Austin, TX–The Admirals scored three third-period goals to post a come-from-behind 4-3 win over the Texas Stars Saturday at H-E-B Center.
The win, coupled with Grand Rapids loss at Rockford Saturday decreased the Admirals magic number to clinch the Central Division to five points.
The victory was also the 200th victory with the Admirals for head coach Karl Taylor. He’s just the third coach tho reach the milestone with the team, joining Phil Wittliff and Dean Evason.
The Admirals scored the game-winning goal at 16:42 of the third period. The play started in the Admirals defensive zone when Wade Allison tipped an attempted Texas pass away from the intended receiver. Tye Felhaber snagged the puck and took off with Allison on a 2-on-1. Felhaber carried the puck to the right circle in the Stars zone then snapped a shot into the net for his ninth goal of the season. It turned out to be his third game-winning goal of the year.
Milwaukee outshot Texas 37-21. Admirals goalie Yaroslav Askarov stopped 18 shots for his 26th win of the season.
Milwaukee trailed 3-1 after two periods before finally getting the puck into the goal three times in a span of 4:22 in the third frame. Juuso Parssinen brought the Admirals within a goal with a backhander from the front of the net after a scramble in front to Stars goalie Remi Poirier. Parssinen’s sixth goal, scored at 12:20 of the third, was assisted by Ryan Ufko and Marc Del Gaizo.
Jasper Weatherby tied the score with a shot from the bottom of the right circle at 13:03 of the third period. Defenseman Jake Livingstone looked off defenders from the right point and slid a pass for a blast from Weatherby into the net. It was Weatherby’s 12th goal of the season. Livingstone and Adam Wilsby had the assists.
Texas, which boasts the league’s top power play, scored with the man advantage at 3:07 of the first period. Matej Blumel’s shot from the right circle went over the left arm of Admirals goalie Askarov to give Texas a 1-0 lead.
Milwaukee tied the game at 12:02 of the first period. During a stretch of 4-on-4 play, defenseman Wilsby blasted a shot from the slot past Stars goalie Remi Poirier for his seventh marker of the season. Reid Schaefer and Ufko recorded the assists. It was Ufko’s first professional point.
The Stars scored twice in the second period to take a 3-1 lead into the second intermission. Alex Petrovic scored his fifth of the season from the lefty circle at 6:22 to make the score 2-1. Then, Kyle McDonald scored his 14th of the season as he finished a rush with Nick Caamano at 19:34 of the second frame.
Milwaukee and Texas meet for the final time in the regular season Sun., Apr. 7. The Admirals return to UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena Fri., Apr. 12 to host the Chicago Wolves.