Wolves fall 3-2 in overtime

The Chicago Wolves tied the score halfway through the third period, but the Grand Rapids Griffins bagged the game-winning goal in overtime to skate away with a 3-2 victory Sunday night at the Allstate Arena.

Right wing Andrew Gordon and defenseman Kevin Connauton scored for Chicago, which suffered its first defeat on home ice this season.

“We weren’t very sharp early but played better as the game went on,” said Wolves coach Scott Arniel. “We were able to tie it in the third, but Grand Rapids capitalized on its chance in overtime.”

Grand Rapids (2-3-1-1) scored the game-winning goal on the power play at 1:58 of overtime. After a scramble out in front, the puck ended up on the stick of left wing Tomas Tatar, and he stickhandled past Wolves goaltender Eddie Lack to earn the extra point for the Griffins.

After a scoreless first period, Grand Rapids jumped on the scoreboard at the 5:24 mark of the middle period. The Griffins skated into the Wolves’ zone and Tatar found defenseman Nathan Paetsch, who was trailing the play. Paetsch’s shot from the high slot beat Lack.

The Wolves (5-2-1-0) tied the score at 1-1 when forward Michael Davies sent a pass to Gordon, who was parked in front of the Griffins’ net and flipped a shot past Grand Rapids goalie Tom McCollum at 9:29.

The Griffins regained the lead at 16:17 of the second period. Left wing Jeff Hoggan’s shot from the near circle hit off Lack’s shoulder of Lack and dropped down in the crease. Hoggan pounced on the loose puck and tucked it home.

Lack (4-2-0) posted 34 saves.

The Wolves knotted the score again with a power-play strike halfway through the third period. Connauton’s wrister from the point went wide of the net but hit off the backboards and bounced off McCollum’s back and trickled over the goal line at 10:18.

McCollum (2-1-1) made 29 saves to earn the win.

The Wolves return to action when they travel to battle the Rockford IceHogs in an Illinois Lottery Cup game Friday at 7 p.m.