Noah Philp Scored twice, Kayden Primo The Chicago Wolves made 33 saves to defeat the Central Division champion Grand Rapids Griffins 3-2 on Thursday night in Game 4 of a best-of-five series at Elstar Arena.
Chicago will face the Colorado Eagles in the Western Conference Finals, with Game 1 scheduled for next Thursday in Loveland, Colorado. This will be the Wolves’ seventh trip to the Western Conference Finals since joining the AHL in 2001-02.
Grand Rapids’ loss, meanwhile, leaves the AHL’s final four teams without a division champion for just the second time since 1997.
Philp broke a 0-0 tie with two minutes left in the second quarter and added another goal at 4:02 of the third. Those were Philp’s first two points of the series.
Justin Robidas Then scored his third goal of the series with 3:56 left to make it 3-0, and it became the Griffins’ last-gasp double. Michal Postava Closed for additional attackers. Edwards Tramack spoiled Primeau’s buzzer-beating bid with 2:47 left, and Sheldon Dries Shot deflected Michael Brandsegg-Nygaard 14.9 seconds left.
Postava, who started all eight of the Griffins’ playoff games, shot 18-of-21 from the field in the loss.
(Chicago won the series 3-1)
Game 1 – Thursday, May 14 – Chicago 2, Grand Rapids 1
Game 2 – Saturday, May 16 – Chicago 4, Grand Rapids 3 (OT)
Game 3 – Tuesday, May 19 – Grand Rapids 4, Chicago 3 (OT)
Game 4 – Thursday, May 21 – Chicago 3, Grand Rapids 2
