GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Teemu Pulkkinen and the Grand Rapids Griffins say they didn't play their best hockey on Wednesday night.
It was good enough to get a win and a 1-0 series lead in the Western Conference Semifinals of the Calder Cup Playoffs.
Pulkkinen scored the franchise's seventh playoff hat trick -- raising his postseason goal total to 9 -- and the Griffins won Game 1 of their best-of-seven series against the Rockford IceHogs by a score of 5-3.
Kevin Porter and Marc-Louis Aubry added goals for the Griffins, who led 3-1 after two periods before Rockford scored twice in the third to tie the game.
Pulkkinen's game-winner -- his third goal of the night -- came with 2:46 remaining in regulation.
Game 2 of the series is Friday at 7:00 p.m. at Van Andel Arena.
