaction to strike back.

Was a GREAT home opener! Score was 5-3 when we left...hope they hold on to win the game!

Kudos to the guy with the tattoo who stopped by to heckle with us!

GO GRIFFINS!

[Aussie_Wing 354]

I can't wait. It's finally game-day. I will post up my opinions after the game...but it's about time! It's going to be the first big test this young season. Hamilton is good, so we will finally be able to know how good they really are.

A quick side note, it really is a different team. The coach has gone on record several times now saying how energetic this team really is, and how the arena NEEDS to be full of cheering fans. Last year, all we heard was "Stothers is like a father to the players....blah blah blah". It's good to have a real coach, it might have taken the Wings two years, but they finally got their man.

Care to share you thoughts on the game? I’d really love to hear more about the game because it sounded like a really exciting encounter. Our prospects fared pretty well and most seem to have made a flying start to the season.

The coaching change had to happen; the team was a mess last season. The addition of a solid group of veterans as well as a number of exciting rookies seems to have made a huge difference.

Just got home from the Griffins home opener...had to leave a bit early due to dumpin beer on Glumac in the box...

For the record...Glumac squeezed his Gatorade bottle into the crowd and it was a knee-jerk reaction to strike back.

Was a GREAT home opener! Score was 5-3 when we left...hope they hold on to win the game!

Kudos to the guy with the tattoo who stopped by to heckle with us!

GO GRIFFINS!

Sounds as though you had an interesting night!

[ArcticWing 0]

Good article...

Griffins Hold On For 6-4 Win

http://www.griffinscentral.com/articles/102508.html

[Coyote0106 2]

First of all, the guy on here talking about how he dumped beer on Glumac, get a clue. Everyone is our section was loving the way you were riding him, hell, everyone was laughing at the things being yelled. You lost it with the beer, even though he did squirt the water bottle. The Van took to long to kick you out, crap should never get that far at a game. But dang, I loved how you rode Glumac.

The first period really just left me stunned. I NEVER thought we'd be up 4-0 going in to the intermission. This team has some insane offensive fire power. They were making plays that were sure turnovers last year.

The second started, and Hamilton just out played us. The team really must have thought that they were going to just half-ass it to the buzzer. Hamilton came out hitting everything, and playing solidly defensively. I'd definitely say we lost the 2nd and 3rd periods.

Mursak has some wheels on him. He circled once in our end then just turned 'em on, and was still able to go coast to coast against Hamilton.

Leino made some really smart passes, but I'd like to see him shoot more. He's without question an NHL player on an AHL team.

Helm and Abdelkader worked their butts off, too. They would be leading the forecheck, win the battles along the boards for the puck, and then knock someone down because they could. Abdelkader is really gritty, he was sandpaper against some of their players all night. His fight wasn't much, but it was obviously coming. He boarded a guy in the corner, and Glumac was coming after him before the whistle even went. He saw it at the last second, and got his gloves off maybe a split-second before Glumac charged in. Glumac got his spun around, and on the ice, then started throwing punches. The refs stepped in, but if a different line was on the ice, it could easily have been much worse.

Oulahen got into a scrap at the end of the game, which was the best fight. He just jumped off the bench, and the Hamilton player decided to hit him for no reason. So Oulahen pushed him, and then they dropped the gloves. Oulahen got a couple good shots in, otherwise it was alot of just positioning to get an arm free.

Ritola had maybe his best game as a Griffin. He was all over the ice, making plays develop, and then finishing off on alot of others. Their goalie couldn't stop anything in the 1st, I think he finished at like 4G on 5 or 6 shots.

Anyways, this is just one mans opinion on the game.

Edited October 26, 2008 by Coyote0106

[spydrwebb 0]

they definitely looked like a new team... i don't have anything more to say, it's all been said at this point... go griffins!

[pinkprincess027 0]

I agree completly with everything Coyotee has to say. I took a few relucant people to the game they are looking forward to going again. We enjoyed seeing Glumac being yelled at and would have enjoyed hearing what was being said, we sat across the ice a few rows behind the Griffins bench. The team had a very solid first period, but did not do as great in the others. I expected good things from Leino and Helm and they both impressed, I also liked Ritola, Abdelkader, and Emmerton last night.

I must say that I was not real impressed with the Crosby commercial they showed on the screen. I would have been much happier to see one of our guys up there or nothing at all.

Overall the team played great in the first period and decent in the second and third in my opinion. It was a very fun game to attend and I will definitely being going to a lot more this year.