Wolves’ three-game road trip ends with a loss at Grand Rapids

The Chicago Wolves wrapped up a three-game road trip with a 5-2 defeat at the hands of the Grand Rapids Griffins on Wednesday night in Michigan.

Nikita Pavlychev and Jordan Martel scored, but when the dust settled, the Wolves had dropped their fourth game in a row. Elmer Soderblom and Nate Danielson each had a goal and an assist to help the Griffins snap a three-game losing skid.

After a scoreless first period, Grand Rapids opened the scoring in the second on a goal by Danielson.

The lead was short-lived as the Wolves answered right back while on the power play. Ronan Seeley unloaded a shot from the point that Pavlychev redirected past Griffins netminder Sebastian Cossa from in tight. Seeley and Bradly Nadeau recorded assists on Pavlychev’s second goal of the season.

Grand Rapids took control in the third on power-play goals by Ondrej Becher and Soderblom.

Late in the third, the Wolves were awarded a power play and coach Cam Abbott pulled goaltender Ruslan Khazheyev to skate six-on-four. The move backfired as Austin Watson found the empty net for the Griffins.

The Wolves didn’t quit as they pulled to within 4-2 on Martel’s fourth goal of the season. The forward took a pass from Felix Unger Sorum in the slot, wheeled and fired the puck by Cossa. Unger Sorum earned the lone assist on the score.

Again, the Wolves pulled Khazheyev and Joe Snively capped the scoring for the home team with an empty-netter.

Khazheyev (21 saves) suffered the loss in goal for the Wolves while Cossa (24 saves) picked up the win for the Griffins.

Chicago fell to 17-14-2-0 on the season while Grand Rapids moved to 21-12-3-0.