MILWAUKEE 5, CHICAGO 4 (OT)
Milwaukee coughed up a 4-1 lead in regulation but bounced back to take a 5-4 overtime over Chicago on Friday, sending the teams’ West Division semifinal to a winner-take-all Game 7.
The Wolves will host the decisive Game 7 on Monday night at Allstate Arena, with a date against Texas in the West Division Finals on the line.
Ryan Maki netted the game-winning goal for the Admirals at 4:22 of overtime, with assists going to Triston Grant and Ben Guite.
Milwaukee took early command of this one, as Guite and Marty Murray scored in the opening period to make it a 2-0 contest, but Chicago’s Johnny Pohl cut the deficit to 2-1 before the period was out.
The Admirals bounced back to take a commanding 4-1 lead in the second frame on goals by Chris Mueller and Teemu Laakso, his first of the playoffs.
Chicago forward Joey Crabb cut into Milwaukee’s edge with 5:42 gone in the second period, and the Wolves then struck twice on the power play in the third period to tie it. Jason Krog scored at 9:51, and Pohl followed with his second of the night at the 13-minute mark.
It remained a 4-4 game until Maki’s heroics early in the overtime period, which allowed the Admirals to force a winner-take-all contest after falling into a 3-1 series hole.
Grant and Ryan Thang each posted two assists for Milwaukee, and goaltender Mark Dekanich made 27 saves between the pipes.
