GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Vinnie Hinostroza scored a natural hat trick and added an assist to lead the Milwaukee Admirals to a 6-1 win over the Grand Rapids Griffins on Friday at Van Andel Arena.
It was Milwaukee’s first victory over the Griffins this season (1-2-0-1).
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The Admirals scored the first goal of the game with a power-play marker at 10:36 of the first period. Ryan Ufko held the line at the right point. He then slid a pass along the right wing boards to Hinostroza. Hinostroza lobbed a pass through the slot to the left circle for Kieffer Bellows. With Ozzy Wiesblatt screening Griffins goalie Ville Husso, Bellows ripped a wrist shot into the net for his team-leading 10th goal of the season. It was the first time in five games the Admirals scored first.
The Admirals added two more goals in the second period to extend the lead to 3-0. First, while killing a penalty, Wiesblatt forced a turnover at the left point by a Griffins player and raced to the goal on a breakaway. He lifted the puck over the glove of Husso for his fifth goal of the season at 5:41. It was Wiesblatt’s first career shorthanded goal.
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Milwaukee’s Hinostroza made it 3-0 at 11:51. He skated into the zone from the left wing and took a shot. It came back to him, and he slid the puck into the slot. Nobody was able to grab it, so Hinostroza circled the net and tapped it in himself. It was Hinostroza’s ninth goal of the season.
Hinostroza scored his second goal of the game at :26 of the third frame. Hinostroza, standing near the crease, tapped in a Bellows pass for his 10th goal of the campaign. Fedor Svechkov also garnered an assist.
Hinostroza completed his natural hat trick at 6:56 of the third when he scored on the power play. Bellows and Ufko assisted. It was Hinostroza’s third power-play goal of the year.
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Jake Lucchini made it 6-0 for the Admirals when he fired a shot from the right circle while rushing into the offensive zone. The puck clanged off the left post and into the net at 7:54 of the third. It was Lucchini’s sixth goal of the year. Assists went to Marc Del Gaizo and goalie Matt Murray. It was Murray’s first career point.
Murray finished with 15 saves on 16 shots to earn the victory. The Griffins' lone goal was scored on the power play at 13:05 of the third period by Joe Snively.
Milwaukee returns home on Saturday, Dec. 21, to host Texas.