Admirals win fifth straight in game against Checkers, 4-3

CHARLOTTE -- Goalie Juuse Saros stopped 29 shots to help lead the Milwaukee Admirals to a 4-3 win over the Charlotte Checkers Friday night.

The win was Milwaukee’s fifth straight. The Admirals have points in six consecutive games and sit in fourth place in the Central Division with a .625 winning percentage.

Saros was a busy netminder in the third period, stopping 14 of 15 shots. He was able to get away unscathed with a scramble in front of his net in the final seven seconds.

Admirals forward Max Reinhart scored the game-winner at 4:55 of the third period. Milwaukee’s Cody Bass sent the puck hard off the end boards behind Charlotte goalie Drew MacIntyre. Reinhart raced to pick up the puck after the carom in the left circle and unloaded a slapshot into the net for his fourth goal of the season. Bass was awarded the lone assist.

The game was a see-saw affair as the teams exchanged goals after the first period.

The Checkers grabbed a 1-0 lead at 7:24 of the first period. The Admirals had difficulty breaking out of the defensive zone. Charlotte forward Derek Ryan was able to slide the puck to the right point for Mike Cornell. Cornell sent a shot through traffic which found the back of the net for his first goal of the season.

Milwaukee tied the game at 15:38 of the first period. Felix Girard absorbed a big hit at center ice as he passed the puck to Eric Robinson on the right wing. Robinson shot the puck on goal as he crossed the blue line and MacIntyre had trouble with it. As the puck dropped to the ice, Ads forward Jamie Devane was able to tap the puck past the goalie for his second goal of the season. Robinson and Girard notched the helpers.

Defenseman Trevor Murphy scored his third goal of the season at 11:49 of the second period to give the Admirals a 2-1 lead. Ads forward Stevie Moses put a shot on goal from the blue line. MacIntyre made a right pad save, but Murphy crashed to the net and potted the rebound for the tally. Moses and Reinhart were awarded the assists.

Charlotte tied the score on another shot from Cornell from the point. With heavy traffic in front of Saros, Cornell scored his second of the game with a wrister at 16:15 of the second period.

The Admirals reclaimed the lead less than two minutes later. While the Checkers were going on a line change, Murphy controlled the puck behind the Admirals net. He spied Viktor Arvidsson at the Charlotte blue line.

Murphy’s pass was received and Arvidsson went in on a breakaway. His initial shot was stopped but the rebound found his stick and her buried that one. Arvidsson’s third of the season, scored at 18:10 of the second period, was assisted, solely, by Murphy.

Charlotte tied the game once more after David Wohlberg won a faceoff and sent the puck to Justin Shugg in the slot. Shugg’s shot found the back of the net for his second goal of the season at 2:33 of the third period.
Both teams finished with 32 shots on goal.

The Admirals visit Charlotte again Saturday. Milwaukee’s next home game is Wednesday, Nov. 18 against Chicago.