ROSEMONT, Ill. - Joakim Kemell scored three goals and added two assists to lead the Milwaukee Admirals to a 5-1 road win over the Chicago Wolves on Saturday.
The Admirals have won six straight games and are 3-0 against the Wolves this season. Milwaukee (6-1-0-0) is in first place in the Central Division.
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Kemell is already the third Admirals player to post a four-point (or better) game this season – in just seven games. Cal O’Reilly had four points at Chicago Oct. 12, and Vinnie Hinostroza had four points at Rockford on Oct. 18.
It was the most points for an Admirals player in a road game since Trevor Murphy posted six points at Bakersfield on Feb. 5, 2016.
The Admirals needed strong goaltending from Matt Murray right from the get-go, and he provided it. Murray thwarted several point-blank Wolves chances to keep Chicago off the board, particularly early in the first frame. Murray finished with 11 saves in the opening frame, and 32 in the game. Then, the Admirals got the offense going.
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Milwaukee’s first goal came at 9:17 of the first period. Kieffer Bellows received a pass from Kemell, carried to the left circle and snapped a shot through the legs of Wolves goalie Yaniv Perets for his second goal of the year. Kemell and Adam Wilsby earned the assists.
Kemell scored his first of the game at 10:56 of the first stanza. Luke Prokop held the zone at the right point and fed a pass to Kemell in the slot. Kemell whipped a shot past Perets for his second goal of the campaign.
Kemell scored again at 19:18 of the first when he converted a 2-on-1 break off a feed from Navrin Mutter. Mutter’s pass from the left face-off dot was tapped in from the front of the goal by Kemell for his third tally of the season.
Chicago got on the board at 12:54 of the second period when Joakim Ryan scooped a loose puck in the left circle and blasted a shot past Murray for his first of the season.
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The Ads, however, reclaimed the three-goal cushion just :34 later. Fedor Svechkov entered the offensive zone, held off a defender, and fed a pass to Bellows. Bellows snapped a shot through the legs of Perets for his second goal of the contest and third goal of the season at 13:28. Kemell was also awarded an assist on the marker, his fourth point of the game.
Kemell completed the hat trick with a slap shot from the left circle at 10:14 of the third period. Milwaukee had a two-man advantage. Vinnie Hinostroza and Bellows earned the assists.
Milwaukee finished with 20 shots on goal.
The Admirals will play the next two games on the road, at Manitoba, on Nov. 1 and 2. Milwaukee hosts Chicago on Saturday, Nov. 9.