Ratcliffe Sparks Admirals to 5-2 Victory Over Griffins in Grand Rapids

Three goals in the opening period set the tone, and Milwaukee never looked back. The Admirals rolled into Van Andel Arena on Saturday and handed the Grand Rapids Griffins a 5-2 defeat, securing their first regulation win over Grand Rapids this season and their third victory against the Griffins overall in 2025-26.

Isaac Ratcliffe led the way with a goal and an assist, but the damage began long before his backhanded power-play finish. Jordan Oesterle got Milwaukee on the board at 4:07, snapping a wrister from the high slot with Dalton Bancroft screening Griffins goalie Sebastian Cossa. David Edstrom and Joey Willis drew the assists. Just 93 seconds later, Cole O'Hara raced down the right wing and flipped a backhander past Cossa's right side for his 15th goal of the season, with Ratcliffe and Oasiz Wiesblatt picking up helpers.

Grand Rapids responded on the power play when William Dufour, playing in his Griffins debut, took a cross-zone feed from Buium and slapped the puck in from the left circle at 8:47 to cut the deficit to one. But Ratcliffe answered at 11:19, knocking in a backhander on the doorstep on Milwaukee's own power play for his fifth goal of the season. Tanner Molendyk and Jack Matier assisted. It was the first time Milwaukee had scored three goals in any first period this season, and the eighth time they had managed three or more in a single frame.

Milwaukee captain Kevin Gravel extended the lead to 4-1 at 9:36 of the second period, taking a pass from Edstrom, drifting toward the center of the blue line, and sailing a wrist shot past Cossa's glove. It was Gravel's first goal of the season. Grand Rapids cut it to 4-2 shortly after when Eduards Tralmaks converted his second power-play opportunity of the night at 12:04, cracking a shot past Matthew Murray after Erik Gustafsson tapped him the puck at the top of the right circle. It was Tralmaks' 19th goal of the season.

Murray preserved Milwaukee's two-goal cushion late in the second with a critical stop, extending his left leg to deflect a cross-ice pass attempt and knock the puck onto the top of the net for a whistle.

Grand Rapids nearly pulled within two just 50 seconds into the third when William Wallinder's shot from the blue line was tipped past Murray by Milne, but officials waved it off for a high stick. Any remaining Griffins momentum evaporated at 10:48 when Ryder Rolston punched in a rebound off a Tanner Molendyk shot to make it 5-2 and close out the scoring.

Despite the loss, Grand Rapids' penalty kill went 6-for-7 on the night, maintaining its league-leading status. Gustafsson added his 20th assist of the campaign on the Tralmaks goal, while Austin Watson recorded the 150th pro assist of his career. Michael Milne and Toledo Walleye captain Brandon Hawkins also made their Griffins debuts.

The win moved Milwaukee to 3-5-1-0 against Grand Rapids this season, with the previous two victories having come outside of regulation. The Admirals next face Manitoba on Wednesday, March 18, while the Griffins return to action against the Chicago Wolves on Sunday.