Admirals fall to Stars, Central Division Finals tied 1-1

article

(Courtesy: Milwaukee Admirals)

MILWAUKEE - Roland McKeown scored a pair of third period goals to tie the score for the Milwaukee Admirals, but Texas got a late power-play marker as they won 5-3 to even the best-of-five Central Division Finals at a game apiece.

Marc Del Gaizo scored a goal and added an assist for Milwaukee, who saw a three-game winning streak ended with the loss.

Just like in Game 1, the Stars got on the board first when Curtis McKenzie score 7:23 into the game. They would increase that lead to 2-0 just 18 seconds into the second period when Alex Petrovic’s shot from the right point made it through traffic and rang off the post and in for his first of the playoffs.

The Admirals potent power-play struck again to make it a 2-1 contest on Del Gaizo’s second of the postseason. With Milwaukee working the puck around on the power-play, Zach Sanford had the puck at the top of the right circle and dished it back to Del Gaizo, whose quick shot from the point beat a screen.

Texas pushed their lead back to two on a shorthanded tally by Oskar Beck at 9:13 of the third when he found the rebound of a 2-on-1 and held the puck just long enough to tuck it past the outstretched leg of Yaroslav Askarov.

McKeown picked up his first of the game with 5:32 to go on a backdoor pass from Luke Evangelista and then just 69 seconds later his seeing-eye shot flew over Murray’s shoulder and tied the game at three.

SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News

Unfortunately for the Admirals, a high-sticking penalty at 17:23 put the Stars on the power-play, and they scored just seven seconds later on a goal from Mavrik Bourque, and then sealed it with an empty netter by Rhett Gardner with 26 seconds to play in the game.

The remainder of the series now shifts to the HEB Center in Cedar Park, Texas beginning Wednesday, May 17 at 7 p.m. for Game 3. Game four will be Friday, May 19, and, if necessary, Game 5 is Sunday May 21.