When the Detroit Red Wings called up Carter Mazur late in the season, they knew they were getting a player with grit and scoring touch. Now, the 2021 third-round pick is proving exactly why he earned that call, lighting up the AHL Calder Cup playoffs for the Grand Rapids Griffins.
Mazur delivered a standout performance Friday night, notching two goals and an assist as the Griffins defeated the Manitoba Moose 5-2 at Van Andel Arena. It was his second straight multi-goal game, following a two-goal effort in Game 3. His first goal came on the power play, and he sealed the win with an empty-net tally—his second in as many games. With four goals in two contests, Mazur is showing the kind of clutch finishing that made him a promising prospect for Detroit's future.
The Griffins didn't rely solely on Mazur, though. Two recent first-round picks also stepped up in a big way. Axel Sandin-Pellikka, selected 17th overall in 2023, scored his first goal of the playoffs late in the second period to give Grand Rapids a 2-1 lead. Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, the 15th pick in 2024, added his second goal of the postseason early in the third period. Both players have already seen NHL action this season, with Sandin-Pellikka appearing in 68 games for the Red Wings and Brandsegg-Nygård skating in 14.
The win closed out the Central Division semifinals in four games for the Griffins. After dropping the series opener 1-0, they roared back with a 2-0 shutout in Game 2 and a 4-2 victory in Game 3. Friday's decisive win sets up a best-of-five Central Division finals showdown against the Chicago Wolves, with Game 1 set for Thursday in Grand Rapids.
Eduards Tralmarks, a free-agent signing, opened the scoring in the first period, while goaltender Michal Postava made 19 saves in his fourth straight start. For the Moose, Dylan Anhorn and Phillip Di Giuseppe found the net, but it wasn't enough to slow down a Griffins team firing on all cylinders.
Mazur, who played eight games for the Red Wings this season, is making the most of his playoff opportunity. With his blend of skill and determination, he's giving Detroit fans plenty of reason to be excited about what's next—both for the Griffins' playoff run and his own NHL future.