Wolves fall to first-place Admirals in shootout

MILWAUKEE — The Wolves never trailed in regulation but lost to the Admirals 3-2 in a shootout Wednesday night at Panther Arena.

Reid Duke and Lucas Elvenes scored for the Wolves (19-17-3-2), who earned seven of a possible eight points on their four-game trip.

After the Wolves and the Central Division-leading Admirals (28-7-4-2) finished the third period tied at 2 for the fourth time in seven meetings this season, Rem Pitlick scored in the first round for the only tally in the shootout.

Admirals goalie Connor Ingram stopped Duke, Brandon Pirri and Nicolas Roy. Frederick Gaudreau and Daniel Carr were denied by Oscar Dansk.

Duke waited just 46 seconds into the first period to give the Wolves the lead. Patrick Brown swiped the puck at the red line and fired it to Duke, who entered the zone down the right wing. Duke carried it into the faceoff circle and put a wrister into the top right corner of the net for his eighth goal of the year — all on the road.

The Admirals’ Mathieu Olivier tied it at 8:36 of the first. Steven Santini’s shot from the point was blocked well short of the crease, but Olivier claimed the puck in open space and flipped it top-shelf past Dansk.

The Wolves regained the lead 57 seconds into the second period on Elvenes’ power-play goal. Curtis McKenzie fired a pass from the corner for Pirri, who was standing just above the crease. Ingram blocked Pirri’s redirect, but Elvenes swooped in for the rebound and knocked it into the open net for a 2-1 lead.

Carr, who won the AHL’s MVP award last season with the Wolves, pulled the Admirals into a 2-2 tie at 10:40 of the second when he perched just outside the crease and knocked home a rebound.

The teams combined for just 17 shots in the third period and overtime to set up the shootout. Dansk (13-6-2) finished with 25 saves in regulation and overtime, while Ingram (13-4-4) posted 30.

The Wolves return to Allstate Arena at 7 p.m. Saturday to face the Admirals on Teddy Bear Toss Night. The Wolves also will debut their Military Appreciation jerseys.