Two goals in a 25-second span in the second period lifted the Milwaukee Admirals to a 4-1 victory over the Abbotsford Heat in Milwaukee on Thursday night.

Abbotsford played a solid game throughout – Milwaukee held a slim 24-23 edge in shots – but the Admirals were able to cash in on their opportunities.

Former Vancouver Canucks forward Dave Scatchard opened the scoring at 8:57 of the first period. Taking a feed from Cal O’Reilly behind the goal, Scatchard was able to beat Heat goalie Leland Irving blocker side.

Late in the first, Carsen Germyn was hauled down by Scatchard on a short-handed breakaway. Referee David Banfield awarded Germyn a penalty shot, and he made no mistake, lifting a pretty backhander over Admirals goalie Mark Dekanich to knot the score.

In the second period, Milwaukee forward Triston Grant could not be handled in front of the goal, and he batted home a loose puck to give the Admirals the lead at 12:57. As that goal was being announced, former Vancouver Giants D-man Jon Blum sprung Hugh Jessiman on a breakaway. Jessiman slid the puck under Irving to give the Admirals a two-goal lead after two periods.

The third period saw the Admirals add to their lead as Mark Matheson slapped one home through a Grant screen to make it 4-1. Dekanich, who finished with 22 saves, shut the door from there.

ICE CHIPS:

n The loss dropped the Heat to 8-6-2-1 on the season, good for third place in the AHL's North Division. Abbotsford has 19 points, one ahead of the Grand Rapids Griffins and the Manitoba Moose. The Griffins (9-4-0-0) have four games in hand on the Heat, while the Moose (8-9-2-0) have played two more games than Abbotsford.

n The Heat continue the road trip against the Peoria Rivermen on Friday and the Rockford IceHogs on Saturday. The team returns home for a pair of games against the Hamilton Bulldogs on Tuesday and Wednesday. The puck drops at 7:30 p.m. both nights at the Abbotsford Entertainment and Sports Centre.

n Heat goalie Matt Keetley was reassigned to the ECHL's Victoria Salmon Kings for a conditioning stint on Monday, and he was stellar between the pipes for the Kings on Wednesday. Keetley made 35 saves – including a pair of highlight-reel glove stops in the late going – to blank the Ontario Reign 2-0.

-- with files from Dave Sheldon