ROCKFORD, IL -- The opening game of the American Hockey League Central Division Semifinal between the Grand Rapids Griffins and Rockford IceHogs lived up to the hype.
Though they were down heading into the third period, the Griffins rallied, on the road, winning Game 1 on a wild sequence, finished off by one of the Detroit Red Wings’ top prospects.
Grand Rapids had to erase a 2-0 deficit in the third period, forcing overtime. Just minutes into the extra frame, the Griffins had a 3-on-1, but a shot from Jonatan Berggren went wide. The puck came back out into the neutral zone, where GR’s Austin Czarnik hit Rockford’s Brett Seney.
While the IceHogs were looking for a penalty, the play continued, and Berggren had the puck on his stick again. He managed to sneak a shot by Stauber to give the Griffins the 3-2 win.
As the goal was scored, multiple players joined at center ice. Rockford players tried to get at Czarnik, and a few Griffins came to his aid. Nothing escalated even further, though fans inside BMO Center littered the ice with displeasure with how the contest finished.
Head coach Dan Watson was trying to follow both the play and the kerfuffle happening at center ice.
“I saw the scrum over by the penalty box,” Watson said after the win. “I saw [Berggren] get the puck. Then, I went back to the scrum to make sure Czarnik was going to be okay, and the next thing I know, Bergy’s muscling a guy...finding the puck in the back of the net. What a great sequence, it’s playoff hockey.”
Watson spoke previously of the importance of home-ice advantage in the playoffs, especially for a deciding Game 5. However, winning on the road is vital if the Griffins want to make a deep run.
“You got to learn quickly how important it is to win on the road. I think our guys learned quickly...it’s not easy. To get this one, obviously, it sets ourselves up to come back to Van Andel with a lead. Our guys did the job that we wanted to do.”
Berggren told Bob Kaser on the Griffins’ broadcast that tough, grinding games are part of the playoffs, but he and his teammates are ready for it.
“Hockey’s a tough sport,” Berggren said. “It gets emotional when it’s a tight game, as it should. I think the guys on our team rise for it, and just enjoy it.”
Though they trailed heading into the third period, Grand Rapid had the betterment of the chances throughout the contest. Their persistence was rewarded just over three minutes into the frame, as Dominik Shine cut the deficit in half. Then, with less than five minutes to go in regulation, Amadeus Lombardi got some space in the IceHogs’ zone, and ripped a shot by Stauber for his pro playoff goal, tying the game at two.
Watson has been really impressed with Lombardi’s development over the season, as he has become a consistent scoring threat over the second half of the season.
“He’s understanding the pro game. “I think it’s the puck management side of it. It’s moving his feet in certain areas. He does have a ton of speed, a ton of skill, and what he does with the puck. Overall, I think he’s maturing into what a pro player looks like.”
The 20-year-old notched 26 points in 70 games during the regular season, 14 of which have come since the beginning of February.
- Buy Griffins tickets: Ticketmaster, StubHub, SeatGeek
The Griffins found themselves trailing early, as Michal Teply scored the opening goal of the series for the IceHogs just minutes into the contest. Though Grand Rapids controlled the play for most of the contest, NHL veteran Zach Sanford fired a wrister by Griffins netminder Sebastian Cossa to make it 2-0 Rockford just past the halfway mark of the second.
Watson admits the resiliency to rally in such an important game is nothing new to him, as Grand Rapids had eight come-from-behind wins during the regular season.
“It’s easy for a coach to walk in and say, ‘We’ve been here, we’ve done that, let’s get it done.’ It’s easier said than done, so the credit goes to our guys for digging deep. The compete level they had in the second and third periods was really high, and I think that led to our goals.”
Grand Rapids ended up outshooting Rockford 37-22. Cossa picked up the win with a 20-save performance. Stauber stopped 34 of the 37 shots he faced. Both teams went 0-for-1 on the power play.
- Buy Griffins tickets: Ticketmaster, StubHub, SeatGeek
Game 2 of the series is back at Van Andel Arena next Wednesday, May 1. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.
More griffins
- Special team woes lead Griffins to lose in Danielson’s debut in Game 2 against Milwaukee
- Red Wings’ 2023 top pick poised for pro debut with Griffins
- Could former Red Wings coach get another opportunity in NHL?
- Kasper’s three points and Cossa’s play helps Griffins take Game 1 of division finals against Milwaukee
- Ex-Red Wings, Griffins goalie delivers in first NHL playoff start
You can watch and listen to the Griffins all season long on AHL.TV
- Buy Griffins tickets: Ticketmaster, StubHub, SeatGeek
Follow the Calder Cup Playoffs here