Berggren, Cossa, Lombardi Drive Griffins to Playoff-Opening Win
Grand Rapids begins its postseason campaign with a dramatic 3-2 victory over the Rockford Ice Hogs in overtime, with several Red Wing prospects playing key roles in the come-from-behind win
© Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports - Berggren, Cossa, Lombardi Drive Griffins to Playoff-Opening WinThe Grand Rapids Griffins got their playoff campaign started in dramatic fashion, coming from behind to beat the Rockford Ice Hogs by a final score of 3-2 in overtime.
The visiting Griffins entered the third trailing Rockford 2-0, but Dominik Shine cut that deficit in half three minutes and five seconds into the period with a four-on-four goal, with Simon Edvinsson picking up an assist.
GR continued its third period push, and the next third period breakthrough would come with the clock showing 4:25 to play when 2022 Red Wings fourth round draft choice Amadeus Lombardi—playing in his first career AHL playoff game—tied the score with a clean wrist shot from the slot.
It took just 4:14 into overtime for Jonatan Berggren, another AHL playoff debutant, to nab the overtime winner for the Griffins. The goal came on a chaotic sequence, after several Ice Hogs appeared to stop playing in taking exception to a hit from Austin Czarnik in the neutral zone. However, Berggren kept playing and slipped a shot through Rockford goaltender Jaxson Stauber as he fell to his knees to win it for the visitors.
Sebastian Cossa—also making his AHL playoff debut—stopped 20 of the 22 shots that Rockford put on his net in the winning effort.
"We got off to a flat start," assessed Griffins coach Dan Watson after the game. "They got after us a little bit. Once we settled in, we started to feel what playoff hockey's like, especially for some of these young guys—found our legs, found out game, and got into our game plan." "On the bench is what I really focused on in terms of how our older guys—not older guys, experienced guys—experienced guys that have been through the playoffs helped everybody through it," he added.
When asked about the come-from-behind effort, Berggren said, "it shows good character in the squad."
Watson offered a similar message, saying, "I just think our guys believe in each other. We know we've got the tools. We know we've got the skill. We know we can play good D when it matters...Our guys know they can do it, so there's no quit in our team."
Game 2 will happen Wednesday, with the best-of-five series shifting to Van Andel Arena for two games before returning for a potential Game 4 in Rockford.
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