Admirals saw three-goal lead fade into 4-3 shootout loss to San Antonio Rampage

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- The Admirals saw a three-goal lead fade into a 4-3 shootout loss to the San Antonio Rampage Wednesday night at the BMO Harris Bradley Center.

The Ads still earned a point in the loss, moving their season total to 74, good for seventh place in the Western Conference.

The goal scoring started quickly for Milwaukee as Joe Pendenza gathered a loose puck behind the Rampage net and pirouetted his way in front of San Antonio goaltender Michael Houser. Houser stopped the initial shot but Austin Watson was there to bury his 23rd of the year and give the Admirals a 1-0 lead at 1:28 of the first.

Later, the Admirals were rushing down ice when Pontus Aberg hit the blue line and dropped a beautiful pass off for a streaking Pendenza. Pendenza had open ice on his way to Houser and snuck a wrister through the wickets of the San Antonio tender to extend the Admirals lead heading into the first intermission.

The Admirals kept the ball rolling at 5:20 of the second when Johan Alm fought through Brett Olson to get a loose puck along the boards. Alm's pass found the stick of Colton Sissons who launched a wrister from the slot to beat Houser and give the Ads a three goal cushion.

That cushion started to dwindle at 3:08 of the third period when San Antonio was finally able to get one past Mazanec. Defenseman Greg Zanon located a bouncing puck behind the Admirals net and led it along to Rocco Grimaldo who beat Mazanec for his 12th of the year to shrink the Admirals lead to 3-1.

The Admirals found themselves on their heels once the Rampage cut the lead in half at 8:55 of the final period. This time it was Connor Brickley who threw the puck in front for an all alone Dany Heatley.

The Admirals slim lead vanished at 11:40 of the third period when Blake Parlett received a pass from Quinton Howden and fired the game tying goal over the left pad of Mazanec.

It took a shootout to determine which team would head home with the two point victory on Wednesday night. Rocco Grimaldi and Logan Shaw each scored for San Antonio while Aberg and Sissons were both turned away from Sam Brittain who came in relief of Houser in the third period.

The Admirals return the ice on Friday night when they begin a home-and-home set against Chicago in Amtrak Rivalry action at 7pm at the BMO Harris Bradely Center.