The Grand Rapids Griffins are rolling again, and Friday’s 4-2 win over the Milwaukee Admirals pushed that run to nine straight games with at least a point.
That victory left Grand Rapids with the best record in the AHL at 22 points and a 10-2-1-1 mark. It also kept the Griffins from taking a regulation loss for the first time since Oct. 10, when Milwaukee beat them 4-1.
The start looks familiar on paper, but coach Dan Watson pointed to the people inside the room rather than the bench when asked about the surge.
“It’s mindset, it’s messaging, it’s guys buying in, it’s guys executing,” he said. “The credit goes to the players. It’s not easy, but they’ve handled everything that’s been thrown at them, whether it’s travel or getting on a bus, driving and getting there at 3 in the morning.”
This version of the Griffins is younger than the group that opened last season so fast, with Carter Bear, Dylan James, Noah Dower Nilsson, Jesse Kiiskinen and Trey Augustine all making major early contributions. At the same time, veterans like Dominik Shine, John Leonard and Sheldon Dries have helped drive the offense, though Leonard and Dries are currently with the Detroit Red Wings.
“This team seems different,” Dylan James said. “We just go into games with a lot of confidence, and we’re not really worried about losing. We’re just going out there and having fun, and it’s working for us.
“Everyone just gels well together, and I’m enjoying it so far.”
The biggest edge for Grand Rapids has come in the special teams game. The Griffins own the league’s best penalty kill and rank third on the power play, a sharp contrast to the way last season ended.
On Friday, they checked every box in one night: an even-strength goal, a power-play goal, a shorthanded goal and, to finish it off, an empty-netter.
The penalty kill has been especially nasty. Grand Rapids led the AHL in that category last season at 86%, and it has taken another step this year, sitting at 93%. The Griffins have surrendered only four power-play goals in 57 shorthanded chances, including one against Milwaukee.
The approach is different, too. Watson said the unit is more aggressive than it was a year ago, forcing opponents to move the puck around the zone longer and creating turnovers that turn into clears.
James, who scored the shorthanded goal, said the depth on the kill has made a real difference.
“A lot of guys on the kill like me and (Kienan Draper) have chemistry on the kill,” he said. “A lot of guys on this team can kill. So, if someone gets a penalty that is on the kill, there’s plenty of guys to fill in for them.”
The power play has also taken a major jump. After ranking 15th in the league last season at 18.7%, Grand Rapids is up to 25.8% and third in the AHL. The puck movement has been cleaner, and the looks have been better.
Watson credited both the staff and the players for that progress.
“I think (assistant coach Steph Julien) and (assistant coach Brian Lashoff) and as a staff, they’ve done a really good job of having a game plan prepared,” he said. “I think our practice habits on the special teams are very good. But it’s up to our guys to go out and execute, and they’re executing right now.”
Trey Augustine has been right in the middle of the run, too. With the Red Wings calling up Michal Postava to cover for the injured John Gibson, Augustine was pushed back into a No. 1 role and has answered it well.
The 21-year-old made 24 saves on 26 shots Wednesday in a win over the Texas Stars, then stopped 25 of 27 against Milwaukee on Friday. He also came on in relief for Carter Gylander in Friday’s game and stopped every shot he saw.
Augustine opened the season with an overtime loss and a regulation loss in his first two starts, but he has since won four of his last five. He now owns a 0.907 save percentage and a 2.66 goals-against average.
His rebound control stood out against Milwaukee. The Admirals had a hard time generating second chances, and when they did, Augustine was ready.
In the first period, with Grand Rapids already up 2-0, he stretched left to stop a cross-crease one-timer. Later, with the Griffins ahead 3-0 late in the second, he turned aside a point-blank chance off a pass from below the goal line.
“I thought Trey was excellent (Friday),” Watson said.
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