Moose let loose late, swipe Game 2 from Admirals

Photo: Jonathan Kozub

Cole Maier scored with 52.2 seconds left in regulation to tie the game and Jansen Harkins buried the game-winner 1:32 into overtime, giving Manitoba a crucial 3-2 victory over Milwaukee in Game 2 of their Central Division semifinal in Winnipeg on Sunday.

With the final three games of the best-of-five scheduled to be played in Milwaukee, the Moose tied the series at 1-1. Game 3 is set for Wednesday evening.

Manitoba had pulled goaltender Oskari Salminen for an extra attacker when Maier collected a rebound off the end wall and beat Yaroslav Askarov from the bottom of the right-wing circle to tie the game at 2-2.

On the winning goal, Declan Chisholm’s shot was kicked out by Askarov but Harkins put home the rebound for his second goal of the series.

Kiefer Sherwood and Luke Evangelista had a goal and an assist each for Milwaukee, while Jordan Gross recorded two assists on the heels of his three-point performance in Game 1.

Salminen (1-0) stopped 30 of 32 shots to pick up the win in net for the Moose. Askarov (1-1) made 31 saves for the Admirals.

Central Division Semifinals (best-of-5)
C2-Milwaukee Admirals vs. C3-Manitoba Moose
Game 1 – Fri., Apr. 28 – Milwaukee 6, MANITOBA 2 | Recap
Game 2 – Sun., Apr. 30 – MANITOBA 3, Milwaukee 2 (OT)
Game 3 – Wed., May 3 – Manitoba at Milwaukee, 8:00
Game 4 – Fri., May 5 – Manitoba at Milwaukee, 8:00
*Game 5 – Sat., May 6 – Manitoba at Milwaukee, 7:00
*if necessary… All times Eastern