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Griffins get some revenge defeating Admirals in season opener in GR, 3-0

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- The Grand Rapids Griffins lost to the Milwaukee Admirals in the AHL Central Division finals last May, but got a measure of revenge on opening night Friday at Van Andel Arena with a 3-0 victory.

Sebastian Cossa earned the shutout with stellar play in the Griffins' net. It was just the third Griffins' shutout in 29 season openers, and the second in home openers - and the first in an opener of any kind during their 24 seasons in the American Hockey League (the first five seasons were in the now-defunct International Hockey League). It harkened images of when Griffins netminder Pokey Reddick turned aside 30 shots in the Griffins inaugural franchise game on Oct. 5, 1996 in a 1-0 win against the Indianapolis Ice.

Cossa blocked 35 shots Friday night, while the Griffins got off 27 on the Admirals. Although down 11-2 in shots on goal early in the first frame, the Griffins only trailed in shots on net, 14-11, at the end of that period. In the second period, Grand Rapids led in shots on goal, 8-6, but in the 3rd period Milwaukee led in shots on goal, 15-8. The Admirals benefitted from several power plays in that final period.

Marco Kasper, fresh off a two-goal game for the Red Wings on Oct. 4 in Detroit, racked up a goal and an assist, both in the second period. The first was at 8:08 in (a goal), and the second one (an assist) was registered 15:16 into the period.

Carter Mazur also lit the lamp with 4:34 left in the second stanza. William Wallinder got an assist on the tally, as did Kasper. Right wing Austin Watson had a terrific debut for the Griffins with two assists, a fight and altogether gritty play. Grand Rapids struggled to get shots on goal early in the game. But the Griffins scored the only two goals of the 2nd period and Cossa continued to turn aside one Admirals shot after the next. The Red Wings, who have struggled on defense and in net, had some team executives watching the game - and Cossa's sterling performance - at Van Andel Arena.

Third period ... [9:44pm] Dominik Shine scored an empty-net goal with 14.6 seconds left. Watson got the assist.

[9:40pm] Marco Kasper with another breakaway attempt with 4:10 to go in the game, but Chrona blocks it but isn't sure where it's at. It's behind the goal, and now cleared out of the zone on an icing.

[9:23] At 12:23, the Griffins get a 2-on-1 breakaway, Austin Watson skated right in on goal from the right, toe-dragged the puck around the Admirals' defenseman, fed it to Elmer Soderblom, who missed a wide-open net from 2 feet away, sailing the puck through the crease behind goalie Chrona. The Admirals's Marc Del Gaizo draws a two-minute holding penalty but the Griffins can't convert. And now, Milwaukee's Navrin Mutter and the Griffins Hunter Johannes duke it out along the boards. Mutter gets the better of the fight, taking Johannes to the ice. 10:05 to go in the final frame. Grand Rapids still up 2-0. Penalites: Mutter gets 5 minutes for fighting and a game misconduct for his second fight of the game. Joannes got 5 minutes for fighting.

[9:20] The Griffins kill an Admirals' power play to start the 3rd period, but a moment later Brogan Rafferty gets a two-minute tripping penalty, and Milwaukee has another power play. They rack up quick shots on goal, but Sebastian Cossa swats them away like flies. The power play is killed by the Griffins. 13:24 to go in the third period and the Admirals have a 30-20 shots-in-goal advantage but trail where it counts on the scoreboard, 2-0.

Second period ... Grand Rapids tallies twice in this period to take a 2-0 lead. After a slow start to the game, the Griffins come roaring back and take a two-goal lead to the locker room. Kasper, Watson and Cossa all playing well. Dominik Shine with a 2-minute slashing penalty with :33 seconds left in the period will give Milwaukee a power play for about 1:30 to start the 3rd period. The Admirals lead in shots on goal after 2 periods, 20-19.

[8:47] Austin Watson takes exception to a cross check from the Admirals' Navrin Mutter with 3:32 left in the first period, and takes him to the ice. The crowd at Van Andel Arena erupts. Five-minute major penalties to both Watson and Mutter, who would later receive an automatic ejection midway through the 3rd period for engaging in his second fight of the game.

[8:44] The Griffins score a power-play goal at 4:44 to go with Cazur Mazur on a one-time, short-side goal just feet from goalie Chrona. 2-0 Grand Rapids. William Wallinder with a superb setup pass. Marco Kasper also had an assist to go with his earlier goal.

