Road-weary team folds at end

Penalty kills, too, prove tiring

The Milwaukee Admirals could survive for only so long.

After having to stop five power plays by Chicago in the second period, as well as two additional breakaways, it finally caught up to the Admirals when they allowed three third-period goals — including one on a breakaway — in a 5-2 loss to the Wolves on Saturday night at the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena.

“For sure, it did,” Admirals coach Dean Evason said. “We go through those kills and then had absolutely nothing in the third period. It takes a lot out of you.”

After a four-game, nine-day road trip ended with a 3-1 loss at Grand Rapids on Friday, Milwaukee returned home at 2 a.m. for its first contest since Nov. 26 only to have its seven-game point streak at the Arena come to an end. The Central Division-leading Admirals are also here Monday before embarking on another four-game trip, and they could use the day off Sunday.

“We’ve had a lot of hockey,” Evason said. “Even though you have days off in between our games, you’re still out on the road. It’s not an excuse, it’s reality. We were out there a long time. We had flights, buses, whatever, it doesn’t sound like it’s that hard, but it’s taxing on your body and likely mentally as well.

“We’ll get some rest and have lots of energy to be ready to go Monday.”

Chicago took its first lead of the night, 3-2, on a goal by Vince Dunn with 15 minutes 11 seconds left in the game. He fired a shot from the top of the left circle that sailed over the glove of reserve goalie Jonas Gunnarsson. He scored again with 8:50 remaining to help snap the Wolves’ seven-game winless streak in Milwaukee.

Chicago’s final goal came from Kenny Agostino as he skated free for a one-on-one with the rookie goalie, and he slid the puck between his legs with 4:32 to go. It was Gunnarsson’s fourth start and second in the last 10 games.

In the first period, each team scored twice and Milwaukee recorded a season-high 20 shots.

Admiral Justin Florek scored 4:32 into the contest, as rookie Justin Kirkland assisted on the play to pick up his first point of the year.

Chicago’s first goal came from Chris Butler as a result of a Milwaukee turnover behind its own net, but it took the Admirals just 1:27 to regain a 2-1 lead compliments of Trevor Smith’s score.

But the Wolves tied it with only 1:19 left in the period on a power-play goal from Ivan Barbashev that snapped the Admirals’ 12-for-12 streak on the penalty kill over the previous three games.

Milwaukee’s special teams quickly returned to form in the second period, as the Admirals not only had to stop five power plays by Chicago, but also held the Wolves to just 11 shots in the frame.

“(Gunnarsson) kept us in the hockey game,” Evason said. “It’s hard to continually kill penalties. … We had to do a lot of it. It wore on the entire group, and then we didn’t have a lot in the third period to finish the job.”