Weekend Recap: Wolves and Griffins Split Central Division Set
The Central Division’s top two teams renewed their rivalry this past weekend in a home-and-home series that saw each club take one game. Both teams came into the weekend with plenty on the line — Chicago riding a long points streak and Grand Rapids boasting the AHL’s best record — and fans were treated to dramatic swings over back-to-back nights.
Friday Night — Wolves Dominate 5–2 in Grand Rapids
On Friday in Michigan, the Chicago Wolves came out firing and built a lead they never relinquished, defeating the Grand Rapids Griffins by a 5–2 final at Van Andel Arena.
Scoring Summary:
1st Period
CHI — Juuso Välimäki (PP) — 4:11 (from R. Suzuki & F. Unger Sörum)
CHI — Skyler Brind’Amour — 4:29 (from N. Gunler & J. Slavin)
CHI — Bradley Nadeau — 13:36 (from J. Robidas)
2nd Period
CHI — Ryan Suzuki (PP) — 10:24 (from B. Nadeau & J. Robidas)
3rd Period
GRG — Eduards Tralmaks — trimmed the lead to 5–1
GRG — Amadeus Lombardi — sealed the final margin
Notable Performances:
Bradley Nadeau and Ryan Suzuki each finished with a goal and an assist.
Felix Unger Sorum and Justin Robidas each had two assists to fuel Chicago’s offense.
Cayden Primeau made 31 saves for the Wolves.
This win extended Chicago’s points streak to eight games while snapping Grand Rapids’ three-game winning streak for the first time this season.
Photo Credit: Daulton Cooper/1410 AM WRMN
Saturday Night — Griffins Rebound for 5–2 Win in Chicago
The roles reversed on Saturday at Allstate Arena, where the Grand Rapids Griffins bounced back with a 5–2 victory. Led by a three-point night from Amadeus Lombardi, Grand Rapids snapped Chicago’s points streak.
Scoring Summary:
1st Period
CHI — Juuso Valimaki — early lead for Wolves
GRG — Dominik Shine — tied it after returning from injury
2nd Period
GRG — Amadeus Lombardi — gave Griffins the lead
GRG — Alex Doucet — extended the advantage
CHI — Domenick Fensore — cut into the lead
3rd Period
GRG — Sheldon Dries (PP)
GRG — Austin Watson — closed out scoring
Standout Contributions:
Amadeus Lombardi finished with 1 goal and 2 assists (3 points).
Dominik Shine (1 goal, 1 assist) recorded his ninth multi-point game.
William Lagesson picked up his 100th professional assist.
Goalie Michal Postava made 24 saves to earn the win.
With the victory, the Griffins halted the Wolves’ momentum and reinforced their league-leading status. The Griffins were out for vengeance and that was abundantly clear on Saturday night. The Griffins controlled the pace of play all night in this game, their forecheck was on full display. This score was not indicative of the pace of play, Grand Rapids added 2 cross bars to their sheet and could have scored more goals in this game.
Key Stats & What It Means
Grand Rapids remained at the top of the AHL with the best overall record (33-6-2-1) and league-best points percentage, also enjoying one of the deepest offensive rotations in the league.
The Wolves continue to show they can hang tough with the AHL’s best. Chicago has handed Grand Rapids 2 of their 8 losses this season.
Chicago’s long points streak — a reflection of their balanced scoring and improved defense — was snapped on Saturday, but the Wolves remain a Central Division contender.
Standings Snapshot
As of the conclusion of this weekend’s series, Grand Rapids sits atop the AHL standings with the highest points percentage in the league, comfortably leading the Central Division with 69 points. They’ve been one of the most dominant teams this season, continuing a historically strong campaign. Chicago remains 2nd in the division, firmly in playoff picture territory, albeit trailing Grand Rapids with 52 points.
What’s Next?
The Chicago Wolves will head to Colorado to take on the Colorado Eagles on 2/6 and 2/7. Followed by the AHL All Star Break happening in Rockford, IL starting on 2/10 and 2/11. The Wolves are sending 3 players to the All Star Game festivities. Players include: Bradley Nadeau, Justin Robidas, and Domenick Fensore.
Final Thoughts
This weekend’s split highlighted the strengths of both clubs: Chicago’s explosive scoring and depth on Friday and Grand Rapids’ resilience and star power on Saturday. The Griffins showcased exactly why they are the team to beat in the AHL. Their speed, size, and skill were on full display. Though, the grittiness of the Chicago Wolves does present some problems for the Griffins. Watching these two teams battle is worthy of a conference final series.
- Daulton Cooper/Olde City Sports Network
- Photo Credit: Daulton Cooper/1410 AM WRMN
