Rockford, IL— David Gust scored the game-winning goal to lead the IceHogs to a 4-3 win over the Admirals Sunday at BMO Center.
Rockford went 2-7 open the power play against Milwaukee while the Ads finished 0-3.
The game was the first-ever American Hockey League start, and appearance, for Milwaukee goalie Gustavs Davis Grigals. He is just the seventh goalie to appear in a game for the Admirals since Karl Taylor became the team’s head coach in thew 2018-19 season. The others are Yaroslav Askarov, Devin Cooley, Parker Gahagen, Troy Grosenick, Connor Ingram and Tom McCollum.
Milwaukee’s Denis Gurianov deflected a Jordan Gross shot for his 12th goal of the season at 14:40 of the third frame to tie the score 3-3, but the IceHogs scored :18 later when Gust had a mini-breakaway. Gust’s shot from the right circle slid through the legs of Grigals.
It was the first game in the season series that wasn’t decided in overtime or a shootout. The Admirals are now 3-1-1-0 against the IceHogs while Rockford’s record against Milwaukee is 2-0-2-1.
The IceHogs scored a 5-on-3 power play goal for the only tally in the first period. Brett Seney was alone in the slot, received a pass and shot the puck past Grigals for his eighth goal of the season at 5:20 of the first frame.
The Admirals tied the game at 1:44 of the second period. Fedor Svechkov scooted around the IceHogs goal and backhanded a pass to Anthony Angello near the goalie’s crease. Angello buried the shot for his third goal of the season. Svechkov and Kevin Wall earned assists.
The IceHogs reclaimed the advantage ten minutes after Angello’s goal. Rockford defenseman Ethan Del Mastro scored his fourth goal of the season with a shot from the right circle at 11:46 of the second period.
Milwaukee tied the game 2-2 at 15:35 of the second period. Marc Del Gaizo skated the puck around the IceHogs goal to the right corner. From beyond the goal line, Del Gaizo threw the puck toward the net and it bounced off goalie Mitchell Weeks into the cage for a goal. It was Del Gaizo’s fourth marker of the season.
Rockford grabbed the lead again with another power play goal at 18:34 of the second stanza. Wyatt Kaiser’s pass from the left point was deflected by Mike Hardman into the goal. It was scored on the IceHogs sixth power play attempt in the contest.
Grigals stopped 22 shots in his AHL debut.
Milwaukee returns home to host the Colorado Eagles Fri., Jan. 5 at UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena.
