Jets Blown Out By Red Wings, AHL Moose Deliver Shocking Upset Versus Detroit’s Griffins

It was a bruising weekend for the Winnipeg Jets at the NHL level, but their AHL affiliate ensured the organization still had plenty to celebrate.

On Saturday night, the Jets were handed a sobering 5–1 defeat by the Detroit Red Wings, a lopsided loss that underscored Detroit’s sharp form. At the same time, the focus shifted to the AHL, where the Manitoba Moose faced off against Detroit’s AHL affiliate in the Grand Rapids Griffins for a compelling two-game series that told a very different story.

Entering the weekend, the Moose were sizeable underdogs against the Griffins, Detroit’s AHL affiliate and the league’s dominant force for much of the season. Grand Rapids had been tearing through opponents, breaking records and posting one of the best starts in AHL history.

The opening contest on Friday suggested the gap between the two clubs might not be as wide as expected. Manitoba pushed the Griffins to the limit in a tightly contested game that was tied after both the first and second periods.

Grand Rapids eventually found the breakthrough in the third period, scoring the decisive goal to secure a narrow 2–1 victory. Despite the loss, the performance gave the Moose confidence that they could compete with a top-tier opponent like the Griffins.

On Sunday, the game was again close throughout as Grand Rapids carried a 2–1 lead into the third period and the Griffins appeared poised to continue their dominance. Instead, Manitoba stunned the league.