Fink sparks Admirals comeback, Milwaukee rallies past Chicago in shootout

Milwaukee erased a 3-0 deficit and found a new playoff answer in the process: Aiden Fink. The 21-year-old, who had been a pro for only a handful of games after signing an ATO on March 30, scored twice in a 4-3 shootout win over Chicago at Panther Arena and gave the Admirals a late-season jolt that mattered far beyond the standings.

The comeback cut Milwaukee’s magic number to clinch a Calder Cup Playoff berth to one and moved the club to the brink of a sixth straight postseason appearance. That is the real value of this result. The Admirals did not just survive a bad first half. They showed they can dig out of a hole with contributions from a young call-up, secondary scorers and a goalie who settled the game down when it could have slipped away.

Chicago built the lead with first-period offense from Noah Philip, then pushed it to 3-0 early in the second on goals from Nikita Pavlychev and Noel Gunler. Milwaukee finally answered when Fink redirected an Andrew Gibson shot after Jake Lucchini created a loose puck chance in the slot. A few minutes later, Fink struck again by cleaning up a rebound off a Cole O’Hara attempt, turning a lopsided game into one Milwaukee could actually chase.

That push became a statement in the third. Ryder Rolston tied it after stealing a pass behind the Chicago net and lifting the puck past Cayden Primeau, and from there Milwaukee had the kind of structure playoff teams need when games get ugly. Matt Murray stopped 21 shots in regulation and overtime and added another strong stop in the shootout, where Milwaukee went a perfect 3-for-3. Oasiz Wiesblatt, Dalton Bancroft and Cole O’Hara all converted, and the Admirals finished the job in the skills contest.

Lucchini’s two assists gave him his third multi-point effort in five games, another sign that Milwaukee’s trust does not stop with the headline names. If the question is who the Admirals can trust in a tight series, this game offered a useful answer: Fink can score, Lucchini can drive chances, Murray can hold the line, and Milwaukee can still win when the script goes sideways.