For the second time in five years, the Grand Rapids Griffins will be playing in the Calder Cup Finals. They ousted the Pacific Division champion San Jose Barracuda with a 4-2 victory in game five last night, effectively winning the series 4-1.

The Griffins kicked off the series in San Jose with a 3-1 victory. They got goals from Mitch Callahan, Ben Street, and Matt Ford. This game set the tone for what would be a rough series. There were lots of penalties called for roughing, high-sticking, and holding. The Griffins also took two goaltender interference calls, one of which was taken by Evgeny Svechnikov.

The second game didn’t go the Griffins way as they lost 4-2, mostly due to unnecessary penalties at bad times from key players like Tyler Bertuzzi, Robbie Russo, and Eric Tangradi. Bertuzzi did add an assist, though, on a first period Tomas Nosek goal. Game three got off to a bit of a scary start for the Griffins as they trailed 2-1 through the first two periods. An offensive explosion in the third though, with goals from Matt Lorito, Mitch Callahan, and Tomas Nosek ensured them the 4-2 victory. Ben Street had two assists.

Game four is really what cemented this series in the Griffins favour. San Jose got the only goal in the first, but the Griffins scored the next four in the second on their way to a 6-2 victory. Going into the third, frustrations boiled over as four misconducts were handed out to Tyler Bertuzzi, Mitch Callahan, John McCarthy (San Jose), and Timo Meier (San Jose). In addition to this, four roughing penalties were handed out (two to either team) and San Jose’s Dan Kelly engaged in one of the most lopsided fights with Griffins’ tough guy Dylan McIlrath.

After all was said and done, Tyler Bertuzzi had a goal, Mitch Callahan had two points, and Eric Tangradi had three points. It was a great night for the Griffins and built some momentum for what would be an elimination game the following night.

And the Griffins followed through! They got off to a hot start in game five with a goal twenty-four seconds in from Brian Lashoff. From there, it was an uphill battle as the Barracuda outshot and outplayed them through the first two periods. Matt “Cool Ranch” Lorito (still the best nickname in hockey) would lead the team with two goals to the victory. Bertuzzi added another assist, bringing his point total in these playoffs to thirteen in thirteen games. Ahead of him are Tomas Nosek (14 points), Eric Tangradi (15 points), and Ben Street (15 points).

The Griffins will face the Syracuse Crunch in the Calder Cup Finals, starting Friday, June 2. This will be the second time in five years the two teams meet in the finals, the last one being in 2013 when the Griffins finished them off in a 4-2 series victory.

The Crunch are coming off of a 4-1 series victory against the Providence Bruins. The Crunch’s path to the finals has been far from easy. They swept the St. John’s Ice Caps in round one, but were taken to seven games (and then overtime!) against the Toronto Marlies in round two. They finished the regular season at the top of the North Division, but they only had 90 points compared to the Griffins 100. That being said, it’s the playoffs and anything can happen.

My prediction? Griffins take the series 4-2. It will be a hard fought series and will surely fuel the fire that is the rivalry between their two NHL affiliate clubs in the coming years as players from both teams make the jump.