The Milwaukee Admirals’ points leader, Cole O’Hara was the savior in Sunday’s 2-1 shootout victory of I-94 rival, the Chicago Wolves.
Sunday’s matchup came after the Admirals’ lost 2-4 at the Wolves on Saturday night. Milwaukee’s loss marked the team’s first road loss of the season, dropping their overall record to 4-2-0-0 and putting them third in the American Hockey League’s (AHL) Central Division standings.
Milwaukee’s Cole O’Hara, opened scoring near the midpoint of the first period on a 5-on-3 power play, assisted by forwards Tyson Jost and Ozzy Wiesblatt. Jost and Wiesblatt spent the 2025-26 season with Milwaukee’s NHL parent club, the Nashville Predators.
Chicago’s Viktor Neuchev evened the score early in the second period on assists from Stiven Sardarian and Ivan Ryabkin. Regulation play went scoreless for the remaining 47:51.
The Wolves spent most of the three-on-three overtime period with the puck, outshooting Milwaukee four to one. With the score unchanged, the game proceeded to a shootout.
Oasiz Wiesblatt, O’Hara and Jake Lucchini were Milwaukee’s shooters. O’Hara scored the game-winning goal against Chicago’s goaltender Zach Sawchenko, bringing his career shootout percentage to 0.667 on three attempts across two seasons. Milwaukee’s goaltender, Matthew Murray, faced Bradly Nadeau, Felix Unger Sörum and Chase Wheatcroft.
With the shootout win secured, Murray earned his 90th career AHL win, stopping 19 of Chicago’s 20 shots. However, Sawchenko earned first star of the game by stopping 39 of 40 shots.
Milwaukee’s win brought the team’s record against the Chicago Wolves to 176-128-1-21-17. Neither Milwaukee nor Chicago moved positions in the Central Division standings. O’Hara’s regulation goal brings his point record to six in seven games, recording three goals and three assists this season. Jost’s assist put him two points away from scoring 200th in his pro career.
The Milwaukee Admirals return to UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena on Wednesday, October 26, at 7 p.m. to take on the Manitoba Moose, including the Moose’s newly signed former Admirals defenseman, Jack Matier. Milwaukee will face Chicago again during First Responders and Deer Camp Night on Saturday, November 14, at 6 p.m. at UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena.