In Game 1 of the Calder Cup Central Division Final, top Red Wings prospect Marco Kasper helped steer the GR Griffins to a 4-2 win over the Milwaukee Admirals
Last night in Milwaukee, the Grand Rapids Griffins ended a 10-day layoff when it came time to play the host Admirals (AHL affiliate of the Nashville Predators) Game 1 of the Central Division Finals in the Calder Cup Playoffs.
Grand Rapids took a 1-0 lead just under five minutes into the night's action thanks to a Carter Mazur goal with assists to Austin Czarnik and Jonatan Berggren, capping off a pretty offensive zone passing sequence with a tap-in at the back door.
Milwaukee equalized late in the period, before the two sides traded goals once more in the second, sending the game to the third tied at two. In the final frame, the Griffins distinguished themselves thanks to a Marco Kasper goal nine minutes and 57 seconds into the period. Then, Joel L'Esperance added an empty-netter to clinch the Game 1 win in the final minute of regulation. In addition to scoring the game-winner, Kasper assisted on Zach Aston-Reese's second period goal and L'Esperance's empty-netter. Sebastian Cossa made 25 saves on 27 shots in the winning effort for GR.
Five games into the postseason campaign, each of Berggren, Czarnik, Kasper, and Mazur are scoring at a minimum of a point-a-game pace.
The best-of-five series will resume Monday night in Milwaukee, before returning for Games 3 and 4 in Grand Rapids on Wednesday and Friday. A potential decisive Game 5 will be a week from Sunday in Milwaukee.