12 replies to this topic

[Aussie_Wing]

GAME 1

Saturday October 8th, 7:05pm CST
Grand Rapids Griffins (0-0-0-0) @ Rockford IceHogs (0-0-0-0)



Off-season arrivals:

Gustav Nyquist, Trevor Parkes, Landon Ferraro, Louis-Marc Aubry, Mitchell Callahan, Andrei Nestrasil, Garnet Exelby, Chris Connor

Preview:

The Griffins open their season on the road against the Rockford IceHogs, the Chicago Blackhawks AHL affiliate. The Griffins have re-tooled over the off-season and will be looking to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2008/09. Garnet Exelby will make his Griffins debut against the team he captained last season, and he will be a valuable boost to the Griffins blueline. Gustav Nyquist, who got a taste of the AHL with an 8 game stint late last season, is the biggest acquisition for Grand Rapids and is full of confidence after an outstanding pre-season with Detroit.

Chris Conner is expected to make up for some of the offence that departed with Filppula and Tardif, and a host of rookies will be hoping to stick in the AHL. At least 3 or 4 rookies are likely to be in the line-up come opening night, these include Nyquist, Ferraro and Callahan, whereas Parkes, Aubry and Nestrasil are all fighting for playing time. MacDonald will get the start in net, backed up by Jordan Pearce. Thomas McCollum will begin the season in Toledo.

Possible line-up:

Tatar – Johnson – Pare
Nyquist – Andersson – Coetzee
Conner – Raedeke – Callahan
Ferraro – Aubry – Parkes
(Nestrasil, Minard, Estoclat)

Smith – Janik
Exelby – Pyett
Lashoff – Amadio
(Piche, Ehrhardt)

MacDonald
Pearce

Media:

Box Score

[Aussie_Wing]

Oh just remembered Smith is ineligible for the first 3 games, so I guess Ehrhardt takes his place.

Smith won't be able to play a game until the 18th, that sucks.

[Andy Pred 48]

good luck to the boys tonight. lets start off the season with a good performance on the road and with luck 2 points.

[redwingfan19]

anyone have a stream?

[Aussie_Wing]

anyone have a stream?

drumj?

[Aussie_Wing]

Willie Coetzee begins the scoring for GR!! Great shot off a nice pass by none other than Nyquist!!

I'm expecting big things from Coetzee this season.

[OzWing19]

Willie Coetzee begins the scoring for GR!! Great shot off a nice pass by none other than Nyquist!!

I'm expecting big things from Coetzee this season.

You called it lol.

[redwingfan19]

callahan with his first scrap

[OzWing19]

I was gonna ask for Callahan updates before. Really interested to see how he transitions from juniors to the pros.

[Aussie_Wing]

Griffins lost 3-2. Not a great start to the season. I only caught the first period as I had to go out. The scoring looked like this:

1. GR Coetzee, (1) (Conner, Nyquist), 19:45 (PP)
3. GR Johnson, (1) (Ferraro, Tatar), 13:28 (PP)

A few things:

- Aubry, Parkes and Callahan made their AHL debuts. Callahan got into a fight.
- Coetzee scored his first AHL goal. I actually think he could score 20 goals this season.
- Good start by Landon Ferraro with a PP assist, all he needs is confidence and a good run with injuries.

Edited by Aussie_Wing, 09 October 2011 - 05:23 AM.

[redwingfan19]

Mitchell Callahan VS Andrew Shaw.


http://www.nhlfightc...cehogs-ahl.html

[Hatcher#2]

Mitchell Callahan VS Andrew Shaw.


http://www.nhlfightclub.com/videos/23771/mitchell-callahan-vs-andrew-shaw-oct-8-2011-grand-rapids-griffins-vs-rockford-icehogs-ahl.html

Thanks, I've been looking for a clip or review since it happened. He did well in his first pro fight, Shaw is a tough kid. It's nice to see he has gained some size aswell, now up to 6'0 190 pounds.

[redwingfan19]

Thanks, I've been looking for a clip or review since it happened. He did well in his first pro fight, Shaw is a tough kid. It's nice to see he has gained some size aswell, now up to 6'0 190 pounds.

he definitely looked bigger thats for sure. i thought he did well also, was throwing haymakers the whole time because he was probably really jacked up. he should settle down now and dominate.

if he adds 20 pounds of muscle to that 6 foot frame we are looking at a light heavy chris neil type.

love this kid.