Admirals overpower IceHogs.

Six players notch goals

With one game remaining, the only thing left in the regular season is to find out Milwaukee’s playoff opponent.

Too bad it can’t be Rockford.

The third-place Admirals once again beat the IceHogs, 6-2, Friday in front of 5,349 people at the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena to finish with eight wins in 12 games in the teams’ season series.

“We’re going to talk and likely will rest a few people,” Milwaukee coach Dean Evason said. “What we want to do is play the same way every night. We’ve talked about this a lot. No matter where we are, what the situation is, what time, we play the same way when the puck is dropped and whoever is in our lineup.”

Six different players scored for Milwaukee on Friday, highlighted by defenseman Samuel Girard’s first goal — and point — in his fifth game with the Admirals.

Nashville’s 2016 second-round draft pick, playing in front of the Predators’ general manager and assistant GM because they had an off-day in their first-round playoff series in Chicago, gave Milwaukee a 3-0 lead when he scored with 17 minutes 43 seconds left in the second period.

“They were in the locker room before the game, so it was fun to score in front of them,” Girard said. “It’s a great feeling to score your first goal as a pro.”

Girard had a team-high 66 assists in 59 games for Shawinigan of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League this season before he was assigned to Milwaukee, and he was actually trying to pass the puck from the left crease to teammate Anthony Richard in front of the net when it bounced in off the left skate of Rockford’s Nolan Valleau.

“It was like a lucky goal, but it was a goal, so I’m happy,” Girard said.

Another key goal in the game came with Milwaukee leading, 4-2, and Rockford on a power-play late in the second.

Admiral Adam Pardy skated into his offensive zone, received a pass from Justin Florek and immediately fired a shot from the high slot past the right leg of goalie Mac Carruth for a short-handed goal with 3:12 to go.

Trevor Smith’s goal, on a rebound, was the only score of the final period.

“It wasn’t that easy,” Evason said. “They kept pushing when we got up a couple. They played hard.”

Agreement extended: Before the game, Milwaukee and Nashville announced they extended their affiliation agreement through 2021-’22.

The Admirals have been the Predators’ affiliate since their NHL inception in 1998 and 175 players have skated in at least one game for both teams during that time.