Admirals beat Moose in Manitoba, Milwaukee’s seventh straight win

WINNIPEG, Manitoba – Reed Schaefer scored a pair of goals and Matt Murray stopped 30 shots to lead the Milwaukee Admirals to a 4-2 victory over the Manitoba Moose on Friday at the Canada Life Centre.

The first-place Admirals have won seven straight games after an early-season loss in Grand Rapids. This year, Milwaukee improved to 5-1-0-0 on the road and 7-1-0-0 overall.

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Murray finished the night with 30 saves and improved to 5-0-0 on the season for the Admirals.

The Admirals’ special teams played a huge role in the game. Milwaukee scored a season-high three power play goals on four attempts. Manitoba led 0–4 but scored short-handed.

Leading 2-1 in the second period, Manitoba tied the game with a breakaway goal at 12:40 of the second period. Axel Jonsson-Fjallby flicked the puck past the Admiral forward to the Moose blue line and scored short-handed.

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In the ensuing faceoff, the Admirals regained the lead. Manitoba defenseman Ashton Sautner misplayed the puck at the center of the Moose blue line. Schaefer shielded the puck with his body and sent a backhand shot into the net for his second goal of the game and his first career power play marker at 12:45 of the second. He turned out to be the winner of the game.

Defenseman Nick Blankenburg fired a shot into the net for another power-play goal at 6:56 of the third period to close the scoring. Vinny Hinostroza and Kieffer Bellows had assists. It was Blankenburg’s third goal of the season.

Milwaukee led 1-0 at 7:05 of the first period. Hinostroza sent the puck into the right circle of the Manitoba zone. He stumbled a little, but got to his feet and passed the ball into the left circle. Schaefer caught the pass and fired a shot on goal for his fifth of the season. Hinostrosa and Jake Lucchini had assists.

Then Milwaukee found itself in penalty trouble in the first period. However, the Admirals managed to disrupt three Manitoba power plays.

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Milwaukee had its first power play late in the first frame and scored at 7:50 p.m. Fedor Svechkov, with his back to the goal, made a pass to Kieffer Bellows in the left circle. Bellows managed to find the back of the net before goalkeeper Musa took position. Bellows’ goal was a fourth of the season and his first power play win. Svechkov and Hinostroza were awarded assistants.

Manitoba got on the scoreboard at 2:57 of the second frame. Dawson Barto’s shot from the right point went past an Admiral defender and bounced off the end wall. Chaz Lucius quickly put the puck in the slot and Nikita Chibrikov scored his third goal of the season to cut the Eds’ lead to 2-1.

Hinostroza finished with three assists and leads the American Hockey League with 14 points (4-10-14).

The Admirals will play again in Manitoba on November 2nd. Milwaukee will host Chicago on Saturday, November 9 at UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena.