The Milwaukee Admirals lost 2-1 against the Chicago Wolves Saturday night at the Allstate Arena.

It wasn’t the dominate performance like the Admirals were able to lay down yesterday but much credit can be given to both defenses and especially both goaltenders. Jordan Binnington stopped 26/27 shots on goal for the Wolves while Marek Mazanec stopped 30/32. The difference in this game came down to a firestorm put up by the Wolves in the top of the third period which ended in a first career AHL goal for Justin Crandall.

This game was always going to unfold differently in the opening period than what was seen on the ice last night. The game was tighter defensively from both sides and the Wolves managed to force the better of the scoring chances in the first period by outshooting the Admirals 12-4.

Another thing that was evident this game would have happen is a carry-over from last night’s third period fisticuffs. Jamie Devane paired up with Nick Petrecki and uncorked the Wolves defenseman with several unanswered punches. In fact, I’m not even sure Petrecki ever threw or landed a punch in the exchange. He did skate away bloodied up. So that gives Devane a 10-8 decision in my fight card.

The Admirals would find the game’s first goal just fourteen seconds into the second period. Almost directly off of the draw to start the sandwich stanza the Admirals were in a sprint through the neutral zone and into Jordan Binnington’s goal mouth to score. The Max-to-Max connection ended with Max Reinhart dishing off to Colton Sissons in front of the net to score his eighth goal of the season. At just fourteen seconds, that goal was the fastest scored by the Admirals to start any period this season.

If the Admirals captain could do it – so to could the Wolves skipper. Pat Cannone hit a slap shot that clipped the stick of Garrett Noonan upon the release of the shot which changed the angle the puck took en route to the net. As Marek Mazanec was getting his glove up the puck ever so slightly dipped down to throw off the Admirals goaltender and give Cannone his first career 20 goal season as a professional hockey player.

At the end of the second period Emerson Clark took exception to a no-call for high sticking and took matters into his own hands by fighting Jimmy Oligny in neutral ice. Clark landed far more of the strikes thrown and gets the 10-9 decision from me on my fight card.

The Wolves took their first lead of the weekend after Justin Crandall scored his first career AHL goal in only his second career AHL game. The Wolves were really forcing the issue in the third period and, following a power-play off a Kevin Fiala high sticking minor, forced the Admirals to burn a timeout after relentless attacking shifts forced an icing. That spilled into the goal for Crandall where he scored short-side glove-side of Mazanec with a backhanded shot down the left wing to give the Wolves a 2-1 lead.

With 1:30 remaining in regulation Mazanec made his way to the bench to bring on the extra attacker for the Admirals. There was a solid push with firm control in attack for the Admirals with the extra attacker on but some big stops from Binnington helped close off the 2-1 win for the Wolves in regulation.

Ramblings: Since the Milwaukee Admirals played last night there was no roster moves within the organization. This was the last game for the Admirals before the NHL Trade Deadline which takes place on Monday. Tonight’s line combinations were: Reinhart-Sissons-Görtz, Fiala-Gaudreau-Bass, White-Kamenev-Åberg, Devane-Girard-Payerl, Oligny-Elliott, Noonan-Aronson, Näkyvä –Murphy. Tonight’s scratches were: Cody Hodgson (undisclosed injury), Patrick Mullen (right-hand laceration), and Johan Alm (lower-body injury).

What are you reactions to this follow-up performance from the Milwaukee Admirals? Is it simply a credit to the Wolves doing enough early and late or were the Wolves able to get the better of a tired all-around effort on the ice? Do you think anyone on the Admirals suited up for their last game with the organization tonight with the NHL Trade Deadline coming on Monday?

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