Marlies beat Admirals in OT, clinch playoff berth with fifth straight win

MILWAUKEE - The Toronto Marlies have clinched a playoff berth despite early-season doubts that it could happen.

Brendan Mikkelson scored 3:29 into overtime as Toronto edged the host Milwaukee Admirals 3-2 on Friday in American Hockey League action.

The Marlies lost nine games in a row in November and sat last in the Western Conference. The club has gone 33-15-7 since then to move into eighth place in the Western Conference.

"The Marlies were a team that many wrote off and left for dead at many different points this season," said Marlies general manager Kyle Dubas. "What the entire group has been able to accomplish, working its way from last place back to a playoff spot, with the youngest roster in the American Hockey League, has been wonderful to watch."

William Nylander had a goal and an assist for the Marlies (38-27-9), who extended their win streak to five games, while Sam Carrick scored the other.

Viktor Arvidsson and Anthony Bitetto supplied the scoring for the Admirals (33-28-14).

Toronto's Antoine Bibeau made 27 saves for the win as Magnus Hellberg stopped 19-of-22 shots for Milwaukee.

Frazer McLaren of the Marlies and Admirals forward Mike Liambis got into an altercation at the end of the second period and were both ejected for attempt to injure.

Both clubs went 1 for 6 on the power play.