March 29, 2019

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Down 4-0 less than a minute into the second period on Friday, the Grand Rapids Griffins staged a furious comeback that ultimately fell a goal short, as the Chicago Wolves held on for a 4-3 victory at Van Andel Arena to extend their lead atop the Central Division to four points over the Griffins with eight games remaining for each team.

Coming off a 5-1 road trip that was the most successful six-game swing in franchise history, the Griffins dug themselves the substantial hole by allowing Chicago to score on each of its first three power plays. Curtis McKenzie and Tomas Hyka each scored twice for the Wolves, who took advantage of a Grand Rapids squad that has lost six members of its potential playoff roster to Detroit due to the Red Wings’ overflowing medical ward.

Still, the Griffins (38-20-6-4) could extend their team-record streak of playoff appearances to seven on Saturday when they visit Rockford at 7 p.m. EDT. A Grand Rapids win against the IceHogs, coupled with any Milwaukee loss at Chicago, would clinch a postseason bid for head coach Ben Simon in his first season at the helm and fourth overall with the team.

The Griffins faced more than their share of adversity early on, allowing a fluky goal 1:44 into the game and then seeing starting netminder Harri Sateri leave the game at the 3:23 mark. Sateri slid out to his right to get a piece of Griffin Reinhart’s shot, and when Libor Sulak swept the puck out of the crease, it rebounded off McKenzie’s skate and skipped over the line before Sateri could get back into position.

Immediately after the goal, Sateri spent several minutes at the Griffins’ bench getting one of his fingers attended to. Play resumed for less than two minutes before the goalie skated off to the locker room, ushering Patrik Rybar into the contest.

Rybar fought through his own odd episode less than six minutes in. He raced out to the high slot to win a race for the puck but was forced to momentarily play perimeter one-on-one defense after the Wolves quickly gained control. Luckily, Joe Hicketts made a save on McKenzie before Rybar scrambled back to the vacated net, keeping the deficit at one.

However, Hyka soon scored a pair of power play goals within a span of 2:11 to shock the near-capacity crowd and stake the Wolves to a 3-0 lead, as he connected on nearly identical one-timers from the inside edge of the left circle at 10:40 and 12:51.

The carnage continued only 28 seconds into the middle period when Chicago (41-19-5-3) netted its third power play tally in as many tries to push its advantage to four. T.J. Tynan’s centering pass from the right side deflected off the stick of Dominic Turgeon in the slot and right to McKenzie, who slammed the puck home while standing all alone on the doorstep.

With 7:20 remaining in the frame, Dominik Shine leveled Tynan with a clean but devastating check behind the Griffins’ net. Sparked by Shine’s hit and subsequent fight with McKenzie, the Griffins got on the board at the 17:46 mark, when Turner Elson stole the puck from Zach Whitecloud in the left corner and tossed it out front to Carter Camper for a point-blank goal.

Grand Rapids made it 4-2 with 12:01 remaining in the third. Playing in his third pro game out of the University of Maine, Chase Pearson was credited with his first career goal when his shot from the top of right circle pinballed off two Wolves defenders and past Oscar Dansk.

Less than two minutes later, Wade Megan walked in from the left point and launched a slap shot that snuck inside the far post for a power play marker, pulling the Griffins within a single goal with 10:08 still showing on the clock.

The Griffins pulled Rybar for an extra attacker with just over two minutes remaining and put incredible pressure on Dansk, who held his ground to turn away several scoring chances and seal the victory for Chicago.

Chicago went 3-for-4 on the power play while Grand Rapids finished 1-for-7. Foiled by Dansk’s 29 saves, the Griffins concluded the season series with a 3-5 mark, losing each of the last four meetings to their rivals.

Sateri stopped three of four shots before yielding to Rybar, who made 15 saves.

Notes: Tonight in Detroit, Jake Chelios became the Griffins’ 179th NHL graduate by playing in the Red Wings’ 4-0 win over New Jersey. He also became the 100th player to make his NHL debut after first playing for the Griffins…After Sateri left the game with his injury, the Griffins summoned longtime local TV personality Dan Harland to the arena to dress as an emergency backup goalie. Harland, who plays recreationally in West Michigan, joined the Griffins’ bench late in the second period.

Three Stars: 1. CHI McKenzie (two goals); 2. CHI Hyka (two goals); 3. GR Pearson (goal)

Photo by Sam Iannamico/Griffins