RECAP: Hogs Split Season Series with Admirals after 6-3 Loss

Game Recap Presented by IBEW

MILWAUKEE—The Rockford IceHogs couldn’t complete a comeback despite bringing the deficit within one goal three times and fell 6-3 to the Milwaukee Admirals on Saturday night at UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena. Jaxson Stauber suffered his first loss since January 26 and his 14-game unbeaten streak ended. Michal Teply posted two goals for the Hogs in his first multi-goal effort of the season.

The Admirals controlled the pace of play in the first period, taking a 2-0 lead and outshooting the IceHogs 15-7. Egor Afanasyev scored first for Milwaukee after tapping a shot from the left circle that deflected in off Jaxson Stauber’s leg to snag an early 1-0 lead (4:50).

Totaling 42 penalty minutes, the division rivals combined for 10 penalties halfway through the hard-hitting introductory frame.

Extending their lead to 2-0 before the first intermission, Fedor Svechkov caught Joakim Kemell’s centering pass from behind the net and blasted a one-timer from the low slot past Stauber’s gloveside (18:42).

Former Rockford forward Carson Gicewicz was charged with goaltender interference only 16 seconds into the second frame, and the IceHogs went on the power play. With just two seconds remaining on the man advantage, Milwaukee netminder Yaroslav Askarov made a pad save to deny Colton Dach’s shot from the left circle, and Michal Teply netted the loose puck from the low slot to cut the Admirals’ lead to 2-1 (2:13).

Milwaukee scored again to make it 3-1 after Jordan Gross tallied a wrist shot from the top of the right circle that deflected behind Stauber after he made a blocker save (7:58).

Teply scored his second goal of the night to bring the Admirals’ lead to 3-2 after he was cross-checked in the crease into Askarov, and Isaak Phillips’ shot from the right circle bounced off of a sprawled Teply into the net (16:41). After the play was reviewed for goaltender interference, it was ruled a goal and confirmed the 3-2 score at the end of the second period.

The Ads stretched their lead to 4-2 to start the final frame when Reid Schaefer swiped the rebound from Marc Del Gaizo’s shot behind Stauber from the right edge of the crease (2:50).

Cutting the score back to a 1-goal game just over two minutes later, Phillips buried a wrister from the left circle over the shoulder of Askarov to make it 4-3 (4:54).

Pulling ahead 5-3, Kevin Wall tipped in Jordan Gross’ shot from the high slot from the low slot (12:50).

The IceHogs pulled Stauber at 18:22 in favor of the extra man, but Afanasyev tallied his second goal of the contest with an empty-netter to seal the Admirals' 6-3 win (19:54).

Stauber lost his first game since January 26 after marking 31 saves on 36 Milwaukee shots, and Askarov bagged the win after saving 20 of 23 Rockford attempts.

Save 30% on all seats, excluding premium seating areas, for the IceHogs' central division semi-final game against the Grand Rapids Griffins on Saturday, April 27 at the BMO Center.

The IceHogs and Griffins will clash on April 27 at 7 p.m., presented by BMO, in what will either be Game One or Game Two of the best-of-five series, depending on how the teams finish in the final weekend of the regular season ending this Sunday.

The Flash Sale will be in effect through Monday, April 22 at 11:59 p.m. and will be the lowest price offered for IceHogs single game playoff tickets this postseason.

Tune In LIVE on the IceHogs Broadcast Network Presented by BMO
Watch and listen to every game this season on the IceHogs Broadcast Network presented by BMO! Listen from your favorite device, at home, or on the road at IceHogs.com and on the IceHogs app and watch LIVE on AHLTV and selected games in High Definition on 19.2 The365! Fans can also tune in on all of Mid-West Family’s local stations including 104.9 The X, B103, 95.3 The Bull, and Rockford Greatest Hits 100.5 and featured on Rock River Current, the Stateline’s premiere source for local events, news and culture.