Yesterday we took a look into the numbers of Marek Mazanec this season. Today, let’s take a gander at the up-and-down Admirals offense.

I feel as if these last few games, in particular, have been erratic for the team. Some nights there have been limited shots. Then there are other nights when the shots have been there but the finishing touch isn’t.

A player that comes to mind when I pieced this “numbers”story together is our photo boy for this one, Anthony Bitetto. Remember how hot his start to the season was? He started off the 2013-side of the calendar with 9 goals in 29 games – 6 of which were scored on the power-play. Ever since the calendar switched to 2014 – Bitetto has failed to score a single goal from 19 games played. When I see such a sudden drop off it makes me wonder if teams around the league are solving something in the Admirals offense? …or if it is simply a case of the team’s inability to finish at a high percentage? Let’s take a look at the team’s stats from open-play this season.

October
4-0-2-0 Record, 15 goals, 156 shots, 3/27 PP
9.62 Shooting Percentage, 11.1 PP%

Oct. 11 @ Abbotsford: 2 goals, 26 shots, 0/4 PP.
Oct. 12 @ Abbotsford: 1 goal, 28 shots, 0/4 PP.
Oct. 18 @ Grand Rapids: 3 goals, 20 shots, 2/5 PP.
Oct. 19 vs. Chicago: 2 goals, 32 shots, 1/7 PP.
Oct. 26 vs. Texas: 4 goals, 23 shots, 0/4 PP.
Oct. 30 vs Texas: 3 goals, 27 shots, 0/3 PP.

November
5-5-2-1 Record, 32 goals, 405 shots, 11/68 PP
7.90 Shooting Percentage, 16.8 PP%

Nov. 1 vs. Rockford: 4 goals, 38 shots, 2/7 PP.
Nov. 3 @ Iowa: 5 goals, 27 shots, 2/8 PP.
Nov. 8 @ Texas: 4 goals, 28 shots, 3/8 PP.
Nov. 9 @ Texas: 4 goals, 38 shots, 1/6 PP.
Nov. 10 @San Antonio: 2 goals, 33 shots, 1/3 PP.
Nov. 13 vs. Grand Rapids: 2 goals, 32 shots, 0/4 PP.
Nov. 15 vs. Chicago: 3 goals, 26 shots, 1/6 PP.
Nov. 16 @ Iowa: 1 goal, 34 shots, 0/5 PP.
Nov. 19 vs. Abbotsford: 3 goals, 40 shots, 1/5 PP.
Nov. 20 @ Grand Rapids: 0 goals, 16 shots, 0/5 PP.
Nov. 22 vs. Chicago: 2 goals, 31 shots, 0/3 PP.
Nov. 27 @ Rockford: 1 goal, 34 shots, 0/4 PP.
Nov. 30 @ Charlotte: 1 goal, 28 shots, 0/4 PP.

December
7-3-1-0 Record, 31 goals, 332 shots, 10/48 PP
9.34 Shooting Percentage, 20.8 PP%

Dec. 1 @ Charlotte: 2 goals, 27 shots, 0/4 PP.
Dec. 6 vs. Oklahoma City: 5 goals, 44 shots, 1/7 PP.
Dec. 12 vs. Oklahoma City: 4 goals, 37 shots, 2/3 PP.
Dec. 13 @ Grand Rapids: 2 goals, 26 shots, 0/2 PP.
Dec. 14 @ Grand Rapids: 0 goals, 31 shots, 0/9 PP.
Dec. 20 vs. San Antonio: 4 goals, 33 shots, 3/5 PP.
Dec. 21 @ Rockford: 3 goals, 31 shots, 1/7 PP.
Dec. 22 @ Chicago: 1 goal, 25 shots, 1/3 PP.
Dec. 26 vs. Grand Rapids: 4 goals, 24 shots, 0/3 PP.
Dec. 27 vs. Charlotte: 2 goals, 31 shots, 0/3 PP.
Dec. 29 @ Iowa: 4 goals, 23 shots, 2/2 PP.

January
5-5-1-2 Record, 35 goals, 408 shots, 12/61 PP
8.58 Shooting Percentage, 19.7 PP%

Jan. 3 @ Lake Erie: 2 goals, 14 shots, 0/4 PP.
Jan. 4 @ Lake Erie: 1 goal, 23 shots, 0/4 PP.
Jan. 6 vs. Iowa: 3 goals, 31 shots, 2/3 PP.
Jan. 11 vs. Chicago: 1 goal, 26 shots, 1/7 PP.
Jan. 12 vs. Lake Erie: 6 goals, 32 shots, 3/7 PP.
Jan. 16 @ San Antonio: 4 goals, 37 shots, 1/4 PP.
Jan. 18 @ Oklahoma City: 1 goal, 33 shots, 0/4 PP.
Jan. 19 @ Oklahoma City: 4 goals, 45 shots, 1/8 PP.
Jan. 21 vs. Toronto: 3 goals, 46 shots, 3/11 PP.
Jan. 24 vs. Rockford: 3 goals, 36 shots, 0/3 PP.
Jan. 25 @ Rockford: 1 goal, 27 shots, 0/1 PP.
Jan. 26 vs. Rockford: 3 goals, 28 shots, 1/3 PP.
Jan. 31 @ Iowa: 3 goals, 30 shots, 0/2 PP.

February, In Progress
2-3-0-2 Record, 15 goals, 180 shots, 3/25 PP
8.33 Shooting Percentage, 12.0 PP%

Feb. 1 vs. Grand Rapids: 2 goals, 31 shots, 0/3 PP.
Feb. 5 vs. Hamilton: 4 goals, 28 shots, 1/5 PP.
Feb. 7 vs. Utica: 0 goals, 21 shots, 0/1 PP.
Feb. 9 vs. Chicago: 3 goals, 27 shots, 1/3 PP.
Feb. 14 vs. Iowa: 1 goal, 28 shots, 1/4 PP.
Feb. 15 @ Chicago: 3 goals, 26 shots, 0/5 PP.
Feb. 16 @ Chicago: 2 goals, 19 shots, 0/4 PP.

Overall Report
23-16-6-5 Record, 128 goals, 1481 shots, 39/229 PP
8.64 Shooting Percentage, 17.03 PP%

Now, I know what you’re going to be thinking next. These numbers, stats, and figures on the Admirals offense are all jolly exciting. But what on Earth do they even mean? Well, let me give you the official AHL measuring stick to bring this all into proper perspective.

AHL League Averages
9.31 Shooting Percentage, 17.796 PP%

The Milwaukee Admirals are below the AHL league averages when it comes to shooting and the power-play. Add a goaltender, who has been forcing his team to find two or three goals per game to have a chance, and you get the constant win one, lose one, win one sort of behavior the Admirals have battled through this season. The firepower just hasn’t been able to push them over the top for a decent enough stretch of games.

Two of the more successful months this season for the team, October and December, came when they were shooting at a percentage above league average. Since that calendar turned to 2014, much like Mr. Bitetto, the whole team’s ability to finish at a high rate has been lacking. I don’t think I could even care who is in the net for the Admirals if the team continues to fire nearly a percentage point below league average when it comes to shooting. It’s just not good enough. I can safely imagine the coaches and players are fully aware of that sentiment. It’s time for the ship to sail with its guns blazing as the playoff push comes into picture. Either that, or the team will need to play defense at a clip that makes this offense win games.

What can the team really do to turn things around offensively? Is this the Admirals own doing or more to do with teams breaking them down more and more as the season progresses? What worked best in those 2013 months of the season that hasn’t followed in 2014?