Admirals fall to Rockford IceHogs 3-2 in OT on the road

ROCKFORD -- Pierre-Cedric Labrie scored two goals to lead the Rockford IceHogs to a 3-2 overtime win over the Milwaukee Admirals Sunday afternoon, January 3rd.

Labrie scored the game-winner at 1:08 of the overtime session, converting a rebound of a Ville Pokka shot that hit the goalpost. Pokka had stolen the puck from Admirals defenseman Conor Allen at the Rockford blueline and took off on a breakaway.

The loss was Milwaukee’s first in four games at Rockford this season. The Admirals fell to 5-2-1-0 against the IceHogs this season.

Admirals goalie Marek Mazanec was sharp in net as he stopped 34 shots for Milwaukee.

The IceHogs owned play for the first ten minutes of the game, outshooting Milwaukee 9-0 until the Admirals finally recorded its first shot on goal with 9:57 remaining in the first period. Rockford scored the first goal soon thereafter when Vinnie Hinostroza, standing in the slot, deflected a shot from the left point through the legs of Mazanec at 10:40 of the first period.

Milwaukee tied the game at 17:43 of the first period. With both teams having a man in the penalty box, Admirals forward Adam Payerl chased Rockford defenseman Cameron Schilling around the IceHogs goal. As Schilling moved in front of the IceHogs net, Payerl stole the puck, spun and fired a shot over the right shoulder of Rockford goalie Michael Leighton. The goal, Payerl’s sixth, was assisted by Matt White.

IceHogs forward Labrie gave his team a 2-1 lead with a power play goal on another deflection at 8:18 of the second period.

The Admirals tied the game with a penalty shot at 15:52 of the second period. Rockford defenseman Nolan Valleau misplayed a puck at the Admirals blue line and Matt White took off on a breakaway. He was slashed from behind by a Rockford defender and the referees awarded White a penalty shot. White’s shot from between the circles beat Leighton to the glove side for his fourth goal of the season.

It was the first successful penalty shot for the Admirals since Chris Mueller did it in overtime against Lake Erie on January 19, 2012. The Ads had missed their previous six attempts.

Milwaukee returns home Tuesday, January 5 to host the Lake Erie Monsters at the BMO Harris Bradley Center.