John Leonard scored three goals and Carter Bear added two as the Grand Rapids Griffins beat the Rockford IceHogs 6-3 on Wednesday morning, Nov. 11, in the annual School Day Game at Van Andel Arena. Four days after Rockford erased a three-goal deficit to beat them in Rockford, the AHL-leading Griffins answered with four power-play goals and improved to 11-2-1-1.

How it happened

Rockford struck first on a 5-on-3 at 13:13 of the first period, when Dominic Toninato put back a Derrick Pouliot shot that hit the post. Grand Rapids took over from there on the power play. Red Wings prospect Axel Sandin-Pellikka tied it with under five minutes left in the first, and Leonard ripped a shot from the far faceoff dot with two seconds left in the period for a 2-1 lead.

Bear, Detroit’s first-round pick in 2025, made it 3-1 on another power play about five minutes into the second period, and Leonard scored on a breakaway less than three minutes later. Toninato got his second of the game late in the period on a rebound, but Leonard finished the hat trick in the opening minutes of the third, his second of the season. Martin Misiak scored for Rockford in the third, and Bear sealed it with an empty-net goal after the IceHogs pulled their goaltender with 3:33 left.

In goal

Michal Postava, back with the Griffins after his emergency stint as Detroit’s backup, made 24 saves. Stanislav Berezhnoy stopped 25 shots for Rockford.

What’s next

The Griffins visit the Iowa Wild on Friday, Nov. 13. Rockford hosts Milwaukee the same night.

Earlier on Mitten Hockey: Griffins Game Preview: vs. IceHogs (Nov. 11) and Griffins Game Recap: at IceHogs (Nov. 7).

Watch

Watch: Griffins postgame interviews from the School Day Game (griffinshockey.com)

Watch: Highlights, Griffins vs. IceHogs, Nov. 11 (griffinshockey.com)

Sources

• Rockford IceHogs: Griffins Show Off Elite Power Play Early, IceHogs Fall 6-3 (Nov. 11, 2026)
• Rockford IceHogs: Game preview, IceHogs at Griffins (Nov. 11, 2026)
• Grand Rapids Griffins: School Day Game upcoming for Griffins
• Detroit Red Wings: Red Wings assign three to Grand Rapids (Nov. 8, 2026)
• Grand Rapids Griffins: 11-11-26 | Post-Game Interviews | Rockford IceHogs (Nov. 11, 2026)
• Grand Rapids Griffins: 11-11-26 | Highlights | Rockford IceHogs (Nov. 11, 2026)