Milwaukee Admirals drop Game 5 to Firebirds

MILWAUKEE – Admirals netminder Devin Cooley was stellar in net again stopping 23 of the 25 shots he faced, but it wasn’t enough as they dropped a 2-1 decision to Coachella Valley in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals on Saturday night at Panther Arena.  

The Ads now trail the best-of-seven series three games to two with game six set for Monday night back in Palm Desert, CA.

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The first period was all Ads as they outshot Coachella 14-5 in the first period and scored the only goal of the frame on a Kiefer Sherwood power-play marker at 12:03. His one-timer from just above the left hashmarks beat Coachella goalie Joey Daccord five-hole for his third of the playoffs, and it marked the first time this series that the Admirals scored the game’s first goal.  

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As much as the first period belonged to Milwaukee, the second period went the way of the Firebirds as they had 14 shots to the Ads’ six and scored a pair of goals beginning with Brogan Rafferty’s 1:22 into the frame. Max McCormick gave Coachella the lead with 3:17 to go in the period with his team-best 12th of the playoffs.

The Ads pressed in the third period and had 82 seconds of 6-on-5 time with Cooley pulled at the end of the game but couldn’t solve Daccord and lost on home ice for just the third time this post-season.

Milwaukee will look to stay alive in the series when they travel to Arcisure Arena for Game 6 on Monday night at 9 p.m. CT. Game 7, if necessary, would be on Wednesday at 9 p.m. CT.

The Admirals will host a viewing party for Game 6 at Steny’s Tavern on 2nd and National Ave.