Admirals edge Rockford in OT as Oesterle scores 7 seconds in
MILWAUKEE - Jordan Oesterle needed just seven seconds in overtime to lift the Milwaukee Admirals to a 2-1 win over the Rockford IceHogs on Wednesday night at Panther Arena.
With the victory, Milwaukee moved eight points clear of both Rockford and the Iowa Wild for the final playoff spot in the division. The Admirals now have 53 points with 17 games remaining in the regular season.
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The game was tied 1-1 after regulation when Cole O’Hara won a tied-up faceoff and pushed the puck to Oesterle. The pair rushed into the Rockford zone on a 2-on-1. Oesterle held the puck long enough to freeze IceHogs goalie Olivier Rodrigue before firing a shot over his shoulder for the game-winner.
Oesterle’s goal was his sixth of the season and extended his recent strong stretch to 11 points over his last 11 games.
Matt Murray was solid in net for Milwaukee, stopping 28 shots, including all 12 he faced in the third period, to earn his 15th win of the season.
The Admirals opened the scoring at the 8:41 mark of the first period. Tanner Molendyk sent a pass from the left point to Kalan Lind at the left post. Rodrigue stopped Lind’s initial shot, but the rebound came back to him and he slipped a backhand five-hole into the net for his second goal of the season.
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Milwaukee now heads out on a four-game road trip beginning Friday night at 6 p.m. against league-leading Grand Rapids. The Admirals return home on Saturday, March 21 at 6 p.m. to face the Griffins.
The Source: The Milwaukee Admirals provided information in this report.