Admirals push point streak to 11 with win

CHARLOTTE, NC -- Stefan Elliott and Adam Payerl each scored two goals to lead the Milwaukee Admirals to a 6-3 win over the Charlotte Checkers Saturday night at the Bojangles Coliseum.

The win was Milwaukee’s fifth in a row and extended the team’s points streak to 11 games (9-0-0-2).

Charlotte got on the board at 5:24 of the first period. Keegan Lowe’s shot from the left point hit his own man, Brody Sutter, in the slot. Sutter turned and fired a shot past the right shoulder of Juuse Saros for his 12th goal of the season.

The Ads tied the game at 10:50 of the first period. Stefan Elliott skated out of the Admirals zone through the Checkers defense all the way to the bottom of the right circle where he shot the puck into the net for his seventh goal of the season. The lone assist went to Jack Dougherty, who made his professional debut in the game.

The teams combined for six goals on 12 shots in the second period. Charlotte grabbed a 2-1 lead at 2:03 of the second frame when Sutter’s shot from the left circle bounced off an Admirals defender into the net for his second goal of the game.

Elliott tied the score for the Ads with a shorthanded goal at 6:40 of the second period. He intercepted a clearing attempt at the Checkers blue line and skated to the bottom of the left circle where he lifted a backhander high over the right shoulder of Checkers netminder John Muse for his second goal of the game, eighth goal of the season and first shorthanded goal. Matt White was awarded an assist.

Milwaukee’s Adam Payerl gave his team its first lead of the game as he completed a 2-on-1 passing play with Joe Pendenza for his 12th goal of the season at 8:10 of the second period. After that goal, the Checkers switched goalies exchanging Daniel Altshuller for Muse who stopped 11 of 14 shots.

Charlotte tied the score on Justin Shugg’s 11th goal of the season at 9:57 of the period. Shugg received a pass in the left circle and sent a shot past the glove of Saros.

Milwaukee reclaimed the lead at 13:41 of the frame when Max Gortz lifted the puck out of Milwaukee’s zone into the Checkers left corner. Felix Girard chased it down and slid a backhanded pass to the front of the net to a wide-open White for the deflection. It was White’s 11th goal of the year.

The Admirals continued the team’s fine work on the power play with a goal at 16:12 of the second from Kevin Fiala. Fiala fired a slapshot from the right circle for his 18th goal of the season, fifth on the power play. Patrick Mullen and Gortz notched the helpers. It was the Admirals fifth power play goal in eight attempts over the last three games.

Payerl scored his second goal of the game at 9:05 of the third period with a shot that went parallel along the goal line from the left corner. Vladislav Kamenev stickhandled toward the net around two defenders then lost the puck atop the crease. The puck slid to Payerl and he fired it into the net for his 13th goal of the season.

Saros stopped 20 shots to earn his 27th win of the season. He is 12-1 in his last 13 decisions.

Milwaukee concludes its four-game road trip at Charlotte Sunday morning. The Admirals return home to host Chicago Tues., Apr. 12 at the BMO Harris Bradley Center.