A GOOD START

Chicago Wolves 1 at GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS 3

Oct. 14, 2016

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – A 27-save performance by Jared Coreau and two goals from Mitch Callahan propelled the Grand Rapids Griffins to a 3-1 victory over the Chicago Wolves on Friday in their 2016-17 season opener at a sold-out Van Andel Arena.

The Griffins, who won their first season debut since 2013 and their first home opener since 2011, will play a road rematch with the Wolves on Saturday. Faceoff is set for 8 p.m. at Allstate Arena.

It was all Griffins in the early going, as the home squad built a 7-0 shot advantage before the Wolves managed their first try almost eight minutes into the contest. Grand Rapids looked to have scored at the 6:45 mark when Joe Hicketts’ slapper from the left boards eluded Jordan Binnington, but the officials quickly waved off the goal as the net had been dislodged by a Chicago defender colliding with his own netminder.

Grand Rapids’ persistence paid off in the form of its first goal of the season with 5:05 left in the period. On a rush into the Chicago zone, rookie Kyle Criscuolo took a pass from Tyler Bertuzzi in the high slot and snapped a shot that Callahan tipped home. It marked the 79th goal and 144th point of Callahan’s Griffins career, moving him into sole possession of fourth and 11th places, respectively, in franchise history. He later added Nos. 80 and 145 with an empty-netter in the final minute.

The Griffins capitalized on a power play 35 seconds into the middle period to double their lead, as Anthony Mantha connected from the top of the circles. Matt Lorito, who led Albany in scoring last season, earned an assist for his first point in a Grand Rapids uniform.

Chicago’s Landon Ferraro, a 2013 Calder Cup champion as a member of the Griffins, set up the marker that put the Wolves on the board at 15:17 of the second. He took a stretch pass along the right boards at the Griffins’ line and centered the puck to an unmarked Brett Sterling, who snuck a shot inside Coreau’s left post to make it 2-1.

Less than a minute into the third period, Coreau preserved that one-goal advantage by robbing Sterling with a glove save at the right post while sprawled face-down on the ice, drawing a wry smile and a few admiring words from Sterling as the Wolves’ sniper skated off.

A slashing call on Chicago’s Alex Friesen with 2:07 remaining put the Griffins on their fourth power play and dimmed the Wolves’ chances of tying the contest. The visitors soon pulled Binnington for a fifth attacker, and Callahan slipped a shot into the vacated cage with 18 seconds left for the final margin.

Binnington turned aside 31 of 33 shots in defeat.

Notes: The Griffins sold out their home opener for the 21st time in as many seasons, welcoming another crowd of 10,834…Callahan logged his 300th regular season game with the Griffins, becoming just the eighth Grand Rapids player to reach that milestone…Hicketts, Dominic Turgeon and Dylan Sadowy made their pro debuts, joining a pair of other rookies – Criscuolo and Evgeny Svechnikov, who made their first Griffins appearances last spring -- in the lineup.

Three Stars: 1. GR Coreau (W, 27 saves); 2. GR Callahan (two goals); 3. GR Mantha (power play goal)