Joakim Kemell recorded a two-point game and goalie Yaroslav Askarov stopped 43 shots to lead the Milwaukee Admirals to a 3-2 win over the Laval Rocket at Place Bell.
Milwaukee was outshot by the Rocket 45-24 in the game and 34-11 in the final two frames. The Admirals have won four straight games and are tied for first in the Central Division with the Texas Stars. Both teams have 79 points.
Milwaukee struck first with a power play goal at 5:47 of the first period. Zach Sanford sent a pass from the left face-off dot to the bottom of the right circle and John Leonard one-timed it into the goal for his 13th goal off the season and his fifth on the power play. Sanford and Roland McKeown recorded the assists.
Laval tied the score at 1-1 when former Ads forward Gabriel Bourque buried a loose puck that rolled from a collision in front of Askarov. It was scored at 12:29 of the first frame.
Laval recorded the first 11 shots in the second period. Although they came very close on several occasions to taking the lead, the Admirals were able to keep the puck out of their goal. Late in the second frame, the Admirals grabbed a 2-1 lead. Kemell stole a puck at neutral and evaded a defender while moving into the slot. He dished a backhanded pass to Anthony Angello, who went from his forehand to backhand to lift the puck into the goal at 18:46. It was Angello’s third goal with the Admirals and his ninth in the American Hockey League this season.
Kemell scored after a failed 5-on-3 power play for the Admirals in the third period. The puck was stuck between the circles in the Laval zone and Kemell snapped it high into the goal for his second marker of the season at 9:05.
Laval got one back with a power play goal of its own at 10:58 of the third period when Pierrick Dube snapped a shot from the left circle into the goal to make it 3-2. The Rocket pulled goalie Cayden Primeau with 2:00 remaining but couldn’t get the equalizer.
The Admirals continue a five-game roadtrip Sat., Mar. 25 at Belleville. The Admirals return home Sat., Apr. 1 to play host to Laval at UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena.
