ROSEMONT, Ill. -- Down 3-0 entering the final three minutes of the third period on Thursday, the Grand Rapids Griffins scored twice with an extra attacker but ultimately fell 3-2 to the Chicago Wolves at Allstate Arena, ending their historic season with a 3-1 series loss in the Central Division Finals. 

The late push began when Eduards Tralmaks stuffed a backhander inside the left post with 2:47 remaining and continued when Sheldon Dries tipped in a wrister from Michael Brandsegg-Nygard with 15 ticks on the clock. Grand Rapids had the puck in the Wolves’ zone as the final seconds elapsed but could not muster another shot on Cayden Primeau, who stifled the Griffins with 33 saves on the night.  

A scoreless opening frame saw the Griffins outshoot the home squad 9-8, with Primeau denying Dominik Shine on a 2-on-1 and a shorthanded tap-in attempt by Dries. On the other end, Michal Postava came up big to turn back a Skyler Brind’Amour tip and Noah Philp’s five-hole try. 

The Wolves were held to just nine shots at the game’s midpoint and registered just one shot on back-to-back power-play opportunities late in the second frame. But they ultimately grabbed the 1-0 lead when Joel Nystrom snapped a long shot from the right point and Philp deflected it past Postava while streaking across the top of the crease with exactly two minutes to play. 

Early in the third, the Wolves doubled their lead on Philp’s second goal. Cal Foote let a one-timer go from the left point and Philp planted himself in front of Postava for another redirection at the 4:02 mark. 

Chicago tallied the eventual game-winner with 3:56 remaining when Justin Robidas finished off a 2-on-1 with Ryan Suzuki. 

With 3:43 on the clock, Postava headed to the bench to give the Griffins an extra attacker. It paid off with 2:47 to go when Chicago turned over the puck behind its own net, enabling Dries to quickly feed Tralmaks for a backhander along the goal line, ending Primeau’s shutout bid.

Pushing until the end, Grand Rapids pulled within one goal at the 19:45 mark when Dries tipped Brandsegg-Nygard’s shot after winning the draw in the left circle, but the buzzer soon concluded the Griffins’ season.

Notes

• For the first time in Griffins history, every game of a playoff series was decided by a single goal.
• With 11 points (6-5—11) in 11 career playoff games as a Griffin, Brandsegg-Nygard is part of a Who’s Who with 10 others who’ve appeared in at least 10 postseason games with Grand Rapids and averaged at least one point per contest: Jonatan Berggren, Ivan Ciernik, Valtteri Filppula, Darren Haydar, Jiri Hudler, Ville Leino, Kevin Miller, Kip Miller, Stacy Roest and Ben Street.

Box Score

Grand Rapids 0 0 2 - 2

Chicago 0 1 2 - 3

1st Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Ryabkin Chi (hooking), 0:44; Brandsegg-Nygård Gr (holding), 8:17; Unger Sörum Chi (high-sticking), 9:20.

2nd Period-1, Chicago, Philp 3 (Nyström, Foote), 18:00. Penalties-Pavlychev Chi (roughing), 2:16; Wallinder Gr (slashing), 13:16; Rychlovský Gr (hooking), 15:31.

3rd Period-2, Chicago, Philp 4 (Foote, Unger Sörum), 4:02. 3, Chicago, Robidas 3 (Suzuki, Nadeau), 16:04. 4, Grand Rapids, Tralmaks 4 (Dries), 17:13. 5, Grand Rapids, Dries 2 (Brandsegg-Nygård), 19:45. Penalties-Sandin-Pellikka Gr (hooking), 4:08; Tuomisto Gr (high-sticking), 4:18; Suzuki Chi (cross-checking), 4:18; Brind’Amour Chi (goaltender interference), 5:12.

Shots on Goal-Grand Rapids 9-8-18-35. Chicago 8-4-9-21.

Power Play Opportunities-Grand Rapids 0 / 4; Chicago 0 / 4.

Goalies-Grand Rapids, Postava 4-4 (21 shots-18 saves). Chicago, Primeau 6-3 (35 shots-33 saves).

A-3,812

Three Stars

1. CHI Philp (two goals); 2. CHI Primeau (W, 33 saves); 3. CHI Nystrom (assist)

Record/Next Game

Grand Rapids: 4-4

Chicago: 6-3 / Western Conference Finals Game 1 / Thu., May 28 at Colorado 8:05 p.m. CDT

Photo by Ross Dettman/Wolves