AHL Milwaukee Admirals

Admirals Defeat Griffins 3-2 in OT

October 31, 2008 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Milwaukee Admirals News Release


Milwaukee, WI-Milwaukee Admirals defenseman Robert Dietrich scored his first professional goal in overtime to help the Admirals to a 3-2 OT win against the Grand Rapids Griffins Friday night at the Bradley Center.

The first period would be an uneventful one, as only one goal was scored. It didn't take long for the Griffins to get on the board when just 44 seconds into the game Landon Wilson would capture his third goal of the season. It was Ville Leino who coasted into the zone and fired a low wrister from the right-wing hash mark, which was blocked by netminder Drew MacIntyre. The rebound popped out to a goal-hungry Wilson who quickly deked to his backhand and slid it under Mac's blocker.

The second period would have a different beginning starting with the Admirals finding the back of the net at 5:19 of the frame. Veteran defenseman Alexander Sulzer blasted a slap-shot from the blue line causing a rebound to deflect right out to rookie right-winger Stephen Werner. With no hesitation Werner ripped a snap shot that blew right past goaltender Jimmy Howard before he knew the shot was taken. It was Werner's first goal of the season and first as an Admiral and Sulzer's seventh assist. The Ads went into the locker room, hoping they could use Werner's goal to give them some momentum for the third and final period.

Unfortunately Milwaukee's burst of light would only last so long when Justin Abdelkader of Grand Rapids put in his seventh goal of the season at 5:33 of the third. Center-man Cory Emmerton took it upon himself to try a nifty forehand wrap-around in hopes of catching Drew MacIntyre off guard. He wouldn't succeed in doing so, but the rebound lingered in front of the net for what seemed to be a lifetime before Abdelkader came diving into the crease to shove home the puck and give the Griffins a 2-1 lead. Ex-Admiral and Grand Rapids captain Darren Haydar also notched an assist on the play.

Grand Rapids would keep the lead until Cody Franson tied it at two with 5:48 left in the game. During a scrap behind the net, the puck that couldn't choose a master ended up under the whip of Mike Santorelli. Sensing that a teammate might be in front of the net, he threw a no look pass behind his back while facing the boards. Well, he was right, as the puck landed on the tape of defenseman Franson who deked to the forehand and beat a sprawling Howard glove side. The crowd erupted as Franson notched his second game-tying goal of the season. Kelsey Wilson also picked up an assist from the behind-the-net scrum.

Sixty minutes wouldn't do it for this battle as it headed to overtime that would end with a spectacular goal from yet another rookie. To pick up his second point of the game, Werner gave the puck up in the neutral zone to Cal O'Reilly who darted into the offensive zone. After being given the opportunity to shoot, O'Reilly took a hard cut into the middle of the zone to find rookie defenseman Robert Dietrich. The 22-year-old was all alone skating down the left wing side when he fired a wrist shot top shelf. As the Gatorade bottle flew off the top of the net the crowd went nuts after realizing that their team had beaten the Griffins.

Seven of the Admirals chipped in with points on their three goals, led by Werner's two points, while Drew MacIntyre stopped 30 of 32 shots to earn his second win of the season.

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