GRAND RAPIDS - The Grand Rapids Griffins' power play, the biggest concern in the first round, may receive the biggest boost in the second with the return of Martin Frk.

Frk, the team's leading scorer who sat out the first round with an injury, is expected back Wednesday when the Griffins open the Central Division Finals at Chicago.

Of Frk's 27 goals during the regular season, 12 came on the power play. Without him, the Griffins converted two of 16, including a 0 for 11 stretch, but still swept the Milwaukee Admirals 3-0 in the best-of-five division semifinals.

"It's definitely going to help. Frky is a weapon; he has a great shot and we all know that," said coach Todd Nelson. "Just putting him on the power play, he's always a threat."

Frk, who hasn't played since April 9, has been practicing with the team a week and probably would have played if the Griffins needed a fourth game against Milwaukee.

"To play the whole season and then to be hurt before the playoffs - it's sucks and I wasn't really happy," Frk said. "But that's hockey. So then I was just trying to stay in shape and do all the things with my shoulder to make sure it's all good and ready for Wednesday."

He doesn't believe his booming slap shot, considered one of the hardest in the league, has lost any speed with the injury.

"Yeah, I don't see any problem," he said. "Now, it's just a matter of game shape. It's been a month so we'll see how it goes the first game."

Against Milwaukee, the Griffins got power play goals from Matthew Ford in Game 1 and Tomas Nosek in overtime to seal Game 3. In between there were struggles.

"I think you saw our power play struggle a little without him," said defenseman Nathan Paetsch. "He's obviously a lethal weapon - he's probably got about the hardest shot in the world, if not a top 10. Whenever you can add the kind of dynamic to the power play, it's a huge boast."

Frk will replace Axel Holmstrom in the lineup. Holmstrom had a goal and a plus-3 in the first round.

The Wolves were 82.6 percent (11th) on the penalty kill during the season and killed off all 10 Charlotte opportunities in the first round.