Jordan Oesterle's OT Goal Lifts Admirals Past Griffins 5-4
Milwaukee never led until Oesterle's 11th goal of the season, a 3-on-3 OT winner, gave the Admirals a 5-4 comeback victory in Grand Rapids.
Milwaukee trailed for nearly the entire night at Van Andel Arena, but Jordan Oesterle had a habit to uphold. The defenseman scored just over two minutes into overtime Tuesday to lift the Admirals past the Grand Rapids Griffins 5-4, delivering his fourth game-winner of the season and his second in as many games.
It was the kind of finish Milwaukee needed in a game that never went its way through regulation. The Admirals never held a lead until Oesterle settled a loose puck in front of the Griffins net during 3-on-3 overtime. As the Grand Rapids goaltender sprawled, Oesterle waited, found the opening, and snapped home his 11th goal of the year. Austin Roest and Ryder Rolston drew the assists.
The game, originally scheduled for March 13, had been postponed after a power outage created dangerous ice conditions at Van Andel Arena. When the two clubs finally got back on the ice March 24, the Griffins wasted no time reasserting the home-ice edge. Carter Mazur beat the Milwaukee netminder just 1:10 into the first period to put Grand Rapids on top. Oasiz Wiesblatt answered at 4:14 to tie it, but Axel Sandin Pellikka restored the Griffins' lead at 5:15. Kyle Marino tied the game again late in the first, and the two clubs skated into the second period deadlocked at 2-2.
The second period ended with the score knotted at 3-3, and the third brought more of the same back-and-forth. Austin Watson gave Grand Rapids the lead early in the period, only for Joey Willis to tie it at 4-4 shortly after, forcing overtime.
Oesterle's overtime prowess has become a defining feature of Milwaukee's second half. On March 12, he ended a game against Rockford just seven seconds into extra time, also a game-winner, on a 2-on-1 rush that froze IceHogs goalie Olivier Rodrigue. The Grand Rapids finish brought his season goal total to 11, all while cementing his reputation as the Admirals' most dangerous player when the stakes are highest.
Milwaukee heads to Henderson on Friday for its next test.
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