[8:35] The Griffins' Carter Mazer draws a two-minute slashing penalty with 8:11 to go in the 2nd period, but the Griffins kill off he power play - Sebastian Cosa solid in net. The Griffins' captain Josiah Didier and Milwaukee's Reid Schaefer throwing some punches with them standing right in the Griffins' goal mouth. Didier gets a 2-minute penalty, as does Schaefer with 6 minutes to go. Ten seconds later, Zach L'Heureux gets a 2-minute tripping penalty. The Griffins will have a 4-on-3 advantage.

[8:33] Shots on goal tied at 15-15. Milwaukee with two quality shots on goal so far in the second period, their only shots on goal. The Griffins made their only shot this period (so far) count with a goal.

[8:24] The Griffins score the first goal of the season with 11:52 to go in the 2nd period, Kasper lighting the lamp just a moment after coming out of the penalty box. Dominik Shine with the sweet pass to Kasper breaking in on goal all alone, and he deked goalie Chrona going from forward to the backhand shot. Watson also with an assist. Kasper tallied twice for Detroit last week Friday in the Red Wings' game against Ottawa. Watson playing razor sharp.

First period ... The Grand Rapids Griffins didn't register their first shot on goal until 6 minutes and 6 seconds had expired in the first period - not what they were hoping to do in trying to beat the team that eliminated them in Game 5 of the American Hockey League playoffs in late May, ending their season.

There was no score in the first period Friday night, despite Milwaukee blitzing Grand Rapids early on, when they led in shots on goal, 11-2.

[7:52] A good drop pass by Sheldon Dries for Viro coming into the Admirals' zone, but Chrona got a toe on it. A two-minute tripping penalty with :32 seconds left in the 1st period on Milwaukee's Anthony Angello. The period ends 0-0, with the Admirals leading in shots on goal, 14-11.

[7:50] Austin Watson with a good shot from inside the circle, but Admirals goalie Magnus Chrona was equal to the task. The Griffins now only trail by four in shots on goal, after trailing 11-3 early in the game.

[7:44] The Admirals kill the Griffins' first power play with the game getting very chippy. Grand Rapids left wing Hunter Johannsen doing some of the shoving.

[7:39] Elmer Soderblom with some nifty stickwork along the north boards to keep the puck in the Admirals zone. And then, a scrum along the half-boards and the referee's right arm goes up. A delayed penalty against Milwaukee, with Zach L'Heureux drilling Nate Danielson. The Griffins on the power play with Joakim Kemell going off for 2 minutes for holding with 6:02 left in the 1st frame. The Admirals outshooting GR, 14-6, so far.

[7:25] The Griffins' goalie, Sebastian Cossa was run into with just over 13 minutes to go in the first period and the net came off its moorings. But defenseman Eemil Viro drew the 2-minute penalty. The Griffins managed to kill the penalty thanks to a close-range save by Coss. The Griffins trail in shots on goal, 11-3 with 11:22 left in the first period. The Griffins have struggled to get the puck out of their own zone early.

[7:15pm ET] The Grand Rapids Griffins' 2024 season is underway at Van Andel Arena against the Milwaukee Admirals, the team that eliminated them in the AHL Central Division finals last May.

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The Griffins announced a crowd of 10,834 at Van Andel Arena, their 28th home-opening sellout in 29 seasons since they played their first home game ever in Oct. 1996.

A beautiful, much larger video scoreboard/gondola this season at Van Andel Arena. The Griffins are sporting their new white home uniforms with red trim, red shoulders, and some gold - looks sharp. The Griffins' AHL Calder Cup championship and division-champion banners are missing from the rafters. Are the Griffins getting some new ones soon or are they just going in for cleaning?

Griffins' play-by-play announcer Bob Kaser and color commentator Larry Figurski have now been behind the microphones on WOOD Radio for 25 years. Rich Kincaid was the original play-by-play guy.

The Griffins will play their first road game of the season Saturday night at the Rockford Ice Hogs, at 8 p.m. ET. The pre-game coverage begins at 7:45 on 96.1 The Game (WMAX) in West MIchigan. The Griffins' next game against the Admirals will be in Milwaukee on Nov. 16, and then they'll play Nov. 29 in Grand Rapids.

A well-refereed game by Morgan MacPhee, Harrison O'Pray, with linesmen Ben Gawlik and Christopher Williams.

All attached photos were taken by Steve Katerberg. James Gemmell wrote the report.

Marco Kasper beats Admirals' goalie Magnus Chrona early in the 2nd period, taking a nice pass from Dominik Shine and lifting the backhand shot over the goalie's shoulder.Photo: Photos by Steve Katerberg

Griffins' center Amadeus Lombardi skates behind the Admirals' net in the first period at Van Andel Arena.Photo: Photos by Steve Katerberg


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