Last-Minute Heartbreak Strikes Griffins

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AHL Grand Rapids Griffins

Last-Minute Heartbreak Strikes Griffins

March 9, 2025 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Grand Rapids Griffins News Release


Grand Rapids Griffins battle the Chicago Wolves
Grand Rapids Griffins battle the Chicago Wolves
(Grand Rapids Griffins, Credit: Ross Dettman, Chicago Wolves)

ROSEMONT, Ill. -- Despite tying the game at four with 1:06 remaining, the Chicago Wolves scored with 38 seconds left to defeat the Grand Rapids Griffins 5-4 on Saturday at Allstate Arena.

Eight different Griffins registered a point in the outing, including two-point games from Amadeus Lombardi (0-2-2) and Sheldon Dries (0-2-2). Lombardi earned his 50th professional point, while Dries tallied his 100th AHL assist. Cross Hanas secured an assist, increasing his point streak to three (2-1-3) and William Wallinder skated in his 300th professional game. Austin Watson scored his 13th goal of the season, marking his eighth point in seven matchups against Chicago this year (5-3-8).

Midway through the first period, the Griffins kicked off the scoring. Hanas fired a shot toward the goalmouth from along the boards and Ondrej Becher slipped behind the Chicago defense, backhanding a shot across the red line at 11:39 for his sixth goal of the season. However, the Wolves won the draw following the tally and sent the puck around the end boards behind the Griffins' net. Jack Campbell left the crease to knock down the disc, but tripped and fell, leaving the puck unattended for Juha Jaaska who swooped in and scored just 10 seconds after the Grand Rapids goal. Yet, Campbell stayed the course, shutting down a 2-on-0 Wolves short-handed breakaway at 14:43. The Griffins outshot Chicago 13-5, but remained knotted at one through the first frame.

Just 32 seconds into the second period, Nate Danielson retook the lead for Grand Rapids. Antti Tuomisto delivered the puck to Danielson who maneuvered through traffic in the right circle. His first shot bounced off the pads of netminder Dustin Tokarski but Danielson collected his own rebound and dumped it into the back of the net. The Griffins then added to their lead at 10:50, courtesy of Illinois native Brogan Rafferty's sixth of the year. Dries dropped the puck off to Lombardi behind the net and he fed it through the slot to Rafferty who buried the one-timer. Grand Rapids suffered a penalty at 13:07, giving the Wolves their first power-play chance of the outing. The Griffins killed off the penalty, but Chicago maintained possession as the advantage expired and Skylar Brind'Amour sent a strike past Campbell with 4:47 left in the second frame.

At 7:02, the Wolves tied the game at three when Charles-Alexis Legault threw the puck at the net and it snuck through traffic. The Griffins held the Wolves off into the late minutes of the third period, until a blast from Joakim Ryan lit the lamp with 4:47 left, giving Chicago a 4-3 lead. Grand Rapids went on the attack, pulling Campbell with 2:08 remaining in an attempt to even the score. With 1:06 to play, Lombardi stole the puck from a Wolves defender and sent it to the right circle for Dries who snapped it toward the goal. The shot bounced off the post, but Watson batted in the rebound to tie the game at four. Grand Rapids went back on the offensive in the waning seconds but failed to keep the puck in the zone and the Wolves streaked up the ice on a 2-on-1 breakaway. Austin Wagner skated into the left circle and found paydirt with 38 seconds remaining. The Griffins pulled Campbell again, but the Chicago defense held them off, as Grand Rapids fell 5-4.

Notes

The Griffins dropped to 24-2-0-1 when scoring three or more goals.

Dries has tallied eight points in seven matchups against Chicago this season (3-5-8).

Box Score

Grand Rapids 1 2 1 - 4

Chicago 1 1 3 - 5

1st Period-1, Grand Rapids, Becher 6 (Hanas), 11:39. 2, Chicago, Jääskä 10 11:49. Penalties-Montgomery Chi (slashing), 6:15; Brind'Amour Chi (tripping), 13:59.

2nd Period-3, Grand Rapids, Danielson 8 (Tuomisto), 0:32. 4, Grand Rapids, Rafferty 6 (Lombardi, Dries), 10:50. 5, Chicago, Brind'Amour 13 (Legault, Unger Sörum), 15:13. Penalties-Montgomery Chi (slashing), 6:18; Viro Gr (cross-checking), 13:07.

3rd Period-6, Chicago, Legault 3 (Unger Sörum, Turcotte), 7:02. 7, Chicago, Ryan 2 (Jääskä, Fensore), 15:13. 8, Grand Rapids, Watson 13 (Dries, Lombardi), 18:54. 9, Chicago, Wagner 7 (Jääskä, Fensore), 19:22. Penalties-No Penalties

Shots on Goal-Grand Rapids 13-9-3-25. Chicago 5-5-12-22.

Power Play Opportunities-Grand Rapids 0 / 3; Chicago 0 / 1.

Goalies-Grand Rapids, Campbell 2-7-1 (22 shots-17 saves). Chicago, Tokarski 7-5-1 (25 shots-21 saves).

A-11,258

Three Stars

1. CHI Wagner (game-winner); 2. CHI Jaaska (goal, two assists); 3. CHI Legault (goal, assist)

Record/Next Game

Grand Rapids: 29-22-4-2 (64 pts.) / Wed., March 12 vs. Hartford 7 p.m.

Chicago: 28-23-3-0 (59 pts.) / Sun., March 9 vs. Texas 3 p.m. CDT

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Images from this story

Grand Rapids Griffins battle the Chicago Wolves
Grand Rapids Griffins battle the Chicago Wolves
(Ross Dettman, Chicago Wolves)		   

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