Mikka Salomaki leads Milwaukee Admirals to 5-1 win over Toronto Marlies

TORONTO - Mikka Salomaki scored once and set up another as the Milwaukee Admirals defeated the Toronto Marlies 5-1 in American Hockey League action Saturday afternoon.

Austin Watson, Scott Ford, Filip Forsberg and Mark Van Guilder had the other goals for the Admirals (30-21-12). Scott Darling made 30 saves for his 10th win of the season.

Trevor Smith scored the lone goal for the Marlies (37-20-5).

Marlies goaltender Christopher Gibson was replaced at 10:25 of the second period after allowing three goals on 14 shots. Garret Sparks made 11 saves in relief.

With the win, Milwaukee sweeps the season series having won the only other meeting between the two teams, 3-2, on Jan. 21. The loss snaps Toronto's five-game unbeaten streak. The Marlies dropped to 4-6-2 in 12 meetings against the Admirals.

Milwaukee opened the scoring, on a power play, at 10:03 of the first as Salomaki banged home a rebound off an Anthony Bietto shot for his 17th of the season.

Watson gave the Admirals a two-goal cushion four minutes later, re-directing a Salomaki feed past Gibson.

Milwaukee took a 3-0 lead at 10:55 of the second period as Gibson mis-handled a routine wrist shot from Ford. That was the end of Gibson's afternoon.

Forsberg made it 4-0 after one-timing a Mark Van Guilder pass past Sparks at 18:14.

The Admirals improved to 18-0-2 when leading after 40 minutes.

After Smith got the Marlies on the board 11 seconds into the third, backhanding shot over the shoulder of Darling, Van Guilder restored the Admirals four-goal lead putting a pass past a sprawling Sparks for his 13th of the season.

Toronto resumes its three-game home stand Sunday when the Abbotsford Heat visit.

Note: The Toronto Marlies reassigned forward Carter Ashton on Saturday morning. Ashton had two shots on goal and was a minus-1 in the loss.