Feb. 24, 2023

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The Grand Rapids Griffins picked up a point in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Chicago Wolves on Friday at Van Andel Arena.

Joel L’Esperance extended his goal streak to three outings, which is tied for the longest by a Griffins skater this season. Danny O’Regan contributed a goal and an assist for his third multipoint game in a Grand Rapids uniform. The German-born forward has five points in his last four appearances. The Griffins are 3-0-1-0 in their last four matchups against Chicago with the loss.

Despite the Wolves outshooting the Griffins 14-7 in the opening frame, the Griffins took a 2-0 lead on the behalf of goals from Alex Chiasson and L’Esperance. At 10:43, O’Regan navigated through traffic, into the slot and passed the puck to Chiasson in the left circle. The Canadian ripped a one-timer past Pyotr Kochetkov for his fourth tally in five outings. L’Esperance immediately followed at 12:26 on a breakaway setup by Eemil Viro’s three-quarter’s ice pass, as he chipped the puck over the left pad of Kochetkov for a 2-0 lead.

Chicago got right back into the game with a trio of goals in 1:08 of play in the second. Max Lajoie began the spurt at 3:26 by deflecting a shot over the left shoulder of Victor Brattstrom. Jack Drury (4:01) and Griffin Mendel (4:34) both lit the lamp from the left circle to take a 3-2 advantage late into the stanza. With one second remaining, O’Regan made a crucial play by sending a shot from the slot off of the right post and in to knot the contest at three apiece before heading into the final period.

Each team traded goals in the third, as Lajoie rifled a shot from in front of the blue line behind Brattstrom at 2:38 to take the lead. Dominik Shine sent the game into overtime at 5:50 off of Adam Erne’s and Albert Johansson’s attempts, with his shot from the left circle soaring over the left pad of Kochetkov.

Anttoni Honka sealed the deal for Chicago in overtime and snapped their three-game losing streak against Grand Rapids by firing the puck into the top-left corner of the cage at 3:36.

Notes
- Riley Sawchuk made his Griffins debut, recording 2 shots.
- Seth Barton posted his first point of the season with an assist on Chiasson’s goal.
- Brattstrom had 38 saves, his career high in the AHL.

Box Score
Chicago 0 3 1 1 - 5
Grand Rapids 2 1 1 0 - 4

1st Period-1, Grand Rapids, Chiasson 9 (O’Regan, Barton), 10:43. 2, Grand Rapids, L’Esperance 17 (Viro), 12:26. Penalties-Edvinsson Gr (cross-checking), 0:38; Rees Chi (tripping), 17:26.

2nd Period-3, Chicago, Lajoie 6 (Sucese, Lambdin), 3:26. 4, Chicago, Drury 7 (Melnick), 4:01. 5, Chicago, Mendel 5 (Seeley, Ponomarev), 4:34. 6, Grand Rapids, O’Regan 9 (Luff, Edvinsson), 19:59. Penalties-Newpower Gr (cross-checking), 12:15.

3rd Period-7, Chicago, Lajoie 7 (Suzuki, Seeley), 2:38. 8, Grand Rapids, Shine 9 (Erne, Johansson), 5:50. Penalties-Drury Chi (cross-checking), 18:54; Johansson Gr (roughing), 18:54; Honka Chi (holding), 19:54.

OT Period-9, Chicago, Honka 4 (Suzuki, MacEachern), 3:36. Penalties-No Penalties

Shots on Goal-Chicago 14-20-7-2-43. Grand Rapids 7-11-5-0-23.
Power Play Opportunities-Chicago 0 / 2; Grand Rapids 0 / 2.
Goalies-Chicago, Kochetkov 10-4-2 (23 shots-19 saves). Grand Rapids, Brattstrom 4-7-3 (43 shots-38 saves).
A-7,969

Three Stars
1. CHI Honka (game-winner); 2. CHI Lajoie (two goals); 3. GR O’Regan (goal, assist).

Record / Next Game
Grand Rapids: 21-24-3-2 (47 pts.) / Sat., Feb. 25 vs. Cleveland 7 p.m.
Chicago: 21-23-3-2 (47 pts.) / Sat., Feb. 25 vs. Tucson 7 p.m. CST

Photo by Nicolas Carrillo/Griffins