Goalie Yaroslav Askarov stopped 38 shots to lead the Milwaukee Admirals to a 4-3, 15-round shootout win over the Rockford IceHogs at BMO Center.
The 15-round shootout is Milwaukee’s longest since losing in 15 rounds at Quad Cities Mar. 8, 2009.
Phil Tomasino, Milwaukee’s second shooter in the shootout scored. After Rockford’s fifth shooter in sudden death scored, the Ads Kiefer Sherwood tallied. Neither team scored another until the 15th round when Milwaukee defenseman Keaton Thompson, playing his 300th professional game, headed to center ice for his first career shootout attempt. Thompson scored to give Milwaukee its third straight win.
Askarov turned aside seven shots in the overtime session, and 13 of 15 in the shootout to earn his 17th win of the season.
Rockford defenseman Isaak Phillips scored just :38 into the contest to give the home team a 1-0 advantage. It was the fastest an Admirals opponent had scored a goal from the start of a game this season.
Milwaukee tied the game with a power play goal at 4:08 of the first period. Cole Schneider camped near the IceHogs crease and directed a Phil Tomasino pass into the net for his 18th goal of the season. It was his sixth power play goal. It was also the 76th goal scored by Schneider as a member off the Admirals, tying him for fourth on the Admirals All-Time AHL goals list with Pontus Aberg.
The IceHogs reclaimed the lead with a power play goal of its own at 8:23. Camped in the slot, Cole Guttman redirected a Michal Teply pass into the net for his 16th marker of the year.
Milwaukee tied the score early in the second with another power play tally. Jordan Gross’ wrist shot from the right circle was ripped over the glove of Rockford’s goalie for Gross’ sixth goal of the season. It was his second power play goal. Sherwood and Luke Evangelista recorded the assists.
The IceHogs grabbed a 3-2 lead at 5:21 of the second period when Mike Hartman deflected a shot from the slot into the goal for his fourth of the season.
The Admirals evened the score 3-3 with a 4-on-4 goal at 13:48 of the second frame. Evangelista’s pass from the right point ricocheted off John Leonard, who was driving to the front of the goal. Leonard’s goal was his tenth of the season.
The Admirals travel to Chicago Wed., Feb. 15 to face the Wolves. The team returns to Milwaukee Sat., Feb. 18 for a home game against the Texas Stars at UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena.
