Wolves lose 1-0 in OT to Milwaukee Ads

Milwaukee--- The Milwaukee Admirals knocked the Chicago Wolves from their perfect season with a 1-0 overtime victory at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee Saturday night. It was a back and forth game of passionless hockey broken by two goalies backstopping occasional breakaways by both teams.

The Wolves were unable to connect on four separate breakaways during several power plays, starting in the first period. And, it was the Wolves who blew an early chance to win the game when they failed to capitalize on a 5:3 opportunity in the second period. The Admirals survived the power play in part due to a called penalty on the Wolves, which eased the pressure on them.

Just 16 minutes of penalties were called in the entire game, a relatively quiet affair for a Wolves versus Admirals match, and quiet for the season too. Pekka Rinne, the Nashville goalie prospect who has started the season in Milwaukee, slapped down 28 Chicago shots on goal and kept the team in play. Fred Brathwaite was also doing good work in his crease. His key moment was a penalty shot called against Chicago in one of Milwaukee’s few breakaways. Andreas Thuresson, however, had no flourish in his stick and Chicago net minder Brathwaite had him cold.

Brathwaite stopped 24 Admiral shots through the overtime period when a 2:1 breakaway developed with Matt Ellison feathering a pass to Jason Guerriero. Guerriero held the puck till after Brathwaite committed, then passed back to Ellison who put it behind Brathwaite, high and off the right post for the 1-0 win.

The loss puts the Wolves and the Admirals tied in first place. It was the first loss of the season for the Wolves.

The Wolves continue their road trip with a game against the Quad City Flames at the I Wireless Center (the former Mark of the Quad Cities), Friday, November 2 at 7 P.M.

Chicago 0 0 0 0 -- 0
Milwaukee 0 0 0 1 -- 1

First Period---None. Penalties---Maki, Milwaukee (interference), 3:44; Crabb, Chicago (hooking), 6:33.

Second Period---None. Penalties---Niskala, Milwaukee (tripping), 1:51; Franson, Milwaukee (tripping), 2:39; Kwiatkowski, Chicago (hooking), 3:33; Giroux, Chicago (tripping), 9:24.

Third Period---None. Penalties---Thuresson, Milwaukee (hooking), 9:25; Kwiatkowski, Chicago (hooking), 13:27.

Overtime---1, Milwaukee, Ellison 4 (Guerriero), 2:49. Penalties---None.

Shots on goal---Chicago: 9-13-5-1--28. Milwaukee: 10-7-6-1--24. Power plays---Chicago: 0-4. Milwaukee: 0-4. Goalies--Chicago, Brathwaite (23-24). Milwaukee, Rinne (28-28). A---4,394. Referee---Jamie Koharski. Linesmen---Dan Dineen and Roger Behling.

Blueland musings-- The Atlanta Thrashers have had their shot at teams that are lackluster this season: the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Nashville Predators and now the Chicago Blackhawks. It took a visit to the "revived" Blackhawks for the Thrashers to show life since their win against the Blueshirts. How am I supposed to feel about this? Great for the Thrashers, but terrible as a Chicago sports fan. At least my doomsday senario of lining the players up in the parking lot with their suit cases, with Waddell telling them which bus (the Wolves or the Thrashers) won't come to pass.

Then, of course, there is the goal scored by Darren Haydar in the Chicago game...

The afternoon of hockey started with the Boston v Philadelphia game playing in the background. It was hard to move, watching Patrice Bergeron motionless on the ice of Boston Gardens. This is not the Bertuzzi hit on Moore by any means. Randy Jones, to my knowledge, has never had a major penalty called on him before.

Jones will be called to answer for the hit, a hit that is illegal in many youth leagues. That part of the story will continue to develop. Bergeron needs our prayers now, however. Justice, served by the league or by the Boston Bruins, can wait.