Springfield, CT– Grigori Denisenko scored a goal and an assist to lead the Milwaukee Admirals to a 4-1 win over the Springfield Thunderbirds Friday at MassMutual Center.

Milwaukee took a 1-0 lead at 4:01 of the first period. Ozzy Wiesblatt chipped the puck to the left corner in the Thunderbirds zone, where it was grabbed by Milwaukee’s Denisenko. Denisenko carried the puck around the net and wrapped a backhanded shot into the goal for his first marker with the Admirals. It was his 11th goal in the American Hockey League this season.

The Thunderbirds tied the game with a power play marker at 12:22 of the second frame. Standing in front of the goal, Springfield’s Nikita Alexandrov deflected a Matthew Peca shot into the net for his 18th goal of the season.

The Admirals reclaimed the lead at 15:12 of the second period. Anders Bjork’s pressure forced a turnover with the puck coming to the slot for Kevin Wall. Wall’s shot went wide of the goal, but Ondrej Pavel sent a backhander from the right of the goalmouth that banked into the net off Springfield goalie Colten Ellis. The goal was Pavel’s seventh of the campaign.

Milwaukee scored an insurance goal at 4:05 of the third period when Mark Friedman scored his first as an Admiral. Denisenko lead a 2-on-1 with Ozzy Wiesblatt on the right wing. Friedman jumped into the play as a trailer in the slot and converted Denisenko’s pass for his second AHL goal of the season.

Joakim Kemell added an empty-net goal at 18:55 of the third period with assists to Ryan Ufko and Chase De Leo. It was Kemell’s 14th goal of the season.

Admirals goalie Matt Murray stopped 23 shots to earn his 21st win of the season.

Milwaukee visits Hartford Sat., Mar. 22. The Admirals return to UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena Tues., Mar. 25 to host Manitoba.