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RWC Archives - March 11 Grand Rapids Griffins Update
Griffins remain atop the AHL, Groulx steps up...
By Jason Kasiorek
www.griffinscentral.com
March 11, 2004
The Grand Rapids Griffins continue to maintain their spot at the top of the American Hockey League standings with an impressive 39-18-8 record, including an incredible 19-6-4 run since Jan. 9.
The Detroit Red Wings have recalled 13 different players from the Griffins this season, including veterans such as
Jamie Rivers
and
Mark Mowers
who were once expected to spend the entire season in the AHL.
With
Anders Myrvold
in Detroit,
Danny Groulx
stepped up his game during the most recent stretch of games, manning the point on the power play and picking up three assists in seven games. He is also among the AHL leaders with a plus-19.
The following is a report on the Griffins players (statistics listed as GP-G-A-PTS-PIM, plus-minus):
Ryan Barnes
(60-5-12-17-156, plus-6) gets a lot of ice time some nights, while other nights he is an extra player. He has scored some big goals and provides a physical spark every night.
Darryl Bootland
(39-10-1-11-143, plus-4) is battling injuries and inconsistency, and his physical game has been derailed. He gets many good offensive chances but just hasn't been able to convert.
Matt Ellis
(51-4-6-10-19, minus-2) continues to get plenty of pucks on the net (17 shots in seven games), but has nothing to show for it on the score sheet. He hustles and works hard on every shift and is solid on the penalty kill.
Danny Groulx
(65-6-12-18-76, plus-19) benefited from extra responsibility with
Anders Myrvold
in Detroit. He played very well, picking up his offensive game while playing solid physical defense.
Jiri Hudler
(43-13-29-42-34, plus-20) has slowed down somewhat lately and has not produced at a point-per-game clip. Fatigue may be setting in, as Hudler looks out of synch and shows only flashes of offensive brilliance.
Derek King
(64-8-19-27-15, plus-4) has shifted between forward and defense for the last few weeks. He appears more effective and even produces more points when he's playing on the blue line.
Tomas Kopecky
(40-6-5-11-28, minus-1) had the most productive stretch of the season, striking for two goals and an assist in four games. However, he was scratched for three other games and continues to struggle.
Marc Lamothe
(38 GP, 1.92 GAA, .928 SPCT) returned from a stretch in Detroit and joined the team at the end of a long road trip. He split his two starts, winning once, then losing 4-1 in Houston.
Joey MacDonald
(28 GP, 1.87 GAA, .938 SPCT) was phenomenal with
Marc Lamothe
in Detroit, and coach Danton Cole declared that the two goalies will split games 50-50 for the rest of the season.
Kevin Miller
(59-23-18-41-14, plus-4) continues to score big goals as his nine game-winners will attest. He does his best work on the penalty-killing unit, where his veteran savvy and anticipation are crucial.
Anders Myrvold
(61-0-17-17-78, plus-2) spent much of the most recent stretch with the parent club in Detroit. However, he returned to the Griffins and played a much more consistent physical game.
Michel Picard
(61-13-32-45-31, plus-3) has been much more involved in the offense lately, although his 13 goals are a far cry from the 32-goal campaign he had last year. He scored both goals in the Griffins' 2-1 victory over Houston.
Nathan Robinson
(54-21-21-42-39, plus-11) has been eased back into the lineup since returning from a groin injury. After a slow start, he appears to be stepping up his game and rounding into form.
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