CLEVELAND, Oh. - The Cleveland Monsters used a strong second period and outlasted the Milwaukee Admirals in a 6-5 win on Saturday, April 4, at Rocket Arena.
Game recap
What we know:
The loss spoiled an impressive game by the two newest Admirals players. Forward Aiden Fink, playing his second pro game, recorded four assists. Defenseman Viggo Gustafsson, in his first pro game, scored a goal and added an assist.
Cleveland scored the first goal of the game during a 4-on-3 power play. Luca Marrelli’s one-timer from the left circle found the back of the net at 5:30 of the first period to give the Monsters a 1-0 lead.
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Milwaukee tied the game with a power play goal of its own at 13:50. After whacks at the net front from Isaac Ratcliffe and Fink, Cole O’Hara put the third chance into the goal for his team-leading 17th goal of the campaign. Fink earned his first professional assist in the play.
The Admirals took the lead at 15:31 of the first period. Defenseman Jordan Oesterle sailed a backhander from the middle of the blue line toward the net. Oasiz Wiesblatt tipped the puck past Cleveland’s goalie for his 13th goal of the year. Oesterle and Fink assisted.
Cleveland tied the game at 2-2 when Riley Bezeau scored at 16:34.
Admirals scared off by Cleveland Monsters, lose 6-3
James Malatesta scored two goals to lead the Cleveland Monsters to a 6-3 win over the Admirals Friday, April 3 at Rocket Arena.
Milwaukee’s Gustafsson, in his first American Hockey League game, gave the Admirals a 3-2 lead at 19:54 if the first period with a slap shot from the right point. The goal was the first for the 2024 Third-Round Draft Pick, who is 19 years, 6 months and 22 days old.
Cleveland scored three goals in the second period to take a 5-3 lead into the second intermission. Mikael Pyyhtia scored at 9:50 and again at 13:10. Hudson Fasching scored a goal at 16:06.
Shawn Element brought the Ads within a goal at 13:52 of the third period. Receiving a pass from Fink, Element moved to the slot and backhanded the puck through the legs of Cleveland’s net minder.
Cleveland outshot the Admirals in the second period 16-5. The Monsters outshot the Ads in the game 36-24.
Milwaukee was able to pull within one at 2:52 of the third period when Jake Lucchini tipped an Oesterle shot into the net for his 16th goal of the season. However, just :26 later, Fasching scored from the blue line to give Cleveland a 6-4 lead.
Oesterle is now enjoying a seven-game points streak.
What's next:
The Admirals will play the fourth game of the five-game road trip at Manitoba on Tuesday, April 7.
Milwaukee returns to UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena on Saturday, April 11 to host Chicago.
The Source: The Milwaukee Admirals sent FOX6 a press release.