(Credit: Milwaukee Admirals/Kristen Schmitt)
For the third consecutive year, the Milwaukee Admirals and Texas Stars playoff series will go down to the bitter end.
Admirals forward Joakim Kemell rocketed a slap shot in the high slot, finding the right corner of the net to even the score with just over six minutes left in the final period.
In overtime, Milwaukee forward Chase De Leo broke through with another deep shot past Texas netminder Remi Poirier, capitalizing on a Stars turnover. Admiral forward Ryder Rolston tipped in De Leo’s shot for the overtime game winner, taking a 2-1 victory, forcing Game 5.
“It’s a heck of a series, as it always is,” head coach Neil Graham said. “Mentally, going into this series, we prepared that this would be going the distance. History would tell us that. The final results didn’t go our way and that’s what happens in tight games.”
Similar to Game 2, the Stars could not get out of their defensive zone during the extra period, suffocated by the Admirals' forecheck, trying to piece a play together. On their two offensive pushes in overtime, Texas got off just a single shot on Matt Murray.
Turnovers and sloppy play plagued the Stars late after putting together one of their best defensive performances of the season for the majority of the game. Matthew Seminoff was unable to keep control of the puck, being flanked by two Admirals, turning it over and setting up the game-winning goal for Milwaukee.
Similar to Game 2, the Stars could not get out of their defensive zone during the extra period, suffocated by the Admirals' forecheck, trying to piece a play together. On their two offensive pushes in overtime, Texas got off just a single shot on Matt Murray.
Turnovers and sloppy play plagued the Stars late after putting together one of their best defensive performances of the season for the majority of the game. Matthew Seminoff was unable to keep control of the puck, being flanked by two Admirals, turning it over and setting up the game-winning goal for Milwaukee.
Owning the playoffs’ second-best power play unit, Texas struggled to get anything going, firing four shots on goal on their three attempts. On the Stars' third power play, Milwaukee started to outmuscle Texas, driving down the ice, getting off a shorthanded shot.
Getting pulled during Game 3, it looked to be more of the same for Murray, with Texas cracking open the game early. Playoff points leader Justin Hryckowian scored the Stars' only goal 29 seconds into the contest, punching in Curtis McKenzie's attempt on their first rush of the night.
After the quick goal, Murray was a lockdown force down the stretch, holding Texas shotless for the first 10 minutes of the second period.
Neither team could get anything going in the second period, as both defenses gave each other very little room to generate anything. Both teams battled in the neutral zone, firing five shots during the period.
Getting pulled during Game 3, it looked to be more of the same for Murray, with Texas cracking open the game early. Playoff points leader Justin Hryckowian scored the Stars' only goal 29 seconds into the contest, punching in Curtis McKenzie's attempt on their first rush of the night.
After the quick goal, Murray was a lockdown force down the stretch, holding Texas shotless for the first 10 minutes of the second period.
Neither team could get anything going in the second period, as both defenses gave each other very little room to generate anything. Both teams battled in the neutral zone, firing five shots during the period.
“It was a low event. It was stingy on both sides,” Graham said. “I think there are some things that we can look to improve upon to generate a little bit more, but frankly, there wasn’t much going either way.”
Milwaukee simmered the red-hot Stars, coming into the night, Texas was scoring an average of 4.5 goals per game. Scoring the early goal in the first minutes of the game, Hryckowian and Cameron Hughes with the secondary assist preserved their seven-game points streak.
Milwaukee simmered the red-hot Stars, coming into the night, Texas was scoring an average of 4.5 goals per game. Scoring the early goal in the first minutes of the game, Hryckowian and Cameron Hughes with the secondary assist preserved their seven-game points streak.
Texas will look to punch its ticket to the Western Conference Final by closing out Milwaukee in Game 5 Sunday at 6 P.M. at UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Tonight’s lines
McKenzie-Hryckowian-Hughes
Blumel-Hyry-Lind
Pettersen-Becker-Stranges
Seminoff-Scott-Romano
Capobianco-Krys
Taylor-Karow
Looft-White
Poirier
Injuries, scratches and notes
Bergsland, Wheatcroft, Thomson, Chisholm, Terness, Ertel, Bertucci, Arcuri, Kyrou, Martino, Punnett, Shlaine, Hemming (scratch)
McDonald (out for season)
Tonight’s attendance was 5092
AHL Gamesheet - Texas at Milwaukee - May 23 2025
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