The Admirals lost 3-2 in a shootout last night against the division leading Grand Rapids Griffins.  It might not have been the end result that the team wanted, but I feel it was a decent outing for the Ads last night considering the circumstances: top scorers up in Nashville, forward core stretched as thin as it possibly could be, and a long bus ride back from Iowa that saw them get back in Milwaukee at four o’clock in the morning. Two games this weekend. Three points. Take as many points as you can – when you can, I say. In a stretch for them team that could be tough due to the circumstances. That isn’t bad.

After the game I spoke, as always, with head coach Dean Evason. I also chatted with Patrick Cehlin, Charles Olivier-Roussel, and Marek Mazanec. Here is what they had to say following last night’s game against the Griffins.

Dean Evason on taking one point last night:

Evason on the team’s overall performance:

Evason describes life without Beck, Sissons, and Moser in Milwaukee:

Evason on the return of Patrick Cehlin:

Evason speaks about potential reinforcements coming in to help with the thin roster:

Evason on facing the Hamilton Bulldogs Wednesday:

Patrick Cehlin on team fatigue with the travel to and from Iowa before last night’s game:

Cehlin describes how hard it was to be out for so long:

Cehlin on last night’s goal:

Charles-Olivier Roussel on the team playing seven defensemen lately:

Roussel on the trek from Iowa and back:

Marek Mazanec’s thoughts on his performance in net (with another amazing Magnus Hellberg interview-bomb to cause laughter in odd places):

Mazanec describes what it was like playing in goal with the Badger Band blasting behind him:

Mazanec talks about playing both ends of a two-in-two (more Hellberg interview-bombing… silent assassin):

~Key Quotes~

“[Taylor Beck, Colton Sissons, and Simon Moser] have been our number one line for most of the year. But it is great that they’re not here. It really is. They all deserved to go. They all deserved that opportunity. And we have an opportunity to have guys step in. It’s tough to not have them but it is exciting to not have them. And it’s exciting to a couple other people [on the team] playing different roles. Filip Forsberg doesn’t kill a lot of penalties – he’s killing penalties. There are different people that aren’t usually the [power-play]. Zach Budish is not on our power-play – he’s playing on the power-play tonight. So, good for them. It’s part of their development. We can see how they handle it but, more importantly, they can see how they handle the situation of being in a different role. Hopefully they’re better prepared once they get their call.” Dean Evason

“[Marek Mazanec] gave us a chance. Come up with some big saves. I don’t know how many he had but the ones that he had were pretty quality. [Grand Rapids] have a skilled group.” Dean Evason

“We’ll wait and evaluate and see what Nashville does. Clearly that’s what we do. I mean, it’s trickle down.” Dean Evason on possible reinforcements

“We tried to limit [Patrick Cehlin’s] minutes as far as special teams. We were hoping just to have him on the [power-play] but then, with [Simon Moser] leaving, we had to use him on [penalty-kill]. So, [Cehlin] got extended a little bit.” Dean Evason

“I think the hardest thing is to be away from the game and all the guys in the locker room. We’re a very tight group. Not being able to play and go on road trips and sitting on the side, It’s never fun.” Patrick Cehlin on his nearly three month absence from game action

“It’s obviously a little different but, at the same time, it is always fun. You get to play. Everyone gets to play. And I think the coaches are doing a really good job managing everybody’s ice time.” Charles-Olivier Roussel on the team playing seven defensemen

“I never saw that before. I think it’s really cool. I like it!” Marek Mazanec on playing in goal while the Badger Band plays music behind him

Comments on the comments? More thoughts from last night’s game or the weekend in general?