ROSEMONT, Ill. – In a game that at times resembled pinball, the Chicago Wolves took Game One of the West Division Semi Finals, 6-5, against their long-time rivals, the Milwaukee Admirals. Chicago head coach Don Lever summed up the game this way, “This is probably the most goals of a weird tendency that I have seen in a long time. We got two fluky ones and I know they got two or three the same way where the puck just seemed to be bouncing and staying around the areas. Overall I liked the way we competed, obviously we give up too many goals but our power play worked. We competed, to me that the most important thing to me, we played 60 minutes.”
The Admirals shot themselves in the foot early, taking four penalties in the first eight minutes of the game. Chicago right wing Anthony Stewart started off the scoring. On the first power play of the game, Matt Anderson popped the puck out from behind the net, between the defender’s legs, right to Stewart, who squeezed the puck in. A minute later, the Wolves had a great opportunity with a two-man advantage for almost a minute and 15 seconds, but the Admirals withstood the challenge.
Six minutes and three seconds in, with Milwaukee’s Andreas Thuresson in for already the second time in the game, Chicago scored. Defenseman Nathan Oystrick, who just returned after playing three games with the Anaheim Ducks, fired a shot from the far dot which rebounded to right wing Joey Crabb, who was at the near circle who had a big fat open net to put the Wolves up by two.
Captain Jason Krog finished the three-goal run for the Wolves when he hooked the puck in the air and curved it in after getting his own rebound. Milwaukee then struck with two goals of their own to finish off the period. At 16:46, Milwaukee’s leading scorer Mike Santorelli got to the back of the net off a bad deflection by Chicago. Right wing Ryan Maki closed the scoring for the period to bring the Admirals within one. For the period, Chicago recorded 13 shots before Milwaukee even got on the board.
During the middle frame, the teams played evenly, each scoring a goal. Chicago defenseman Arturs Kulda was able to rip a shot through traffic to get the puck through Mark Dekanich. Milwaukee’s Jonathan Blum was able to get one passed a screened Peter Mannino at the halfway point of the game.
Chicago dominated the first half of the third period. Twenty-eight seconds in, the puck was loose with a mad battle for control in front of Dekanich. Two Milwaukee players rushed for the puck with one flat on the ice. Crabb scored his second as he swung and connected with the puck, and contact was made with the defender’s stick, causing the puck to pop into the air and go over and behind Dekanict. Kevin Doell topped off the scoring for the Wolves, converting a backhand pass from Spencer Machacek from behind the net to him.
Milwaukee then made a desperate charge. Santorelli scored his second of the game with just over five minutes left. With a minute and twenty-one left, Ben Guite brought his team within one goal, converting with a cluster of players around the net. But Mannino saved 23 of the 28 shots he faced, pacing Chicago to victory. His counterpart Dekanich 29 on 35.
Three Stars were: Mark Santorelli (Milwaukee), Third Star with two goals; Matt Anderson (Chicago) with three assists; and Joey Crabb (Chicago) with two goals.
West Division Semifinal – Series “G” (best-of-7) W1-Chicago Wolves vs. W4-Milwaukee Admirals Game 1 – Wed., Apr. 14 – Milwaukee 5 at Chicago 6 Game 2 – Fri., Apr. 16 – Milwaukee at Chicago, 7:30 Game 3 – Sat., Apr. 17 – Chicago at Milwaukee, 7:00 Game 4 – Mon., Apr. 19 – Chicago at Milwaukee, 7:00 *Game 5 – Wed., Apr. 21 – Milwaukee at Chicago, 7:00 *Game 6 – TBA – Chicago at Milwaukee, 7:00 *Game 7 – Mon., Apr. 26 – Milwaukee at Chicago, 7:00
Chicago Wolves leads series 1-0
Contact Matt.Chin@prohockeynews.com
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