GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Jonatan Berggren's four-point night (3-1--4) helped lead the Grand Rapids Griffins to a 5-4 comeback victory in overtime against the Chicago Wolves at Van Andel Arena on Wednesday. The win extended the Griffins' record-setting home point streak to 18 consecutive games (13-0-3-2).
Sebastian Cossa also pushed his record-breaking point streak to 18 contests (12-0-6). Berggren's trio of goals was the first hat trick by a Griffin since Nov. 18, 2022 and also stretched his run of points (7-7--14) to eight games.
Following a scoreless opening frame, Chicago put itself on the board first with a one-timed rip, courtesy of Cavan Fitzgerald from the bottom of the left circle at 9:58 in the second period.
Berggren nabbed the equalizing tally shortly after the Wolves’ goal, as his left point laser flew past Antti Raanta and into the back of the net with 8:29 remaining in the middle frame.
Chicago regained its lead when Josh Melnick slid the puck behind Cossa while in the crease at 15:30. While 4-on-4, Corey Conacher entered the Griffins zone with the puck and then buried into the goal as the Wolves' penalty expired for a shorthanded tally and a 3-1 lead with 1:36 remaining in the second stanza.
To begin the final frame, Marco Kasper sent a pass across the crease, which was blasted into the net by Berggren on the doorstep to pull the Griffins within one at 1:30 in the third period. Grand Rapids tied the game back up after Matt Luff found twine from the top of the right circle with 15:07 remaining in the frame.
With a Griffin in the sin bin, the Wolves retook the lead with a power-play blast from former Grand Rapids player Chris Terry from the top of the right circle at 11:39
Cossa left his crease with 1:49 remaining to allow for an extra attacker. Berggren then netted the Griffins' first hat trick of the season from the left point, as he beat Raanta at 19:47 to tie the game at four.
With the game knotted at 4-4, Grand Rapids and Chicago entered overtime. In the extra frame, a failed odd-man rush attempt by Berggren was collected by Brogan Rafferty and put into the back of the net from the top of the goal mouth with 30 seconds remaining to win the game 5-4 in overtime.
Notes
- Berggren skated in his 300th pro game.
- With a helper on Berggren's first goal, Radim Simek earned his first point as a Griffin.
- In the Griffins and Wolves' 200th all-time meeting, Grand Rapids collected its 100th all-time win against Chicago.
- With this game being the Griffins' last Winning Wednesday promotion of the season, all fans who were in attendance for the win can redeem their ticket stub for a free ticket to the Grand Rapids Rise's April 6 match against the Orlando Valkyries at 7 p.m.
Box Score
Chicago 0 3 1 0 - 4
Grand Rapids 0 1 3 1 - 5
1st Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Shine Gr (tripping), 0:53.
2nd Period-1, Chicago, Fitzgerald 11 (Grimaldi, Donovan), 9:58. 2, Grand Rapids, Berggren 21 (Simek, Mazur), 11:31. 3, Chicago, Melnick 7 (Grimaldi, Terry), 15:30. 4, Chicago, Conacher 7 (Fitzgerald), 18:24 (SH). Penalties-Seeley Chi (hooking), 1:56; Marino Chi (slashing), 12:57; Sawchuk Gr (hooking), 16:18; Terry Chi (hooking), 17:24.
3rd Period-5, Grand Rapids, Berggren 22 (Kasper, Mazur), 1:30. 6, Grand Rapids, Luff 7 (Lombardi, Tuomisto), 4:53. 7, Chicago, Terry 18 (Fensore, Grimaldi), 11:39 (PP). 8, Grand Rapids, Berggren 23 (Rafferty), 19:47. Penalties-Berggren Gr (holding), 11:30.
OT Period-9, Grand Rapids, Rafferty 4 (Berggren), 4:30. Penalties-No Penalties
Shots on Goal-Chicago 7-5-7-4-23. Grand Rapids 8-15-11-3-37.
Power Play Opportunities-Chicago 1 / 3; Grand Rapids 0 / 3.
Goalies-Chicago, Raanta 1-1-3 (37 shots-32 saves). Grand Rapids, Cossa 18-7-9 (23 shots-19 saves).
A-9,141
Three Stars
1. GR Berggren (hat trick, assist); 2. GR Rafferty (overtime-winner, assist); 3. CHI Terry (goal, assist)
Record / Next Game
Grand Rapids: 33-19-8-4 (78 pts.) / Fri., April 5 vs. Rockford 7 p.m.
Chicago: 22-32-5-5 (54 pts.) / Sat., April 6 at Manitoba 2 p.m. CDT