Wolves fall in overtime to Grand Rapids

Was it Game 2 all over again on Tuesday? The Chicago Wolves had rallied back from an early two-goal deficit once again, and the contest found its way into overtime deadlocked at three apiece.

No, Game 3 was not Game 2 all over again. In a breakaway opportunity, Grand Rapids Griffins right winger Michael Brandsegg-Nygård found the back of the net 10 minutes into overtime, as Grand Rapids won 4-3 and avoided being swept by Chicago

The Griffins also forced the AHL Western Conference Division Finals series to move to 2-1.

Luckily for the Wolves, they had something of an insurance game after stealing both Game 1 and Game 2 on the road to open the series.

“They say if you can split on the road, that’s a benefit, so us getting the bonus one is even better, but it is a race to three.” Wolves coach Spiros Anastas said ahead of the game. “It’s not a race to one, it’s not a race to two. Job’s not done yet.”

Despite allowing the game-winning goal, Chicago goaltender Cayden Primeau proved pivotal in the contest, as he finished with 42 saves after Grand Rapids outshot the Wolves 46-20. Right winger Felix Unger Sörum had two points for Chicago, scoring a goal and tallying an assist. Defender Domenick Fensore and center Justin Robidas added the Wolves’ two other goals.

The Wolves made productive work of their power play opportunities, scoring on two of their three chances in regulation. The Griffins scored on two of their six chances.

Anastas said his team had to bring a mentality that the series had just started, despite coming into the game with a 2-0 series lead.

“We’re not playing a team that we’re up two (to) nothing on tonight,” Anastas said before the contest. “We’re playing the division champions that are a really good hockey team.”

Grand Rapids struck first, scoring just over one minute into the contest. Assisted by center Amadeus Lombardi and goaltender Michal Postava, right winger Carter Mazur scored his fifth goal of the postseason to take a 1-0 lead.

The Griffins expanded their lead just minutes later on a power play, as center Sheldon Dries found left winger John Leonard, who found the back of the net from nearly the same spot Mazur did.

It took less than a minute for the Wolves to respond, as Fensore beat his defender to put Chicago on the board. Left winger Evan Vierling and right winger Noel Gunler tabbed assists.

Despite facing a 5-on-3 scenario for a minute and a half midway through the period, Primeau stood tall and prevented another Grand Rapids score. Primeau finished the first period with 14 saves, as the Griffins outshot the Wolves 16-8 in the first period.

With 5:18 remaining in the first period, Chicago evened the contest at two apiece, as Robidas took advantage of a power play. He fired from the right faceoff circle and scored on assists from Unger Sörum and defender Juuso Välimäki.

The Wolves took their first lead of the contest with 14:33 remaining in the second period, as Unger Sörum scored from the left wing with an assist from left winger Bradly Nadeau.

Grand Rapids found the back of the net again less than two minutes later, scoring with a power play of its own. Right winger Tyler Angle shot from the left faceoff circle and scored off assists from center Wojciech Stachowiak and defender Erik Gustafsson.

Neither team scored in the third period, sending the contest into overtime.

With 10:48 left in overtime, Brandsegg-Nygård’s game-winner, assisted by Gustafsson and Dries, guaranteed that Game 4 would take place Thursday night at 7 p.m. at Allstate Arena. Chicago will vie to advance to the Western Conference Finals.