The Wolves trailed 3-1 late in the second period and scored four unanswered to win the game 4-3 in overtime and take a 2-0 series lead.
The Grand Rapids Griffins finished the season with 107 points, second-most in the American Hockey League. They looked like the dominant team to start Game Two with two quick goals in the first period and another in the second to give them a 3-1 lead. Then this happened.
- Ivan Ryabkin found the back of the net within the final four minutes of the second period to give the Wolves momentum.
- Cal Foote took a Josiah Slavin pass and fired it to the back of the net on the rush to tie up the game.
- Felix Unger Sorum redirected a Charles Alexis Legault shot from the point for the overtime winner.
Suddenly, the Chicago Wolves have a 2-0 series lead, and the Griffins are on the brink of elimination. Here's what you need to know.
Wolves Power Play Kickstarts The Offense
They weren't generating much offense to start the game, and down 2-0, they needed a spark. They got it with a first-period power play where they were given space to let their top players go to work.
A Bradly Nadeau pass to Juuso Valimaki, followed by a centering feed to Felix Unger Sorum, gave the Wolves a tic-tac-toe goal. With the open look in the slot, there's nothing the Griffins could do to stop it, and suddenly, the Wolves were on the board.
The goal game them life and allowed the offense to find its footing. They followed up the goal with two more in each of the next two periods to tie up the game and force overtime.
Cayden Primeau's Performance Keeps Wolves Comeback Hopes Alive
The Wolves don't tie up this game without strong play in the net. This game wasn't a dominant performance by any measure for Cayden Primeau. However, his play allowed them to win this game.
Primeau stopped 36 of the 39 shots he faced. Moreover, the Griffins controlled the play late in the game, outshooting the Wolves 13-3 in the third period. Yet, Primeau stepped up and blanked the Griffin offense to fuel the comeback.
Where The Griffins Go From Here
Reverse sweeps are a rarity, even in a five-game series. The Griffins head to Chicago with their backs to the wall.
However, it's not crazy to see them come back; after all, they showed in Game Two how they can win the series. It starts with the offense continuing to generate pressure with their prospects and veterans creating scoring chances.
The question now is in the net and whether the recent game by Michal Postava is an outlier. It was the first time he allowed four or more in a game in his AHL career, so it's safe to assume he'll bounce back. The problem is that he only started 25 games in the regular season, and the workload in the playoffs might be catching up to him. Game Three on Tuesday night will be an indicator.