Griffins lose again to Texas Stars at home, 4-2, trail playoff series 2-0

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- The Grand Rapids Griffins will have to dig deep if they intend to advance past the first round of the American Hockey League's Calder Cup playoffs.

The Texas Stars defeated the Griffins, 4-2, on Monday night in front of 5,837 disappointed fans at Van Andel Arena - including Detroit Red Wings' head coach Todd McLellan. The Stars took the first two games of the Central Division best-of-five playoff series. Even more challenging, the Griffins will have to win three straight games on Texas ice to win the series, after losing the first two games at home.

The Stars had scored eight unanswered goals in the series, including a 4-0 win in Game 1, before the Griffins finally got on the board with a little more than four minutes left in the 2nd stanza. The ice seemed tilted much of the night, with the Griffins only getting one shot on goal in the first half of the 3rd period. The Stars repeatedly produced turnovers by the Griffins, preventing them from getting out of their own end of the ice.

The Stars outshot Grand Rapids 13-to-9 in the 1st period, 8-to-7- in the 2nd period, and 10-3 in the 3rd period. For the game, that was a 31-19 shots on goal advantage for the team in green and white uniforms.

The Griffins will try to rebound from where they were for three months of the season. From Nov. 8 through Feb. 7, the Griffins held at least a share of first place in the Central Division with a 25-15-3-1 mark (.628) in the first 44 games.

3rd Period: Texas 4, GR 2. [Final]

[9:26pm] With a timeout on the ice with 5:42 to go in regulation, Texas retains a 4-2 lead and a 29-19 shots-on-goal advantage.

[9:21pm] The Griffins' goal accounts for their only shot on net with 7:52 still to go in the 3rd period. The Stars lead in shots on goal, 27-17. Brandsegg-Nygard nearly tallies again a moment later from close in on Porrier.

[9:07pm] Michael Brandsegg-Nygard's first AHL goal pulls the Griffins to within two goals, 4-2, 5:20 into the final frame. Dominik Shine and Joe Snively with the assists. Detroit Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan is in the house at Van Andel Arena. Brandsegg-Nygard with a goal and an assist tonight. The period started well for GR, not only with a goal but the earlier slashing penalty called on the Stars' Harrison Scott at the 2:54 mark.

2nd Period: Texas 4, GR 1.

8:35] The zebras call the Stars' Kole Lind for a slashing penalty at 14:49 of the 2nd period, and the Griffins capitalize on a power play for the first time in the series ... Sheldon Dries scoring at 15:52. Assisting on the goal were Dominik Shine and Michael Brandsegg-Nygard. The period ends. Texas 4, Grand Rapids 1. The Stars lead in shots on goal, 21-16, after two periods.

[8:27] The Stars put the biscuit in the basket for the fourth time in the game with 7:47 to go in the second period. Left wing Curtis McKenzie with a left-handed shot that beats the Griffins' Jack Campbell, giving the Stars a 4-0 lead for the second game in a row in Grand Rapids. Matthew Seminoff and Michael Karow with the assists.

[8:21] The Griffins' left wing Gabriel Seger is called for a two-minute roughing penalty at the 9:17 mark in the 2nd period. And the Stars' Harrison Scott is penalized for delay of game. So, it'll be 4-on-4 hockey for the next two minutes. Only 2 shots on goal for the Griffins about halfway through the period.

[8:16] Stars left wing Emilio Petersen is called for a high-sticking penalty at the 6-minute mark, his second penalty of the game. The Griffins can't convert, though, and trail in shots on goal 16-11.

[8:07pm] 2nd period action underway at Van Andel Arena. The final :11 seconds on the Griffins' power play expires. But just 1:07 into the new period, Grand Rapids' Nate Danielson is called for a boarding penalty. The Stars quickly turn that into a goal by Justin Hrychkowian just :28 seconds later at the 1:35 mark. That was Dallas's second power play goal and third of the series, while the Griffins are 0-for-6 with the man advantage.

1st Period: Texas 2, GR 0.

[7:45pm] At the 18:11 mark, the Stars' Emilio Petterson is called for a two-minute holding penalty. The Griffins can't convert before the 1st period expires. There will be :11 seconds left in the Stars' power play when the 2nd stanza begins. After 1 period, Texas 2, G.R. 0. That's the same score as last Tuesday's opener after one period. The Stars outshot G.R., 13-9.

[7:40pm] The crowd is getting upset with what they see as the officials' failure to call penalties against the Stars, despite their transgressions. Instead, with 4:13 left in the 1st period, it is the Griffins' Michael Brandsegg-Nygard who gets called for a holding penalty. And Texas has its fourth power play.

