Jordan Oesterle Scores Twice as Admirals Top Griffins 5-2
Oesterle's power-play goal at 5:51 of the third broke a 2-2 tie and sparked a four-goal run as Milwaukee became the only AHL team to beat Grand Rapids four times this season.
Jordan Oesterle scored twice, including a go-ahead power-play goal in the third period, and the Milwaukee Admirals rallied from a one-goal deficit to beat the Grand Rapids Griffins 5-2 Saturday night at Panther Arena, tightening their grip on a Calder Cup Playoff spot in the process.
The Admirals trailed 2-1 just 46 seconds into the third period after a video review overturned what appeared to be a save by Milwaukee goaltender Chrona. Former Admiral John Leonard had scored backdoor, and while Chrona seemed to smother the puck, officials ruled his glove had crossed the line with the puck inside it. Grand Rapids led. It didn't last long.
At 3:11 of the third, captain Kevin Gravel tied it at two. The goal was Gravel's second of the season, and he already had two assists on the night, setting up what would become the first three-point game of his career. Oesterle then put Milwaukee ahead for good at 5:51, converting on the power play to make it 3-2. Rizzo and O'Hara added insurance goals to close out the 5-2 final, and the Admirals had completed a four-goal run after falling behind in the final period.
The win was Milwaukee's fourth in five games and, more significantly, their fourth victory over Grand Rapids this season, making them the only team in the AHL to beat the Griffins four times. Combined with an Iowa loss, Milwaukee's magic number to clinch a playoff berth dropped to 18 with four weeks remaining in the regular season.
Oesterle has been one of the more quietly consistent contributors on this roster all month. In a separate overtime win over the Manitoba Moose earlier this week, he extended his assist streak to seven straight games, setting up Reid Schaefer's game-winner at 1:48 of overtime. His two-goal night Saturday adds a different dimension to that run.
Gravel's three-point performance stands out as the story within the story. A defensive defenseman and team captain logging his first career three-point game in a comeback win with playoff implications is exactly the kind of detail that gets remembered in April.
Milwaukee's magic number sits at 18 with the regular season scheduled to end four weeks from Sunday.
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