Admirals snap losing streak with 5-4 win over Houston

Houston, TX— The Milwaukee Admirals snapped a two-game losing streak with a 5-4 overtime win at Houston Sunday night.

Houston was down a man heading into overtime because Chad Rau was in the penalty box for a delay of game penalty. On the power play, Chris Mueller fed a pass to Mattias Ekholm at the point. Ekholm made his way into the slot and ripped a slapshot over the glove of goalie Matt Hackett. The game winner was scored at :51 of overtime. Mueller and Taylor Beck notched assists on the winner.

The goal made Magnus Hellberg a winner in his North American debut. Hellberg stopped 16 shots, although it didn’t start the way Hellberg would want it to. The Aeros scored on the first two shots Hellberg faced.

Houston scored first at 2:32 when Mikael Granlund fed Chay Genoway in the slot. Genoway’s shot went over the glove of Hellberg and into the net. Just 31 seconds later, Kris Foucault received a carom off the end wall and flipped a shot over the glove of Milwaukee’s netminder.

The Admirals finally got on the board with 20 seconds left in the first period. On a two-man advantage, defenseman Jon Blum shot the puck from the left point. The puck deflected through the slot to Taylor Beck who was camped at the right post. Beck, who just moments before had been thwarted on a similar play, tapped the puck into the net for his first goal of the season. Chris Mueller also picked up an assist on the play.

The Admirals tied the game at 17:54 of the second period. Scott Valentine pushed the puck in front of the Houston goal. Admirals forward Austin Watson camped in front and was able to keep the puck alive in the midst of three defenders. He tapped it loose to the left post where Mark Van Guilder slid it into the net for his first goal of the season.

The third period saw a flurry of goals near the halfway mark of the frame. The Aeros took the lead when Jonas Brodin slapped a shot from the right point past Hellberg’s glove at 10:28.

Just 57 seconds later Mueller’s second goal of the season knotted the game for the Admirals. Mueller received a pass from Michael Latta and put a shot on goal from the left circle. The rebound was kicked back to Mueller who buried a backhander into the cage. Latta and Beck recorded the assists.

Kevin Henderson scored his first goal of the season just 54 seconds after Mueller to give Milwaukee its first lead of the game. Milwaukee’s Watson made the play by forcing a turnover by Aeros forward Charlie Coyle in the right circle. Watson fed a quick pass to Henderson in the slot and he nailed it for the lead.

The Aeros were able to force overtime with a Nick Palmeiri goal with only 58 seconds remaining in the game. Rau committed his penalty 25 seconds later, which led to the winning power play.

The Admirals continue a four-game road trip Wednesday night in Cedar Park against the Texas Stars. Their next home contest will be on October 31st against the Charlotte Checkers.