After dropping both games at home to the Chicago Wolves, the Grand Rapids Griffins have no choice but to win out if they want to remain alive in the Calder Cup Playoffs.
It was a historic season for the Detroit Red Wings' American Hockey League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins, who became the first AHL team in decades to clinch a playoff spot in the month of February.
After a first-round victory in the Calder Cup Playoffs over the Manitoba Moose, they suddenly find themselves facing serious adversity.
Not only did they lose twice on home ice to the Chicago Wolves in the Central Division Finals, but they now have no choice but to win three straight games in the best-of-five series if they want to remain alive in their quest for the Calder Cup.
Following practice on Tuesday before Game 3, assistant coach Brian Lashoff, a former Griffins captain who also played 136 NHL games with the Red Wings, said everyone on the club must have the same mindset going into the critical must-win game.
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"I think it's gotta be everybody pulling on the rope together," Lashoff said. "We've been a resilient team all year, and anytime we've gotten into any sort of rough stretches, we've been able to hold each other accountable and respond."
"So, this time is no different," he continued. "But these are the biggest stakes we've had all year, so I think with the group we have, the mature group we have, everyone knows we have the ability to rise to the occasion."
Grand Rapids will have to resort to the kind of lock-down defense they displayed during the regular season, during which they only lost a total of three games when scoring the first goal while winning 38.
The Wolves, who defeated the Griffins by scores of 2-1 and then 4-3 in OT, rallied from trailing 1-0 on both occasions.
Should Grand Rapids be unsuccessful in staving off elimination, it will bring an end to what was the most historic season in team history.
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