
After winning 4-2 this afternoon all the Milwaukee Admirals needed was a little bit of help tonight from the Rochester Americans. The Lake Erie Monsters were the last remaining team capable of matching the Admirals for the Central Division title but needed to win out for the rest of the season to do so with the Admirals not securing a single point from their next three games. The Americans shutout the Monsters 2-0. The Admirals have just been crowned the Central Division Champions for the 2015-16 season.
This is the first divisional title for the Milwaukee Admirals since they claimed the West Division in the 2010-11 season. That was back when the AHL held an 80 games regular season and the Admirals finished with a record of 44-22-6-8 (102 points). It wasn’t a thing needed to determine the who and what of the standings at the time but that season the Admirals had a 0.638 point percentage. The Admirals 2015-16 season features a 76 game regular season and, through 73 games played, they have a record of 47-21-3-2 (99 points) with a 0.678 points percentage.
To put it simply, this year’s Admirals team has been so special in the way that they have been consistent in earning results no matter who was featured in the lineup. It is a rare trait to have in the AHL but one required of a team to have this high level of success. The Admirals might not have certain individuals high up in the league scoring ranks but instead have a solid team with multiple players capable of contributing at any given attack.
The current run that the Admirals find themselves on sort of speaks to the strength of how good the team has been this season. They are currently on a twelve game point streak and a six game winning streak. That hasn’t come with necessarily any single player carrying the team but the team being able to cement their dominance over a full course of sixty-minutes night after night.
As far as what is left to play for the Admirals do still have a chance to knock off the Ontario Reign for the best record in the entire Western Conference. The Admirals 0.678 points percentage is lesser than that of the Reign’s 0.689. It will take some help with more Admirals success. The Reign have two more games remaining in their regular season while the Admirals have three. The Admirals also have a chance to win 50 games in a season for the first time in their history of playing in the AHL. They simply would need to win out and push this point streak and winning streak all the way until the playoffs.
The Admirals return home on Tuesday night to play against the Chicago Wolves and then get the Bakersfield Condors on Friday night in the last regular season Admirals game at the BMO Harris Bradley Center. They finish the regular season on the road against their prospective opening round playoff opponent the Rockford IceHogs on Saturday.
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So I’m a nerd and did the math, here’s a breakdown of how the Ads could win the entire Western Conference. I’d say the chances are slim.
Ontario – two games left
Milwaukee – three games left
If Ontario gets no points, the Ads need 3 points.
If Ontario gets 1 point, the Ads need 4 points.
If Ontario gets 2 points, the Ads need 5 points.
If Ontario gets 3 or 4 points it’s not possible for the Ads.
Dumb California schedule with 8 less games.
Sorry, I didn’t see Steve’s comment on one of the older threads about this exact same thing!