Admirals edge the Aeros, 3-2

MILWAUKEE -- Kyle Wilson helped the Milwaukee Admirals continue their playoff push on Wednesday night at the Bradley Center as he scored the game-winning goal with three seconds left in overtime to defeat the Houston Aeros 3-2. The win gave Milwaukee 73 points and pulled them with in two of the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

With just under two minutes left in overtime, Jon DiSalvatore was called for hooking putting Milwaukee on the power-play for the rest of overtime. The Admirals took advantage as Victor Bartley sent a shot wide of the net. The puck bounced off the back board right to Kyle Wilson, who beat an out of position Matt Hackett underneath his arm and winning the game for the Ads.

However, it was Houston who took an early lead when they scored the first goal of the game at the 11:11 mark of the first period. On a shorthanded rush, David McIntyre handled the puck into the Ads zone. He deked out Milwaukee’s defender faked a shot that pulled Jeremy Smith out of position just enough to beat the Milwaukee goalie over his shoulder.

Milwaukee fought back and tired the game late in the first. With 1:07 left in the period, Taylor Beck found Chris Mueller on a backhanded pass that Muller fired past Hackett stick side tying the game at one.

In the second period the Ads found themselves down 2-1 as Houston scored their second goal of the game. As McIntryre was falling down behind the net, he found Chay Genoway in the high slot. Genoway fired a shot on net that beat Smith.

Trailing 2-1 in the third period, the Admirals had a three on two where Jon Blum found a streaking Brodie Dupont in front of the net. Dupont tipped the puck past Hackett tying the game at two at the 5:22 mark.

The rest of the third period both teams were scoreless and the Ads and Aeros went into overtime tied at two, setting the stage for Wilson’s heroics.

A trio of Admirals, Jon Blum (2a), Chris Mueller (1g-1a) and Brodie Dupont (1a-1g) all registered two points.

The Admirals return to action on Friday night when they host the Oklahoma City Barons at 7:00 pm at the Bradley Center.