MILWAUKEE -- Pontus Aberg scored two goals and added an assist to lead the Milwaukee Admirals to a 5-2 win over the Manitoba Moose Wednesday night, April 6th at the MTS Centre.
The win extended Milwaukee’s points streak to ten games (8-0-0-2). Milwaukee’s magic number to clinch first place in the Central Division in six points. The victory was Milwaukee’s 45th of the season, the most for the team since recording 49 in the 2008-09 season.
Goalie Marek Mazanec was sharp for the Ads in stopping 27 shots for his career-high 19th win of the season.
Aberg has posted 13 points over the Admirals ten-game points streak. He has points in six straight games for Milwaukee.
Despite an early shots advantage for Milwaukee in the first period it was Manitoba which took a 1-0 lead at 14:19 of the first period. Andrew MacWilliam’s shot from the right point went through traffic and found the back of the net for his first goal of the season.
The Ads tied the game at 2:36 of the second period with a power play goal by Vladislav Kamenev. Pontus Aberg skated the puck around the Moose goal then, from the left circle, fed a pass to Kamenev for a one-timer from the right circle. The goal was Kamenev’s 14th of the season and eighth on the power play. Aberg and Felix Girard recorded the assists.
Milwaukee claimed the lead at 15:27 of the second period thanks to Girard’s fifth goal of the season. Max Gortz shot the puck from the right circle as the Ads rushed into the offensive zone. Moose goalie Eric Comrie made a right pad save but Girard dragged the rebound into the net for his fifth goal of the season. Gortz and Matt White notched the assists.
Aberg scored his 21st goal of the season at 18:34 of the second period. He received a long outlet pass from defenseman Corey Potter, split the defenders and fired a shot from the right circle over the left glove of Comrie.
The Moose moved within one when Darren Kramer scored his seventh goal of the season at 11:48 of the third period, but the Admirals reclaimed the two-goal advantage when Jamie Devane scored his sixth goal of the season assisted by Joe Pendenza and Potter.
Aberg closed the scoring with a power play goal at 14:43 of the third period as he deked Comrie on the left goalpost, skated to the goal line and tucked the puck into the net for his team-leading 22nd goal of the season. Kamenev and Frederick Gaudreau recorded the assists.
Milwaukee continues a four-game road trip at Charlotte Saturday night. The Admirals return home to host Chicago Tues., Apr. 12 at the BMO Harris Bradley Center.