Admirals beat Moose in Manitoba, Milwaukee's 7th consecutive win
WINNIPEG, Manitoba - Reid Schaefer scored a pair of goals and Matt Murray stopped 30 shots to lead the Milwaukee Admirals to a 4-2 win over the Manitoba Moose on Friday at Canada Life Centre.
The first-place Admirals have won seven straight games after a season-opening loss at Grand Rapids. Milwaukee improved to 5-1-0-0 on the road this year, 7-1-0-0 overall.
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Murray finished the night with 30 saves to improve to 5-0-0 on the season for the Admirals.
The Admirals' special teams were a huge factor in the game. Milwaukee scored a season high three power play goals on four attempts. Manitoba was 0-4, but did score a shorthanded goal.
Leading 2-1 in the second period, Manitoba tied the game with a shorthanded breakaway goal at 12:40 of the second period. Axel Jonsson-Fjallby tipped a puck at the Moose blue line past an Admirals attacker and scored shorthanded.
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The Admirals reclaimed the lead on the ensuing faceoff. Manitoba defenseman Ashton Sautner misplayed the puck at the middle of the Moose blue line. Schaefer shielded the puck with his body and lifted a backhander into the net for his second goal of the game, and his first career power play marker, at 12:45 of the second. It proved to be the game-winner.
Defenseman Nick Blankenburg ripped a shot into the net for another power play goal at 6:56 of the third period to close the scoring. Vinnie Hinostroza and Kieffer Bellows picked up the assists. It was Blankenburg’s third goal of the season.
Milwaukee took a 1-0 lead at 7:05 of the first period. Hinostroza skated the puck to the right circle in Manitoba’s zone. He stumbled a bit, but regained his footing and fed a pass to the left circle. Schaefer caught the pass and ripped a shot into the goal for his fifth tally of the season. Hinostroza and Jake Lucchini picked up the assists.
Milwaukee then found some penalty trouble in the first period. However, the Admirals were able to kill three Manitoba power plays.
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Milwaukee had its first power play late in the first frame and scored at 19:50. Fedor Svechkov, with his back to the goal, slid a pass to Kieffer Bellows in the left circle. Bellows was able to find the back of the net before the Moose goalie could get into position. The goal was Bellows fourth of the season and first win the power play. Svechkov and Hinostroza were awarded helpers.
Manitoba got on the scoreboard at 2:57 of the second frame. Dawson Barteaux’s shot from the right point went off an Admirals defender and bounced off the end wall. Chaz Lucius quickly tapped the puck to the slot and Nikita Chibrikov scored his third goal of the season to cut the Ads lead to 2-1.
Hinostroza finished with three assists and leads the American Hockey League with 14 points (4-10-14).
The Admirals will play again at Manitoba on Nov. 2. Milwaukee hosts Chicago Saturday, Nov. 9 at UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena.