The Admirals scored the first two goals of the game, but Texas got the final five as the Ads dropped a 5-2 decision to the Stars on Saturday night at Panther Arena.
The loss by Milwaukee, coupled with a 5-2 win by Cleveland, kept their magic number to clinch a playoff spot at three.
The Admirals got on the board just over five minutes into the game on a power-play goal from Pontus Aberg, who snapped a wrister from the right circle for his 29th goal of the season and 14th on the power-play.
Later in the first Trevor Murphy pushed the Ads lead to two at with 5:59 to go opening frame. Anthony carried the puck into the Texas zone, through traffic and when the defense collapsed on him he found and uncovered Murphy in the slot for the tally.
However, the Stars would get the next three beginning with a shorthanded tally by Denis Gurianov at the 13:49 mark of the second. Brandon DeFazio tied the score at two exactly 90 seconds later with his 21st marker of the campaign.
Texas grabbed the lead just over six minutes into the third on a slap shot from the right circle by Nick Ebert that beat Marek Mazanec over his shoulder for a 3-2 advantage.
The Stars picked up empty net goals from Travis Morin and DeFazio completed the scoring and sealed the win for Texas.
The same two teams will get back at it tomorrow afternoon at Panther Arena at 3 pm. It’s the Admirals annual charity game, where tickets are as slow as $5 and $3 from all tickets sold will be donated to Children's Hospital of Wisconsin.