Wolves fall 4-1 to Admirals

MILWAUKEE - The Chicago Wolves surrendered a power-play hat trick to the Milwaukee Admirals' Austin Watson as they fell 4-1 on Saturday night in an Amtrak Rivalry game at the Bradley Center.

Center Christian Hanson scored short-handed for the Wolves' goal, which was the team's second short-handed goal in as many games. Goaltender Matt Climie (9-10-2) made 20 saves in the loss.

After a scoreless first period, the Admirals (37-23-6-7) made quick work of a power play in the middle period to open the scoring at 8:50. Thirteen seconds into the man advantage, right wing Patrick Cehlin sent a cross-crease pass down low to center Watson to finish off the play and take a 1-0 lead.

Both the Wolves (41-21-5-5) and the Admirals scored on a Chicago boarding penalty late in the second period to keep the score close.

Hanson briefly tied the game with a short-handed marker after accepting a pass from forward Nathan Longpre for an odd-man rush. Less than a minute later, Watson buried his second of the game with the man advantage to retake the lead for Milwaukee at 16:17.

Watson completed his hat trick before the period ended as he gave Milwaukee a 2-goal edge at 18:44 with another power-play goal. Watson knocked down a clearing attempt that stayed in the zone, tracked it down, and beat a sprawling Climie.

The Admirals expanded their lead in the third period as left wing Miikka Salomaki scored the first even-strength goal of the night to make it 4-1. The rookie picked up a loose puck and fired a quick wrester inside the post at 11:46.

Goaltender Marek Mazanec (17-10-3) kicked out 28 of 29 shots for the Admirals.

The Wolves close out a three-in-three by hosting Rockford at 3 p.m. Sunday in an Illinois Lottery Cup game at the Allstate Arena.