Chicago, IL–The Admirals ended the regular season with a 5-1 loss to the Chicago Wolves Sunday at Allstate Arena.
It was the final regular season game of the 2025-26 season. The Admirals finished with a 32-33-4-3 record. It’s the first time the team has had a winning percentage under .500 since 2001-02, its first season in the American Hockey League. Still, the team qualified for the Calder Cup Playoffs.
After Chicago had built a 4-0 lead, MIlwaukee’s Isaac Ratcliffe scored his ninth goal of the season at 15:40 of the second. Tanner Molnedyk and Jake Lucchini assisted on the tally, which was the Admirals first goal in 183:47. The previous longest period without a goal this season was 161:23, a four-game stretch between Jan. 16 and Jan. 23. Coincidentally, Ratcliffe had scored the previous goal at 11:53 of the second frame against Iowa on Apr. 12.
Chicago scored a pair of goals in the first period. The first was scored after a face-off win. Ronan Seeley’s shot from the point found the back of the net at 7:29.
The Wolves made it 2-0 when Nikita Pavlychev scored at 17:00 of the first frame.
Chicago took a 3-0 lead at 9:33 of the second period when Justin Robidas scored on a breakaway.
Bradly Nadeau scored in the crease at 12:32 of the second period to give Chicago a 4-0 lead.
After Ratcliffe’s goal put Milwaukee on the board, Wolves forward Noah Philp scored his eighth goal of the season at 19:30 of the second period. That goal came during a stretch of 4-on-4 play.
Milwaukee, which finished fifth in the AHL’s Central Division, will travel to Winnipeg to begin a Best-of-Three Calder Cup Playoffs Series against the Manitoba Moose. Game One is scheduled for Wed., April. 22 at Canada Life Centre.
