Defenseman Zac Leslie scored with 1:47 to go to help the Wolves overcome the Milwaukee Admirals 4-3 Friday night at UWM Panther Arena. The win pushes Chicago’s run to six consecutive wins, the longest active streak in the American Hockey League.
Captain Paul Thompson collected his second two-goal game of the season while center Wade Megan accounted for Chicago’s fourth goal. Goaltender Oscar Dansk (7-0-1) made 30 saves en route to his seventh consecutive victory.
The Wolves (33-18-6-2) opened the scoring at 11:38 of the first period when Leslie set up the breakout behind the Chicago net. He sent an outlet pass to Megan, who zipped through the neutral zone and into the Milwaukee end. Megan whistled a low shot past Troy Grosenick (7-10-4) on the stick side for the 1-0 lead.
At 12:23 of the middle frame, the Wolves extended their lead to 2-0. Out of the penalty box — serving his first infraction in nine games — Thompson joined the rush into the Milwaukee zone. Forward Tobias Lindberg carried the puck into the right offensive corner and fired it at Scooter Vaughan streaking up the slot. Vaughan carried the puck to the top of the crease and zipped it over to Thompson camped on the left net side. He one-timed it for Chicago’s second tally.
In the third period, Milwaukee (30-25-4-1) wasted no time and cut Chicago’s lead to 2-1 just 1:02 into the frame. Frederick Gaudreau fed Anthony Richard for the Admirals’ first goal of the game.
It did not take the Wolves long to answer as forward Ryan Wagner — the Park Ridge native making his pro debut — skated unchallenged up the left wing into the Milwaukee end. He centered a pass that Thompson was there to tip for his second of the night just 1:46 after the Admirals’ goal.
Milwaukee climbed back with a goal, 3-2, when Harry Zolnierczyk capitalized on a Wolves defensive-zone turnover and wired a shot past Dansk at 8:48.
With just 5:26 to play in regulation, the Admirals rushed up ice. From the right wing, Gaudreau snuck a shot between Dansk and the near-side post for the 3-3 equalizing goal.
Petter Granberg committed a boarding infraction with 3:03 to play and sent the Wolves to the power play. On the man advantage, Teemu Pulkkinen fended off a pair of Admirals players along the right-side boards to get the puck to Leslie in the same-side circle. Leslie dipped around a couple bodies into the slot and zipped a shot past Grosenick to put Chicago up 4-3 with 1:47 to play.
Grosenick stopped 24 shots in the loss.
The Wolves return home to Allstate Arena for the first time since Feb. 27 on Saturday, March 10, when they host the Central Division-leading Manitoba Moose on American Girl Night. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m., and the game will be televised on CW50.
