Game night in Grand Rapids

Tonight, the Manitoba Moose take on the Grand Rapids Griffins for the third time this season, and final time in 2017. The division rivals split the first two matches of their eight-game series with the Griffins taking round one 5-2 (Oct. 6), and Manitoba responding with a 7-2 win the following night. The Moose sit first in the Central Division while Grand Rapids is trying to climb their way out of sixth. You can catch the game on: moosehockey.com/listenlive/, with the pregame show starting at 5:45 pm CT.

ONE QUARTER DOWN
The Moose reached the quarter-point of the season on Nov. 21. Through 19 games, the Moose hold a 12-5-1-1 record, good for first place in the Central Division and fourth in the league. That mark puts them four points ahead of last season's pace at this stage of the campaign. The Moose have a +16 goal differential, having scored 65 goals for (third in the AHL) while allowing 49 goals against (11th in the AHL). Jack Roslovic leads the team in goals (10) and points (21), while Cameron Schilling leads the squad with 13 assists.

RECALLED
The Moose announced Thursday the team has recalled defenceman Jan Kostalek from the Jacksonville Icemen of the ECHL. Kostalek posted three points (2G, 1A) in eight games with the Icemen. The Winnipeg Jets' fourth round pick in 2015 has appeared in 112 career AHL games, totalling 16 points (3G, 13A) and 40 penalty minutes.

FOUR IN A ROW
Manitoba took full advantage of its four-game home stand, scoring four straight wins at Bell MTS Place. That win streak matches the team's season high, a run that came while on the road earlier in the month (Nov. 3-11). Since returning to Winnipeg in 2015, the Moose have won four straight games on five occasions, but have yet to win five in a row. Manitoba's longest point streak since returning is six games, achieved in each of the past two seasons.

PRODUCING AT EVEN STRENGTH
JC Lipon and Peter Stoykewych have nine points (3G, 6A) and 10 points (3G, 7A) respectively with something in common. Neither player has recorded a point on the power play. All of their production comes at even strength, save one Lipon assist that came while shorthanded. It's nothing new for Lipon who posted 30 points (12G, 18A) last season without recording a point on the man advantage. Jack Roslovic leads Manitoba with 15 points (9G, 6A) at even strength.

BETWIXT THE TWINE
Michael Hutchinson has recorded points in five straight starts with a record of 4-0-1with a .940 save percentage and a 1.99 goals against average over that stretch. Hutchinson currently sits 10th in the AHL with a GAA of 2.29. In the Oct. 7 meeting between the Moose and Griffins, Hutchinson stopped 36 of 38 shots, earning the team’s first win of the season.

WHAT'S NEXT?
The Moose continue their three-game in-division road trip Saturday (Nov. 25) in Milwaukee, wrapping up the stretch in Rockford (Nov. 28). The team returns home for the final game of the month (Nov. 30) against Cleveland, who they’ll see twice before playing Milwaukee back-to-back Dec. (9/10) at Bell MTS Place. That means the next seven Moose games are against divisional opponents. To cheer on the Moose against the Monsters and Admirals, visit: moosehockey.com/tickets/ and grab your tickets.