MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin – Forward Max Reinhart scored one goal in each period to pace the Milwaukee Admirals to a 4-1 victory over the Chicago Wolves on Friday night in an Amtrak Rivalry clash at the Bradley Center.
Forward Zach O’Brien scored late in the second period for the Wolves (24-25-3-2) to cut Milwaukee’s lead to 2-1, but the Admirals answered twice early in the third to regain a share of the Central Division lead.
Milwaukee (33-17-3-0) opened the scoring on Reinhart’s blast at 16:13 of the first period. Defenseman Scooter Vaughan poke-checked the puck away from Admirals forward Colton Sissons, but it settled near the top of the left circle for Reinhart to rush in and rocket a slap shot off the crossbar and into the net.
Reinhart gave the Admirals a 2-0 lead with a breakaway goal 6:08 into the second. Max Gortz’ stretch pass hit Reinhart in stride at the blue line as he broke past a Wolves defenseman. Goaltender Jordan Binnington extended his left leg to stop the initial backhand try, but Reinhart recovered to tap home the rebound.
O’Brien cut the margin to 2-1 at 18:26 of the second with some nifty stickhandling. Vaughan chipped the puck into the offensive zone for O’Brien, who deked past a defenseman and goaltender Marek Mazanec before stuffing the puck into the empty net.
Frederick Gaudreau moved Milwaukee’s lead to 3-1 at 5:34 of the third as he capitalized on a Wolves turnover in front of the net and slid the puck through a tiny space between the left post and Binnington’s left skate.
Reinhart capped his hat trick at 7:59 of the third as he whacked home a rebound on the power play.
Mazanec (16-11-3) finished with 29 saves while Binnington (11-12-3) rejected 37 shots.
The Wolves host Milwaukee at 7 p.m. Saturday for another Amtrak Rivalry game at Allstate Arena. To find the best ticket specials, visit ChicagoWolves.com or call 1-800-THE-WOLVES.
ADMIRALS 4, WOLVES 1
Chicago 0 1 0 — 1
Milwaukee 1 1 2 — 4
First Period—1, Milwaukee, Reinhart 13 (Sissons), 16:13. Penalties—Aberg, Milwaukee (hooking), 4:50.
Second Period—2, Milwaukee, Reinhart 14 (Gortz, Noonan), 6:08; 3, Chicago, O’Brien 7 (Vaughan), 18:26. Penalties—Vaughan, Chicago (hooking), 1:08; Payerl, Milwaukee (goaltender interference), 8:10.
Third Period—4, Milwaukee, Gaudreau 13 (unassisted), 5:34; 5, Milwaukee, Reinhart 15 (Hodgson, Aronson), 7:59 pp. Penalties—Doty, Chicago (cross-checking), 7:29; Doty, Chicago (fighting), 10:45; Bass, Milwaukee (fighting), 10:45; Murphy, Milwaukee (interference), 12:11; Caron, Chicago (roughing), 12:11; Nightingale, Chicago (fighting), 19:20; Payerl, Milwaukee (fighting), 19:20.
Shots on goal—Chicago 7-12-11—30; Milwaukee 12-14-15—41. Power plays—Chicago 0-2; Manitoba 1-2. Goalies—Chicago, Binnington (37-41); Milwaukee, Mazanec (29-30). Referee—Ryan Hersey. Linesmen—Ryan Daisy and Ian McCambridge.
