Admirals downed by the IceHogs, 3-2

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WITI) -- Goalie Jeremy Smith stopped 22 shots to help the Milwaukee Admirals snap a two-game losing streak and defeat the Rockford IceHogs 3-2 Saturday.

Smith snapped a personal four-game losing streak in picking up his 16th win of the season.

Brad Winchester’s third goal of the season gave Milwaukee a 1-0 lead at 7:57 of the first period as he used his long reach to tuck a puck past the left leg of IceHogs goalie Henrik Karlsson. The play was started when Chris Mueller pokechecked a puck from a Rockford forward between the IceHogs circles to a wide-open Winchester.

Winchester helped Milwaukee claim a 2-0 lead at 14:03 of the first period. Facing the endboards, Winchester fed a no-look backhand pass into the slot for Daniel Bang to slap under the right leg of Karlsson. It was Bang’s fifth goal of the season and was assisted by Winchester and Austin Watson.

The Admirals outshot Rockford 14-6 in the first period and 27-24 in the game.

The Admirals claimed a 3-0 lead with a Patrick Cehlin wrister from the bottom of the right circle that went over the left shoulder of Karlsson. Cehlin, who now has goals in back-to-back games, scored his eighth of the season with assists awarded to Mattias Ekholm and Mike Moore.

The IceHogs got on the board with a Kyle Beach goal at 16:08 of the second period.

Rockford got within one when Martin St. Pierre fired a pass from the right corner to the left circle for a Jimmy Hayes one-time shot and goal at 13:24 of the third period.

The Admirals return to the BMO Harris Bradley Center Sunday for a 3pm tilt against Grand Rapids.