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RWC Archives - February 1 Griffins Monthlye
Griffins skid toward basement with record-setting slump...
By Jason Kasiorek
www.griffinscentral.com
February 1, 2005
The bottom completely fell out for the Grand Rapids Griffins this month.
The Detroit Red Wings' top minor-league affiliate went 3-9 in 12 games since the last report, and have now lost 15 of their last 18 games. Things hit a low when the Griffins lost a franchise-record nine-straight games.
The players expected to keep the ship afloat have all but disappeared, while the only bright spot has been the strong play of several role players and rookie
Eric Himelfarb
.
Defenseman
Niklas Kronwall
is one of the chief culprits, as his play has fallen off at both ends of the ice. Injuries to steady defenseman Travis Richards and the absence of star center
Jiri Hudler
also contributed to the slump.
Grand Rapids is 21-21-1-1 for 44 points, tied for fifth in the West Division. They are currently out of the playoffs and sixth-last in the league.
OFFENSE
' A train wreck.
Eric Manlow
(11-0-1-1) and Blake Sloan (12-1-0-1) are slumping, while
Nathan Robinson
has disappeared.
Pete Vandermeer
(five points in past 12 games), however, has stepped up alongside the surging Himelfarb, and Kip Miller improving.
Darryl Bootland
,
Matt Ellis
and Todd Robinson have played solid hockey.
DEFENSE
' Kronwall, a league all-star, doesn't look like the same player lately, while partner
Danny Groulx
has also struggled. The absence of Richards, a steady veteran, hasn't helped, nor has a rocky adjustment to the AHL for rookie
Derek Meech
. That said, the Griffins are eighth overall in goals against average. Impressive, considering.
GOALTENDING
' It's hard to blame
Joey MacDonald
for the slump when his team has left him out to dry so frequently. His numbers continue to be among the league leaders and he was named a league all-star.
Drew MacIntyre
picked up the slack when MacDonald was out with a groin injury, posting his first career AHL shutout.
POWER PLAY
' The Griffins continue to excel with the man advantage on the road, where they convert at a 19.6 percent rate (second in the league). At home, they convert just 12.1 percent of their chances, 25th of 28 teams. Miller, as he continues to get back to game shape, should help with his deft passes from the side boards.
PENALTY KILL
' Once one of the team's strengths, penalty killing has taken a nosedive with the absence of wily veterans Richards and Kory Karlander. Ellis and Bootland continue to excel in this department, while Himelfarb and Sloan form the other pair. Defensively, Kronwall and Groulx have struggled in this area.
PLAYER OF THE MONTH
' Himelfarb. A go-to offensive player for Grand Rapids, Himelfarb has four goals and five assists in his last 12 games. He is constantly in motion, playing a consistent game and making his linemates better. Himelfarb plays strong two-way hockey in all situations and logs a ton of ice time.
LINE OF THE MONTH
' The unit of Vandermeer, Himelfarb and Brent Kelly gets the nod. Vandermeer came alive when moved to Himelfarb's wing, playing a strong physical game and getting his offensive game going. A variety of right-wingers auditioned on the line, but Kelly has looked good during the past half-dozen games.
DEFENSE PAIRING OF THE MONTH
'
Bryan Helmer
, with his steady defensive game, and
Brett Lebda
, with his offensive ability, have gotten the job at both ends of the rink. Helmer, a free agent acquisition of the Red Wings this summer, has sacrificed his offensive game as he tutors the team's younger blueliners.
ROOKIE WATCH
' It was feast or famine for rookies in January. Feast? Himelfarb is flying high; Lebda scored his first two career goals and maintained a positive plus-minus rating; and MacIntyre has a 1.68 goals against average in his past four games. Famine?
Todd Jackson
and
Paul Ballantyne
were farmed out to the East Coast Hockey League.
INJURIES
'
Tomas Kopecky
, broken finger, indefinitely ... Ernie Hartlieb, broken foot, 3-4 weeks ... Kory Karlander, broken foot-blood clot, indefinitely ... Richards, ankle, day-to-day ... Manlow, foot, day-to-day ...
MOVEMENT
' Hudler returned from Czech Republic ... Kelly signed PTO from Johnstown (ECHL) ... Jackson assigned to Toledo (ECHL) ... Ballantyne assigned to Toledo (ECHL) ... LW Jeff Hutchins signed PTO from Mississippi (ECHL) ... Greg Amadio signed PTO from Columbia (ECHL) ...
KEY STATS
' Kronwall is second in points and first in goals among defensemen ... Helmer is fifth in power-play goals for defensemen with four ... Himelfarb is eighth in rookie scoring with 26 points and first in rookie shorthanded goals with two ... Miller has 100 points in 85 games in Grand Rapids ...
UP NEXT
' The Griffins start February on the road against the Manitoba Moose, Philadelphia Phantoms and Rochester Americans. The month will finish with two key home games against the West Division-leading Milwaukee Admirals, a home-and-home series with the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks, and a home game against the Phantoms.
Jason Kasiorek contributes monthly Grand Rapids Griffins reports. They appear on RedWingsCentral.com on the first of each month.
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