Wolves rally past Griffins, snap seven-game losing streak

The Wolves roared back from an early deficit to drop the Grand Rapids Griffins 4-2 on Friday night at Allstate Arena.

Rocco Grimaldi had two goals — including the game-winner in the third period — and added an assist as the Wolves snapped a seven-game losing streak. Max Comtois chipped in a goal and an assist and Josh Melnick also scored to help Chicago halt Grand Rapids’ winning streak at three contests.

After the Griffins jumped out to a 2-0 first-period lead on goals by Riley Sawchuk and Matt Luff — scored just eight seconds apart — the Wolves rallied via the power play to tie it.

First, Comtois pounced on a rebound off a Chris Terry shot and shoveled a backhander past Griffins goaltender Michael Hutchinson and into the net. Terry and Grimaldi earned assists on Comtois’ 17th goal of the season.

The Wolves tied it just under two minutes later, again on the power play. This time, with Cole Schneider providing a screen in front, Grimaldi fired a wrist shot from the left circle that slipped through the pads of Hutchinson. The goal, assisted by Domenick Fensore and Comtois, sent the game into the intermission at 2-2.

After a scoreless second, Grimaldi pushed the Wolves in front early in the third when the veteran forward stole the puck from a Griffins defender, raced in from his own zone on Hutchinson before deking the goalie and besting him with a forehand shot. The goal was Grimaldi’s fourth in the last two games to give him a career-high 33 on the season.

Melnick capped the scoring with an empty-net score, his sixth goal of the season.

Keith Kinkaid (14 saves) earned the win in goal for the Wolves while Hutchinson (22 saves) suffered the loss for the Griffins.

Chicago improved to 22-31-4-5 on the season, while Grand Rapids dropped to 32-19-7-4.