The Grand Rapids Griffins became the first team to secure their place in the second round of the Calder Cup Playoffs after a 4-2 win over the IceHogs last night in Rockford

After a 4-2 win last night in Rockford, the Grand Rapids Griffins are the Calder Cup Playoffs' first team through to the second round.  The win gave Grand Rapids a 3-1 series win over the IceHogs, sending the Griffins to the Central Division Finals, for the first time since 2017's Calder Cup championship run.

If the Calder Cup Playoffs represented a prime opportunity for the Red Wings top prospect to launch themselves into the NHL, no prospect has taken better advantage in the first round than Jonatan Berggren.  Berggern scored the game-winner in all three GR victories—the first two in OT, the last in regulation.

Last night, Rockford took the lead with 5:49 left in the first via a Lukas Reichel power play goal, but the Griffins provided an emphatic answer in a hurry.  11 seconds after Reichel's goal, Carter Mazur tied the game, then a minute and 41 seconds after that, Austin Czarnik gave Grand Rapids a 2-1 lead, scoring for the third game in a row.

After a scoreless second, Berggren scored exactly five minutes into the third, making it 3-1 Griffins, which would hold up as the game-winner after Reichel scored another less than two minutes later.  Marco Kasper clinched the win with an empty-net goal with the clock showing a minute and five seconds to play. In net, Sebastian Cossa made 21 saves on 23 shots.

Grand Rapids now awaits the winner of the Milwaukee Admirals-Texas Stars first round series.  Texas currently leads the best-of-five 2-0, with a chance to close out Wednesday night in Milwaukee, though it could run through Sunday if it requires the full five games.

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