Chicago Wolves 3 at GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS 4

April 8, 2016

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Mark Zengerle’s goal with 5:32 remaining on Friday lifted the Grand Rapids Griffins to their third win in four games, a 4-3 decision over the Chicago Wolves that gained the home team a sliver of separation in a tight Central Division race.

After taking a pass from Nick Jensen above the left circle and sliding to the point, Zengerle launched a wrist shot that deflected off a Chicago defender and slipped inside the right post of Jordan Binnington, igniting the sold-out crowd at Van Andel Arena.

With five games remaining in the regular season for each of the four playoff-bound teams in the Central, the second-place Griffins (90 pts.) have closed within five points of division-leading Milwaukee and have secured the tiebreaker over each of their rivals. Meanwhile, Lake Erie (89 pts.) lost to Toronto in overtime tonight and now sits alone in third, one point ahead of Rockford.

The Griffins (44-25-1-1), who have reached the 90-point plateau for the fourth straight season and the 12th time in the franchise’s 20 years, will complete their season series against the Wolves on Saturday with an 8 p.m. EDT start at Allstate Arena.

The Wolves (30-34-5-3) drew first blood 1:24 into the opening period, as Bryce Gervais burst into the Griffins’ zone and picked the far corner of Tom McCollum’s net from the left faceoff dot.

Mitch Callahan tied the score at the 7:25 mark, exacting a measure of revenge shortly after being freight-trained from behind by Evan Trupp. He stayed on the ice then struggled to his feet while the play went up ice without a whistle, and when Jensen broke up the Wolves’ rush in the Griffins’ end, Callahan was waiting at the Chicago line for a stretch pass. Callahan kept a step on the pursuit and managed to get off a shot that Binnington denied, but sliding defenseman Travis Walsh inadvertently knocked the rebound past his own netminder.

Grand Rapids went ahead less than two minutes later on Eric Tangradi’s 27th goal of the season, matching Martin Frk for the team lead. Fighting off defenders down the slot, Tangradi worked a give-and-go with Andy Miele and popped the return feed into a yawning net at 9:10.

Colin Campbell made it a 3-1 contest with a shorthanded tally at 16:36. Dan Cleary forced a turnover in the neutral zone and pushed the puck ahead to Campbell, who broke in alone and beat Binnington after deking to his backhand.

Chicago snapped the Griffins’ scoring run 8:06 into the second period. Ty Rattie’s shot from the right circle rang off the near pipe, but Jordan Caron slammed home the rebound from the slot to pull the Wolves within one. Gervais then tied the score at three with his second goal of the night at 2:29 of the third, finishing off a 2-on-1 with Emerson Clark.

McCollum logged his third straight win and improved to 10-1 in his last 11 decisions behind 21 saves, while Binnington turned aside 24 shots in the loss.

Notes: The capacity crowd of 10,834 marked the Griffins’ fifth sellout of the season and their fifth straight crowd in excess of 9,200…The franchise has already secured an average attendance increase at Van Andel Arena for the sixth straight season and the ninth time in the last 10 years.

Three Stars: 1. GR Zengerle (game-winning goal); 2. CHI Gervais (two goals); 3. GR Tangradi (goal)

Chicago Wolves 3 at GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS 4

April 8, 2016

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Mark Zengerle’s goal with 5:32 remaining on Friday lifted the Grand Rapids Griffins to their third win in four games, a 4-3 decision over the Chicago Wolves that gained the home team a sliver of separation in a tight Central Division race.

After taking a pass from Nick Jensen above the left circle and sliding to the point, Zengerle launched a wrist shot that deflected off a Chicago defender and slipped inside the right post of Jordan Binnington, igniting the sold-out crowd at Van Andel Arena.

With five games remaining in the regular season for each of the four playoff-bound teams in the Central, the second-place Griffins (90 pts.) have closed within five points of division-leading Milwaukee and have secured the tiebreaker over each of their rivals. Meanwhile, Lake Erie (89 pts.) lost to Toronto in overtime tonight and now sits alone in third, one point ahead of Rockford.

The Griffins (44-25-1-1), who have reached the 90-point plateau for the fourth straight season and the 12th time in the franchise’s 20 years, will complete their season series against the Wolves on Saturday with an 8 p.m. EDT start at Allstate Arena.

The Wolves (30-34-5-3) drew first blood 1:24 into the opening period, as Bryce Gervais burst into the Griffins’ zone and picked the far corner of Tom McCollum’s net from the left faceoff dot.

Mitch Callahan tied the score at the 7:25 mark, exacting a measure of revenge shortly after being freight-trained from behind by Evan Trupp. He stayed on the ice then struggled to his feet while the play went up ice without a whistle, and when Jensen broke up the Wolves’ rush in the Griffins’ end, Callahan was waiting at the Chicago line for a stretch pass. Callahan kept a step on the pursuit and managed to get off a shot that Binnington denied, but sliding defenseman Travis Walsh inadvertently knocked the rebound past his own netminder.

Grand Rapids went ahead less than two minutes later on Eric Tangradi’s 27th goal of the season, matching Martin Frk for the team lead. Fighting off defenders down the slot, Tangradi worked a give-and-go with Andy Miele and popped the return feed into a yawning net at 9:10.

Colin Campbell made it a 3-1 contest with a shorthanded tally at 16:36. Dan Cleary forced a turnover in the neutral zone and pushed the puck ahead to Campbell, who broke in alone and beat Binnington after deking to his backhand.

Chicago snapped the Griffins’ scoring run 8:06 into the second period. Ty Rattie’s shot from the right circle rang off the near pipe, but Jordan Caron slammed home the rebound from the slot to pull the Wolves within one. Gervais then tied the score at three with his second goal of the night at 2:29 of the third, finishing off a 2-on-1 with Emerson Clark.

McCollum logged his third straight win and improved to 10-1 in his last 11 decisions behind 21 saves, while Binnington turned aside 24 shots in the loss.

Notes: The capacity crowd of 10,834 marked the Griffins’ fifth sellout of the season and their fifth straight crowd in excess of 9,200…The franchise has already secured an average attendance increase at Van Andel Arena for the sixth straight season and the ninth time in the last 10 years.

Three Stars: 1. GR Zengerle (game-winning goal); 2. CHI Gervais (two goals); 3. GR Tangradi (goal)