The Milwaukee Admirals fell 3-2 in overtime against the Chicago Wolves at the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena on Wednesday night.

This contest really had a little bit of everything you would hope out of a rivalry game. Unfortunately the Admirals could only take the lone point on the evening. Jake Walmann would net the game-winning goal in overtime to get the Wolves point streak up to eight-games.

“Overall, I thought it was a great hockey game,” said Milwaukee Admirals head coach Dean Evason after the game. “It had a lot in it. Good pace for coming off of Christmas break. Execution was good. It was a fun hockey game. They get the last shot but we’re very happy with our effort for sure.”

The Admirals would get on the board before a highly energetic and entertaining first period could come to an end. The forecheck was grinding down the Wolves and a puck that kicked back to Fred Allard on the right point would swiftly be snapped to the net where Bobby Butler would cradle a backhander around Maxime Lagacé for his twelfth goal of the season.

Tomas Hyka would equalize for the Wolves just past the midway point in this game. The Czech native entered the zone and moved right down the slot before putting a wrist shot on target that appeared to fool Anders Lindbäck in net. Hyka’s seventh goal of the season made it a 1-1 game.

“Didn’t like our second period at all,” smirked Evason. “We got hemmed in our zone. Didn’t do the right things in that period to get our changes correctly and consequently we took a lot of energy out of ourselves because of it.”

With 3:17 remaining in regulation the Wolves would take the lead for the first time in this contest. T.J. Tynan made a crafty feed as he looped around the net to provide Brandon Pirri a chance to hit a one-timer from the slot. The shot beat Lindbäck over the glove for his tenth goal of the season.

That Wolves lead lasted only fifteen seconds. Cody Bass knifed a point shot by Pierre-Cédric Labrie out of the air and it snapped down to beat Lagacé to quickly make it a 2-2 game on Bass’ first goal of the season.

“It was a good answer by our line,” said Bass. “When they score a late goal like that it just becomes pure desperation. It doesn’t matter if it was our line or another line. Whatever line went out there on that face-off after the goal I think you’re in desperate mode and it showed.”

Tonight’s game would require overtime. Sadly, the Admirals were caught with tired bodies on the ice in transition which setup for a hammer shot to be taken by Jake Walmann that smoked past Lindbäck for the game-winning goal tonight in overtime. The tally for Walmann goes down as his second of the season.

The Amtrak Rivalry continues this Friday at the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena. That will be followed with a game on New Year’s Eve against the Grand Rapids Griffins at the Van Andel Arena.

“I think our game was good. I think [the Wolves] game was good,” said Bass of matching up with Chicago again on Friday. “I give them credit too. I think overall it was a good hockey game. I think it’s just a matter of we need to put together sixty-minutes not forty-minutes.”

Ramblings: Since the Milwaukee Admirals played in Cleveland on Saturday there were no roster moves made within the organization. Tonight’s line combinations and defensive pairings were: Butler-Smith-Moy, Zolnierczyk-Zengerle-Army, Richard-Pettersson-Gaudreau, Labrie-Kirkland-Bass, Murphy-Granberg, Oligny-Allard, O’Brien-Carrier. Tonight’s scratches: Jack Dougherty (undisclosed), Tyler Kelleher (undisclosed), Joonas Lyytinen (healthy), Trevor Mingoia (healthy), and Yakov Trenin (surgery).

What is your reaction to tonight’s game? Was this still a positive performance for the Milwaukee Admirals? What cost the Admirals the full haul of points tonight?

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