On the Wings

Valtteri Filppula and Kyle Quincey wasted no time once returning to Grand Rapids. Filppula was sent down on Wednesday and Quincey was just sent down today. The Griffins played the Manitoba Moose tonight- AHL affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks. The Moose are a divisional rival and common playoff opponent.

Grand Rapids took the first of the eight game series, 4-0. No small amount of credit goes to the two players that just returned from Detroit. Quincey scored first at 4:49 of the first period. Filppula followed suit at 10:39 of the same period. In the second, Quincey assisted on Josh Langfeld’s goal at 3:31. Not to be outdone, Valterri assisted on Dan Syrvet’s goal exactly fifteen minutes later, at 18:31. Quincey’s game-winning goal earned him first star honors. If not for Jimmy Howard’s shutout, Filppula probably would have gotten second star. However, he was forced to settle for third. Sorry, Fil.

It was fun to see Filppula in Detroit, and he played especially well. However, as a Griffins fan, I must confess to a sense of relief now that he has returned to Grand Rapids. In just one game, he has already made an offensive impact. Unfortunately, as reported by George Malik, the likelihood of Filppula staying in Grand Rapids is not good. Babcock seems to be fighting harder and harder to keep him in Detroit. Valterri is doing his part, making it very difficult for the Wings to send him down.

Both their play in Detroit and strong return to GR further prove that Filppula and Quincey are two very important pieces of Detroit’s future.