Photo: Brad Repplinger
The Grand Rapids Griffins punched their ticket to the Central Division Finals on Sunday afternoon with a 4-2 win over the Rockford IceHogs.
The Griffins eliminated the IceHogs, three games to one, and now await the winner of the Milwaukee-Texas series.
Grand Rapids got a goal and an assist from Austin Czarnik in Game 4, while Jonatan Berggren recorded his third game-winning goal of the series. Berggren’s goal came five minutes into the third period on a delayed penalty to open up a 3-1 lead.
Carter Mazur and Marco Kasper also scored and Sebastian Cossa (3-1) made 21 saves for the Griffins, who won six of their eight visits to the BMO Center this season.
Lukas Reichel netted both goals for Rockford in Game 4, and Drew Commesso (1-2) stopped 21 of 24 shots.
The series win is Grand Rapids’ first since they captured a Calder Cup championship in 2017.
(Grand Rapids wins series, 3-1)
Game 1 – Sat., Apr. 27 – Grand Rapids 3, ROCKFORD 2 (OT)
Game 2 – Wed., May 1 – Rockford 5, GRAND RAPIDS 1
Game 3 – Fri., May 3 – GRAND RAPIDS 4, Rockford 3 (OT)
Game 4 – Sun., May 5 – Grand Rapids 4, ROCKFORD 2