<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=30KFDb_0w3wggNb00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=30KFDb_0w3wggNb00" width="1280" height="854" ><figcaption>Grand Rapids Griffins goaltender Sebastian Cossa Nicolas Carrillo</figcaption></figure>GRAND RAPIDS -- On the opening night of the <a href="https://www.mlive.com/griffins/">Grand Rapids Griffins’</a> 2024-25 season, the man behind the mask stole the show in front of a packed house at Van Andel Arena.Goaltender Sebastian Cossa survived an early onslaught from the Milwaukee Admirals on Friday night, and was the first star in helping the Griffins win 3-0.<ul><li>Buy Griffins tickets: <a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=126006X1587345&amp;xs=1&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ticketmaster.com%2Fgrand-rapids-griffins-tickets%2Fartist%2F836017">Ticketmaster</a>, <a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=126006X1587345&amp;xs=1&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.stubhub.com%2Fgrand-rapids-griffins-tickets%2Fperformer%2F186494">StubHub</a>, <a href="https://seatgeek.pxf.io/c/1810040/1753574/20501?u=https%3A%2F%2Fseatgeek.com%2Fgrand-rapids-griffins-tickets">SeatGeek</a></li></ul>After the season-opening introductions, Grand Rapids looked very sluggish out of the gate, as the Admirals heavily outplayed the home side for most of the first period. That was when Cossa had to come up big, making some key saves to keep Milwaukee from scoring first. The Griffins started to find their footing as the frame wore on, and while they didn’t score, they garnered momentum that carried into period two.The Griffins finally broke the deadlock before the halfway mark of the second period, as Marco Kasper finished off a nice feed from Dominik Shine to give GR the lead.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Here is the full breakdown of Marco Kaspers Goal!!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LGRW?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LGRW</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoGRG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoGRG</a><a href="https://t.co/SuhB1XocJY">pic.twitter.com/SuhB1XocJY</a>— Hockeytown West Podcast (@HockeytownWpod) <a href="https://twitter.com/HockeytownWpod/status/1844898945065156620?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2024</a><input type="image" src="empty.gif" style="opacity:0" onerror="s=document.createElement(&quot;script&quot;);s.src=&quot;https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js&quot;;document.body.appendChild(s);"></blockquote>It was part of a chippy period that saw the Griffins get handed a couple of power plays, including a chance on a 4-on-3 that they took advantage of. Kasper and William Wallinder set up Carter Mazur with a great passing play for the Jackson native’s first of the season.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨 CARTER MAZUR 🚨 Rifles home the second goal of the game on the Powerplay! 🍎William Wallinder 🍏Austin Watson <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LGRW?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LGRW</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoGRG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoGRG</a><a href="https://t.co/9Qa4tBDfcd">pic.twitter.com/9Qa4tBDfcd</a>— Hockeytown West Podcast (@HockeytownWpod) <a href="https://twitter.com/HockeytownWpod/status/1844903686390292523?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2024</a><input type="image" src="empty.gif" style="opacity:0" onerror="s=document.createElement(&quot;script&quot;);s.src=&quot;https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js&quot;;document.body.appendChild(s);"></blockquote>While Grand Rapids had a two-goal lead heading into the third, the Admirals ramped up the pressure once again, firing 15 shots on goal. However, Cossa was there each time. Dominik Shine sealed the game with an empty-net goal.The Griffins were outshot 35-27, with Cossa registering the third shutout of his American Hockey League career. The top goaltending prospect in the <a href="https://www.mlive.com/redwings/">Detroit Red Wings</a> system looked like he was in the form the Edmonton native was in at the end of the 2023-24 season.Kasper and Shine weren’t the only Griffin with two points. Austin Watson, who recently <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/red-wings-sign-austin-watson-to-one-year-two-way-contract">signed a one-year contract</a> with the Red Wings, picked up assists on Kasper and Shine’s goals.<ul><li>Buy Griffins tickets: <a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=126006X1587345&amp;xs=1&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ticketmaster.com%2Fgrand-rapids-griffins-tickets%2Fartist%2F836017">Ticketmaster</a>, <a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=126006X1587345&amp;xs=1&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.stubhub.com%2Fgrand-rapids-griffins-tickets%2Fperformer%2F186494">StubHub</a>, <a href="https://seatgeek.pxf.io/c/1810040/1753574/20501?u=https%3A%2F%2Fseatgeek.com%2Fgrand-rapids-griffins-tickets">SeatGeek</a></li></ul>The Griffins went 1-for-6 on the power play, while their penalty kill kept the Admirals from converting on their five chances with the man advantage.It was a very physical game between the two longtime rivals, as it seemed like players were at each other’s throats throughout the contest. There were even a couple of fights featuring Watson and Milwaukee’s Navrin Mutter, with GR’s Hunter Johannes squaring off with Mutter again, which led to him receiving a game misconduct for a second altercation.With the win, Grand Rapids is 7-3-0-1 in home openers since the 2003-04 season, and 17-11-0-1 in the franchise’s history.<h2>LOOKING AHEAD</h2>The Griffins hit the road for the second half of a back-to-back as they get set to take on the Rockford IceHogs on Saturday night.Grand Rapids and the IceHogs had a hard-fought four-game series to open the Calder Cup Playoffs last spring, with the Griffins coming out on top. However, the Chicago Blackhawks’ had the Griffins’ number during the regular season, going 6-5-1 in their long series.UPCOMING SCHEDULE (Home games in BOLD)<ul><li>Saturday, Oct. 12 @ Rockford IceHogs (8 p.m. ET)</li><li>Friday, Oct. 18 vs. Manitoba Moose (7 p.m. ET)</li><li>Saturday, Oct. 19 vs. Manitoba Moose (7 p.m. ET)</li><li>Friday, Oct. 25 @ Springfield Thunderbirds (7:05 p.m. ET)</li><li>Saturday, Oct. 26 @ Lehigh Valley Phantoms (7:05 p.m. ET)</li></ul>You can watch and listen to the Griffins all season long on <a href="https://go.flosports.tv/signup-page/hockey?utm_medium=partner&amp;utm_source=partner2webflow&amp;utm_content=landingpage&amp;utm_term=ahl.grandrapidsgriffins&amp;utm_campaign=ahl&amp;contract_id=0063m00000uda24aae">AHL.TV</a><ul><li>Buy Griffins tickets: <a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=126006X1587345&amp;xs=1&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ticketmaster.com%2Fgrand-rapids-griffins-tickets%2Fartist%2F836017">Ticketmaster</a>, <a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=126006X1587345&amp;xs=1&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.stubhub.com%2Fgrand-rapids-griffins-tickets%2Fperformer%2F186494">StubHub</a>, <a href="https://seatgeek.pxf.io/c/1810040/1753574/20501?u=https%3A%2F%2Fseatgeek.com%2Fgrand-rapids-griffins-tickets">SeatGeek</a></li></ul></div></body>

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Cossa’s shutout leads Griffins to opening night win over Milwaukee

GRAND RAPIDS -- On the opening night of the Grand Rapids Griffins’ 2024-25 season, the man behind the mask stole the show in front of a packed house at Van Andel Arena. Goaltender Sebastian Cossa survived an early onslaught from the Milwaukee Admirals on Friday night, and was the first star in helping the Griffins win 3-0.

Cossa’s shutout leads Griffins to opening night win over Milwaukee

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