Milwaukee Admirals get tripped up by Texas Stars, fall 3-1

CEDAR PARK, Texas — The Admirals pumped 46 shots on goal on Saturday night against Texas, but Stars goalie Jake Oettinger stopped 45 of them, leading Texas to a 3-1 win over the Admirals Saturday at H-E-B Center at Cedar Park.

The win dropped Milwaukee’s record on the current five-game road trip to 2-2-0-0. Milwaukee has a six-point lead over second-place Iowa.

The Admirals outshot the Stars 46-31 in the game and 17-3 in the third period. Oettinger stopped all but one to earn his second win against the Admirals. In his two victories over the Ads, Oettinger has stopped 84 of 86 shots.

Texas scored a power-play goal at 10:02 of the first period to take a 1-0 lead. Tanner Kero fed a pass from the left circle to Jason Robertson, who was set up on the right post. Robertson lifted the puck into the net for his 25th goal of the season.

Milwaukee tied the game. Daniel Carr, who missed the previous four games with an injury, sent a pass from the left circle to the right. Matt Donovan flipped it back to the front of the net and Cole Schneider listed the puck into the net for his 17th goal of the season at 15:45 of the first frame. Donovan and Carr earned the assists.

Texas scored a pair in the second period to take a 3-1 lead to the intermission. Defenseman Reece Scarlett skated along the goal line from the right corner and backhanded the puck into the net at 6:21 to give the Stars a 2-1 edge. With 7.8 seconds remaining in the second frame, Josh Melnick’s shot from the right circle went off the crossbar and into the goal for Texas’ second power-play marker of the night and a 3-1 Stars lead.

Joel L’Esperance added an empty-netter at 18:35 to seal the win for Texas.

The Admirals conclude the five-game road trip Sun., Mar. 8 at San Antonio. Milwaukee returns home to host San Antonio at UWM Panther Arena Wed., Mar. 11.