Wolves fall 4-3 in shootout

The Chicago Wolves held a lead late in the third period but gave up the equalizer and then the extra point in the shootout as the Milwaukee Admirals skated away with a 4-3 Amtrak Rivalry victory Saturday night at the Allstate Arena.

Forwards Jordan Schroeder and Zack Kassian and defenseman Brad Hunt lit the lamp in regulation for Chicago, which dropped its fifth decision in its last six outings.

“Two nights in a row we have given up a goal the shift after we score,” Wolves coach Scott Arniel said. “I guess these are some lessons we are going to have to learn the hard way.”

After battling for 65 minutes of regulation and overtime, the Admirals grabbed the extra point in the shootout. Center Austin Watson and defenseman Jonathon Blum scored in the shootout for Milwaukee, while Kassian scored the only shootout goal for Chicago.

Chicago (8-6-2-1) opened scoring while on the power play 5:47 into the game. Kassian held the puck at the near side of the net and saucered a pass through the crease, where Hunt streaked in and hammered home a one-timer past Admirals netminder Magnus Hellberg.

Milwaukee (7-8-1-1) answered 2:18 later when right wing Juuso Puustinen scooped up a rebound in the slot and his shot was tipped by Watson past Wolves goaltender Eddie Lack at 8:05.

The Admirals grabbed a 2-1 lead 1:21 into the second period when right wing Daniel Bang pulled and dragged around a Wolves defender and snapped a wrister from the far circle under Lack’s arm.

The Wolves knotted the score at 2-2 when Schroeder converted a 3-on-2 rush by accepting an Andrew Gordon pass and firing a shot under the glove of Hellberg at 8:56 of the middle period.

Chicago grabbed a brief 3-2 lead when right wing Darren Haydar batted a puck out of midair that deflected off the pads of Hellberg and dropped down to the crease, where Kassian banged it home.

Hellberg (3-0-0) stopped 30 shots in regulation and overtime and five of six attempts in the shootout.

Watson tied the score for Milwaukee just 46 seconds later with his second goal of the night. Defenseman Ryan Ellis’ shot from the point got through traffic, and Watson tipped it from the slot past Lack.

Lack (7-4-1) kicked out 29 of 32 shots in regulation and overtime and four of six attempts in the shootout.

The Wolves resume the Illinois Lottery Cup rivalry with the Rockford IceHogs on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Allstate Arena.