[7:36pm] The Griffins haven't been getting the close-in opportunities to score like Texas, so far. Dominik Shine just came flying down the right boards on a 2-on-1 and took a shot from the top of the circle, but Stars goalie Remi Poirier had a clear look at it and made an easy save, his 6th of the game with less than 8 minutes to goal in the 1st period.

[7:28pm] The Stars swarm Jack Campbell and score with 8:09 remaining in the 1st period. Arttu Hyry knocked it home after the Stars took four swats at the puck in the Griffins' goal mouth. Texas with a 2-0 lead quieting the crowd in Grand Rapids.

[7:25pm] With 11:57 left in the first frame, the Stars lead on the scoreboard 1-0 and in shots on goal, 6-4.

[7:15pm] It's getting rowdy right from the get-go, fisticuffs and players being upended skates-over-heels. The Stars draw first blood at the 16:11 mark, just 3:49 into the game, with both teams having a player in the penalty box. Luke Krys lights the lamp for Texas with both teams having a player in the sin bin. Grand Rapids getting penalized early in this game. Justin Hrychkowian and Kyle Capobianco with the assists.

03:20 Grand Rapids Griffins Antti Tuomisto Roughing, 2 min

03:49 Grand Rapids Griffins Dominik Shine High-sticking, 2 min PP

03:20 Texas Stars Curtis McKenzie Roughing, 2 min

[7:10pm] Game 2 of the Grand Rapids Griffins/Texas Stars best-of-five playoff series is underway at Van Andel Area. The Stars took Game 1, so G.R. needs a win to have a realistic shot of winning the series because Games 3, *4 and *5 will be in Texas.

*If necessary.

GAME NOTES: If necessary, Game 4 of the series will be played Saturday, May 10, at 8 p.m. in Texas, as would Game 5 on Monday, May 12 at 8 p.m.

--Griffins' defenseman Josiah Didier was not in the lineup.

--All of the Griffins' games are being broadcast by 96.1 The Game and AHLTV on FloHockey

--Coming into the game: All-Time Playoff Series: 2-5 All-Time Playoff Home Series: 2-2 All-Time Playoff Road Series: 0-3.

--Some notes from Griffins' public relations:

Game 1 Recap

The Texas Stars rode Remi Poirier’s 29 saves to a 4-0 victory over the Griffins on Tuesday in Game 1 of the Central Division Semifinals at Van Andel Arena. The Stars scored two goals in the first and second periods before coasting to victory in the third. Sebastian Cossa got the start in net but after 15 saves on 19 shots in 28:57 minutes, Jack Campbell replaced him and finished with 11 saves on 11 shots in 30:36 of ice time. The Griffins had won Game 1 in each of their last three playoff series and in seven of eight series dating to 2017, but the Stars handed the home team its second straight postseason shutout, dating back to Game 5 of the 2024 Central Division Finals at Milwaukee. The Griffins have been shut out in two straight playoff games for the first time ever - including Game 5 of the 2024 Central Division Finals at Milwaukee - after suffering their first home playoff shutout since Game 1 of the 2006 Western Conference Finals versus Milwaukee. Grand Rapids’ scoreless postseason drought now stands at 128:27, going back to the third period of its 4-2 win over Milwaukee in Game 4 of the division finals on May 24, 2024. All time, the Griffins have rallied to win two of four best-of-five series when trailing after Game 1. The six-day gap between Games 1 and 2 is the largest ever between the first two games of a Griffins playoff series. The previous high of five days was set during Grand Rapids’ last playoff series, the 2024 Central Division Finals against Milwaukee (Game 1 on May 15 in MIL, Game 2 on May 20 in MIL). 

--Calder Cup Playoffs Debuts

During Game 1 last Tuesday, seven Griffins made their Calder Cup Playoffs debut, including defensemen Shai Buium, Anton Johansson, and Axel Sandin-Pellikka, and forwards Ondrej Becher, Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, Emmitt Finnie, and Gabriel Seger. Becher (80th in 2024), Buium (36th in 2021), Brandsegg-Nygard (15th in 2024), Finnie (201st in 2023), Johansson (105th in 2022), and Sandin-Pellikka (17th in 2023) are all recent draft picks of the Detroit Red Wings. 

Setting the Stage

The Griffins clinched their 19th playoff berth in 29 seasons with a 37-29-4-2 record and 80 points, claiming the third spot in the Central Division, ninth in the Western Conference and 18th overall in the AHL.