WINNIPEG — Leon Gawanke scored the game-winning goal to cap off a second-period Manitoba rally that helped the Moose defeat the Milwaukee Admirals 5-2 Wednesday to stave off elimination in their best-of-five AHL playoff series.

Manitoba entered Wednesday's Game 3 trailing 2-0 in the series, but managed to make it 2-1 now as play has shifted to Winnipeg.

Gawanke scored at the 17:30 mark of the middle period on the power play, giving the Moose a 3-2 lead. His goal was part of a three-goal second period from Manitoba that saw Morgan Barron start things off with a power-play marker at 3:52, and Jeff Malott tie the game up at 9:22.

The Moose would get two more goals in the third period to ice the game.

Cody Glass and Jimmy Huntington each scored for Milwaukee in the first period.

Admirals goalie Devin Cooley made 30 saves in the loss.

The Moose will have an opportunity to force a deciding Game 5 when they play next, back in Winnipeg on Friday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 11, 2022.