HOUSTON -- Goalie Atte Engren stopped 24 shots to lead the Milwaukee Admirals over the Houston Aeros Sunday afternoon at the Toyota Center in Houston, TX, 2-1.
The win snapped a five-game losing streak for the Admirals.
Engren made his first appearance since Jan. 8th, a span of ten games. Among his 24 saves was a stop on a penalty shot at 12:19 of the second period by Houston’s leading scorer Jon DiSalvatore.
After a scoreless first period, Milwaukee got on the board early in the second. Defenseman Jon Blum pinched from the right point to hold the offensive zone. Blum knocked Houston forward Joel Broda to the ice. Blake Geoffrion took the puck and skated to the slot where he fired a wristshot past Aeros goalie Matt Hackett for his second goal of the season and second in as many games. Blum recorded the lone assist on the goal scored at 1:40 of the second period.
The Admirals took a 2-0 lead with a power play goal at 8:22 of the second. With Zack Stortini chasing, Houston defenseman Drew Bagnall attempted to clear the puck from the left corner around his net. Admirals forward Kyle Wilson knocked the pass down and wrapped the puck inside the right post for his 11th goal of the season, sixth on the power play. Like Geoffrion, Wilson has also scored in back-to-back games.
The Aeros cut the deficit in half when Kris Foucault tracked down the puck on the right wing boards in Milwaukee’s zone and found Jeff Taffe in front of the net for a backhand goal at 6:47 of the third period.
Milwaukee visits the Texas Stars Tuesday night. The team returns to the Bradley Center Friday, Feb. 10 when the team hosts Charlotte at 7 pm.