Milwaukee Admirals Hang On to Even AHL Series Against Moose

The Admirals will play the Manitoba Moose in a winner take all game five tomorrow night after tonight's 5-3 victory.

The Milwaukee Admirals welcomed the Manitoba Moose for a critical must win game four in their Central Division best of five series. The Moose won games two and three in overtime after Milwaukee dominated game one by a score of 6-2. Tonight Yaroslav Askarov and Oskari Salminen returned to their place in net for the Admirals and Moose respectively.

Just a few minutes into the first period, Kiefer Sherwood headed to the Admirals' penalty box for a slashing call. Zach Sanford had a quality shorthanded chance, but it was Greg Meireles who got the Moose on the board at 5:02 on the power play.

Milwaukee earned their first chance on the power play at 6:06 as Cole Maier was called for a slash. The Admirals quickly earned a five on three when Dominic Toninato joined his teammate in the box at 6:24. Maier's penalty expired, but Zach Sanford scored before Toninato finished his sentence, tying the game 1-1.

Marc Del Gaizo spent two minutes in the box midway through the opening period for a slash, but the Admirals penalty kill passed the time without incident. Oskari Salminen headed to the bench on a delayed penalty when an errant Moose pass slid past the blue line and across the ice into their net for an own goal that gave the Admirals the lead at 18:45. The teams headed into the first intermission with Milwaukee up 2-1.

The Admirals successfully killed off the remainder of the first period penalty in the opening seconds of the middle period. At 1:19, Ville Heinola headed to the box for a hold on Jaokim Kemell. Kemell made the Moose pay with a beautiful power play goal from the circle at 2:15 to give Milwaukee a 3-1 lead.

Traffic continued to the sin bins as Milwaukee and Manitoba took turns on the power play, but neither team could capitalize on the opportunity. At 12:32, Leon Gawanke and Austin Rueschhoff headed to their teams' boxes. Milwaukee peppered Salminen on the ensuing four on four but couldn't score.

The Admirals did get on the board again in the second period at 15:49 as Michael McCarron found Kiefer Sherwood with a stretch pass, and Sherwood scored on the breakaway to give Milwaukee a 4-1 lead.

A huge scrum broke out after Jimmy Huntington tapped at Salminen's glove looking for a loose puck at 16:19. Once the penalties were sorted out, each team had 3 in their respective penalty boxes with Huntington serving a double minor. Manitoba briefly enjoyed some 5 on 4 play, but a roughing call at 17:05 even the teams out. The period wound down with Milwaukee up 4-1.

Manitoba came back in the beginning of the third period with a vengeance thanks in part to a too many men on the ice call against the Admirals. Jansen Hopkins scored on the man advantage at 2:37 and then just under two minute later Wyatt Bongiovanni closed the gap to one goal tapping a rebound past Askarov.

Milwaukee head coach Karl Taylor called a timeout after the two quick scores. The talk on the bench helped the Ads regroup and Milwaukee began to generate their own offensive pressure midway through the period. At 15:32 a hit on Kiefer Sherwood gave Milwaukee a power play. Phil Tomasino hit the post, but the Admirals couldn't gain ground in the two minute advantage.

With 1:40 remaining, Salminen headed for the bench and Manitoba brought on an extra attacker. The Moose struggled to get good looks on net, and with :18 left a fumbled puck wound up on the stick of Austin Rueschhaff who scored an empty net goal to ensure Milwaukee's win.

The Admirals and Moose will face off tomorrow night at 6:00 pm CST in a game five that will decide the series.