Admirals fall in 2-0 hole

GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. - The hole has been dug.

And the Milwaukee Admirals better find a way out fast.

The Grand Rapids Griffins put Milwaukee on the brink of elimination with a 5-2 victory in Game 2 of the opening round of the American Hockey League’s Calder Cup playoffs Sunday at the Van Andel Arena.

Grand Rapids leads the best-of-five Central Division semifinals, 2-0. Game 3 is set for 7 p.m. Wednesday at the UW–Milwaukee Panther Arena.

The Admirals went down swinging Sunday. Milwaukee cut the gap to 3-2 on Freddy's Gaudreau’s third tally of the series with 7 minutes, 25 seconds to go in the game.

But the Griffins settled the issue on empty-net goals by Todd Bertuzzi and Matthew Ford in the final minute.

Griffins goaltender Jared Coreau had 21 saves.

SUMMARY

First period — 1, GR, Tangradi (Callahan, Street), 0:25; 2, MIL, Kamenev (Payerl, Kirkland), 2:12; 3, GR, Holmstrom (Svechnikov, Hicketts), 8:37. Penalties — MIL, Pardy (cross-checking), 12:43; MIL, Payerl (roughing), 18:47; GR, Bertuzzi (roughing), 18:47.

Second period — 4, GR, Bertuzzi (Ford), 6:23. Penalties — MIL, Dougherty (roughing, roughing), 2:39; MIL, Girard (roughing), 2:39; MIL, Liambas (slashing), 2:39; GR, Campbell (roughing, roughing), 2:39; GR, Ford (roughing), 2:39; GR, Bertuzzi r (goaltender interference), 4:14; MIL, Army (cross-checking), 7:28; GR, Russo (cross-checking), 9:34; MIL, Murphy (roughing, roughing), 20:00; GR, Svechnikov (unsportsmanlike conduct), 20:00.

Third period — 5, MIL, Gaudreau (Ribeiro, Carrier), 12:35; 6, GR, Bertuzzi (Callahan, Lashoff), 19:07 (EN); 7, GR, Ford (Tangradi), 19:44 (EN). Penalties — GR, Svechnikov (hooking), 8:53.

SAVES

Shots — MIL 7-5-11—23; GR 8-14-6—28. Penalties/ minutes — MIL 9 for 18; GR 8 for 16. Power plays — MIL 0 for 3; GR 0 for 4. A — 6,529. T — 2:31.