Feb. 10, 2022

DES MOINES, Iowa - Jonatan Berggren netted the game-winner 16 seconds into overtime, as the Grand Rapids Griffins began their four-game road trip with a 4-3 victory over the Iowa Wild on Thursday at Wells Fargo Arena.

Berggren led the way for the Griffins with two goals in the contest while Taro Hirose (1-1—2) joined him with a multi-point outing. Calvin Pickard collected his first Griffins win since Jan. 18, mostly due to being recalled to the Detroit Red Wings. Head coach Ben Simon picked up his 100th win (100-83-18-11, 0.540) with Grand Rapids, becoming the sixth head coach in franchise history to reach the 100-win plateau.

The Wild started the scoring with two goals in the span of 1:50, which gave the home team an early advantage. Rockford, Mich., native Mitchell Chaffe walked down the left wing and snapped the puck through the five-hole of Pickard at 11:33. With 6:37 remaining in the first, Cody McLeod made it a 2-0 game with his backhander on the doorstep.

Berggren salvaged the period for the Griffins when he tallied his 10th goal of the season at 19:38. Hirose won a loose puck deep in the Iowa zone and found Berggren in the low slot. The Swede then jammed the disc inside the left post to make it a 2-1 score line after the opening stanza.

The Wild managed to regain their two-goal lead when Calen Addison registered his third of the season at 5:02. Addison skated around Pickard and his wrap-around attempt beat the netminder at the left post. The Griffins trailed 3-1 going into the final period despite outshooting Iowa, 27-15.

Things turned in favor of Grand Rapids early in the third frame, as the team recorded two goals in the opening 4:48. During a Griffins’ power play, Hirose took a sharp-angled shot from the left circle that sailed over the right shoulder of Andrew Hammond at 1:04.

Luke Witkowski scored a goal in consecutive contests when he tied the game at three apiece on a controversial call with 15:12 remaining. Off a feed from Tyler Spezia, Witkowski managed to get a skate on the puck and deflect it into the net. After a lengthy review of the play by the officials, it was a deemed a good goal and the game headed into overtime.

Just 16 seconds into the extra period, Berggren found his third game-winning goal of his rookie campaign. After two Wild defensemen collided behind their own cage, the puck slipped to Berggren at the left circle. His initial shot rattled the post, but Berggren gathered his own rebound and made the second opportunity count for his 11th of the season.

Notes
- The Griffins now have points in five straight games against Iowa (4-0-1-0) and points in seven of the last eight meetings (6-1-1-0).
- Grand Rapids has now scored on the power play in three consecutive contests.

Box Score
Grand Rapids 1 0 2 1 - 4
Iowa 2 1 0 0 - 3

1st Period-1, Iowa, Chaffee 9 (Rossi, Ottenbreit), 11:33. 2, Iowa, McLeod 3 (Beckman, Addison), 13:23. 3, Grand Rapids, Berggren 10 (Hirose), 19:38. Penalties-Yan Gr (holding), 2:47.

2nd Period-4, Iowa, Addison 3 (Ottenbreit, Chaffee), 5:02. Penalties-Rau Ia (elbowing), 6:54.

3rd Period-5, Grand Rapids, Hirose 10 (McIsaac, Elson), 1:04 (PP). 6, Grand Rapids, Witkowski 2 (Spezia, Shine), 4:48. Penalties-Cramarossa Ia (tripping), 0:57; Misley Ia (tripping), 5:22; Curry Gr (interference), 8:06.

OT Period-7, Grand Rapids, Berggren 11 0:16. Penalties-No Penalties

Shots on Goal-Grand Rapids 14-13-9-1-37. Iowa 9-6-8-0-23.
Power Play Opportunities-Grand Rapids 1 / 3; Iowa 0 / 2.
Goalies-Grand Rapids, Pickard 14-10-5 (23 shots-20 saves). Iowa, Hammond 6-2-3 (37 shots-33 saves).
A-2,955

Three Stars
1. GR Berggren (two goals); 2. IA Addison (goal, assist); 3. IA Chaffee (goal, assist)

Record / Next Game
Grand Rapids: 17-17-5-2 (41 pts.) / Fri., Feb. 11 at Iowa 8 p.m. EST
Iowa: 19-17-3-2 (43 pts.) / Fri., Feb. 11 vs. Grand Rapids 7 p.m. CST

Photo by Tim Garland/Wild