GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Josiah Slavin’s tally 6:48 into the third period on Thursday proved the difference, as the Chicago Wolves rallied to take down the Grand Rapids Griffins 2-1 in Game 1 of the Central Division Finals at Van Andel Arena.

Eduards Tralmaks recorded the Griffins’ lone goal nearly 15 minutes into the second period for his second of the postseason, with Axel Sandin-Pellikka and William Lagesson earning their first assists of the playoffs. Michal Postava stopped 30 shots while making his fifth-consecutive start and was the reason the game was close. He now shows a .943 save percentage and 1.41 goals-allowed average during the postseason. 

The Griffins will look to replicate the comeback from a 0-1 series deficit that they mounted in the division semifinals against Manitoba. They’ll host the Wolves for Game 2 this Saturday at 7 p.m. before the series shifts to Allstate Arena. 

The high intensity sparked quickly in the first period. At the 7:16 mark, late in a Griffins penalty kill, a prone Postava was jabbed between the pads by Domenick Fensore, causing gloves and sticks to fly and several players from each side to head to the penalty box. Grand Rapids and Chicago combined for 14 minor penalties during the opening frame, after which only four penalties were whistled.

Grand Rapids’ best opportunity in the first came with 9:14 on the clock. Wojciech Stachowiak danced around defenders, carried the puck behind the net and tried to punch a wraparound attempt past Cayden Primeau, but the netminder closed the gap with his left skate.

Postava stayed busy, denying all 13 shots he faced in the opening 20 minutes. He stoned Justin Robidas when the center walked in alone 3:40 into the contest, and denied a point-blank attempt by Viktor Neuchev from the right side with 3:23 to go.

Early in the second, Evan Vierling and Bradley Nadeau worked their way down the ice on a 2-on-1, with Vierling centering the puck to Nadeau for a backhand try that Postava robbed with his right pad at 3:38 to keep the board clear. Postava then flashed his glove at 12:50 to neutralize a chance by Ryan Suzuki in the slot after a Griffins turnover.

The Griffins were facing a 22-12 disadvantage in shots when they broke the scoring drought at 14:41. Sandin-Pellikka fired a long shot from the right point that Primeau stopped, but Tralmaks was camped out on the doorstep to pop home the rebound. 

Chicago knotted matters 81 ticks before the second intermission. Felix Unger Sorum skated into the high slot and tapped it ahead to Robidas between the hashes, and his quick-release shot snuck past Postava to tie the contest at one apiece.

The Wolves pulled ahead with 13:12 to play in the final period. Joel Nystrom passed the puck from the left circle down low to Slavin, who slammed it past Postava from the right side. Chicago forward Nikita Pavlychev, standing 6-foot-7, made the goal possible by screening Postava while Nystrom had the puck, preventing him from seeing the pass to Slavin on the doorstep.

Grand Rapids had a chance to tie with 6:42 remaining when Amadeus Lombardi tried to knock home a rebound of Antti Tuomisto’s shot, but Primeau was up to the task. Postava then went to the bench for an extra attacker with 73 seconds left, but the Griffins couldn’t get the equalizer. 

Notes

• The Griffins are 3-3 all time in best-of-five series after losing Game 1, most recently defeating the Manitoba Moose in four games (3-1) during the Central Division Semifinals. 

Box Score

Chicago 0 1 1 - 2

Grand Rapids 0 1 0 - 1

1st Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Stachowiak Gr (holding), 5:31; Unger Sörum Chi (roughing), 6:40; Lagesson Gr (roughing), 6:40; Brind’Amour Chi (roughing, roughing), 7:16; Fensore Chi (roughing), 7:16; Dries Gr (roughing, roughing), 7:16; Johansson Gr (roughing, roughing), 7:16; Pavlychev Chi (interference), 10:47; Legault Chi (roughing), 12:58; Pavlychev Chi (interference), 12:58; Doucet Gr (roughing), 12:58.

2nd Period-1, Grand Rapids, Tralmaks 2 (Sandin-Pellikka, Lagesson), 14:41. 2, Chicago, Robidas 1 (Unger Sörum, Välimäki), 18:38 (PP). Penalties-Philp Chi (high-sticking), 9:18; Doucet Gr (tripping), 17:26.

3rd Period-3, Chicago, Slavin 2 (Nyström, Ryabkin), 6:48. Penalties-Shine Gr (tripping), 4:10; Brandsegg-Nygård Gr (hooking), 16:15.

Shots on Goal-Chicago 13-11-8-32. Grand Rapids 6-11-7-24.

Power Play Opportunities-Chicago 1 / 5; Grand Rapids 0 / 3.

Goalies-Chicago, Primeau 4-2 (24 shots-23 saves). Grand Rapids, Postava 3-2 (32 shots-30 saves).

A-5,357

Three Stars

1. CHI Primeau (W, 23 saves); 2. GR Postava (L, 30 saves); 3. CHI Slavin (game-winning goal) 

Record/Next Game

Grand Rapids: 3-2 / Central Division Finals Game 2 / Sat., May 16 vs. Chicago 7 p.m.

Chicago: 4-2 / Central Division Finals Game 2 / Sat., May 16 at Grand Rapids 6 p.m. CDT

Photo by Nicolas Carrillo/Griffins