Time for brief history lesson. Last season, after the Minnesota Wild were unable to reach a lease agreement with the Toyota Center, the Wild said “happy trails” to the Houston Aeros. What became of that failed negotiation would be a return of an AHL team in Des Moines, Iowa. Previously they had the Iowa Stars (2005-06 through 2007-08) and lastly the Iowa Chops (2008-09). It’s been two seasons in the making for Iowa hockey fans but they now have the Iowa Wild. 10,213 fans showed up for the home opener and they are averaging 5,636 fans a night to make the Wells Fargo Arena a great atmosphere to play in front of.
History lesson over. Now about that team…
The Wild boast a roster built on team success. There is a grand total of 19 players on the roster who have scored at least a point. There is a three-way tie for most points scored on the team with 6 points and a a five-way tie with players who have scored 5 points.
In net the team has been sharing the load between Darcy Kuemper and Johan Gustafsson. Through seven games, Kuemper appears to have the edge and that was slammed home with his winning effort in relief of Gustafsson against the Chicago Wolves. He’s started every game since that relief appearance and won two out of three starts.
Perhaps the single most important factor comes on this lovely Saturday. Both the Ads and Wild played last night. Both won. Yet, the Ads have the day off. The Wild are set to play the Texas Stars for the second straight night before finishing off a three-in-three when the Ads storm in Sunday afternoon. The Ads finally had a quick start last night against the Rockford IceHogs. With a tired Iowa Wild team on deck, expect the Ads to pounce on them early and have an extra gear in the third period thanks to the Saturday off.
Do you think the Ads point streak extends past this match up? Your thoughts on the return of Blummer against his old team? Will the day off for the Ads be the difference maker in this game? Banter! Banter! Banter!
The Admirals won 4-2 against the Rockford IceHogs Friday night. Goals scored by Shalla, Salomaki, Bitetto, and Beck powered the Ads to their third-straight win. The victory also holds the point streak to seven consecutive games. The Ads have yet to lose in regulation this season.
The Ads finally snapped two ugly stretches by scoring the opening goal of the game on the power-play. Entering the contest, the Ads were on an 0-9 run on the power-play. Plus, it was the first time since the opening game of the season where the Ads managed to score the first goal. How? Scott Valentine took a one-timed howitzer that IceHogs goalie Kent Simpson couldn’t get full grasp of. Right there to reap the benefits was Joshua Shalla who poked the puck in for the opener and his second goal of the season.
“We were great in the first period,” said Admirals head coach Dean Evason. “We took the game to them. We were physical. We didn’t turn pucks over. We got pucks to the net. [The team] did exactly what they wanted to do in order to give them a chance to have success.”
Mark McNeill managed to score his seventh goal of the season to tie things up quickly for the IceHogs. McNeill was on the Marek Mazanec’s doorstep after a deflected shot from the point knuckled in on goal. Mazanec was down and out with the entirety of the net for McNeill to shoot into.
After a two-on-one between Watson and Rask broke down on the way to goal, the puck fell behind Miikka Salomaki who spun around and let fly. The 20-year old Fin managed to sling his shot past Simpson for his first career AHL goal to restore the Ads one goal lead..
In the second period an outstanding shift put in from a line consisting of Liambas-Tousignant-Budish led to an Anthony Bitetto goal. Crafty skating and puck movement by Tousignant set the stage for a series of passes that eventually went to the tape of Bitetto, who skated in, went with a backhander, and snuck one by Simpson. That’s Bitetto’s fourth goal of the season.
“It’s a good story,” said Evason of Anythony Bitetto’s performance this season. “He got sent down last year. Came back with absolutely the right attitude. He was in tremendous shape. We asked him to drop his body fat, to get into shape, that he’s going to be a key guy for us this year and or the Nashville Predators organization. He did all the right things. He came in [this season] in tremendous shape and it shows. You watch him carry the puck up and lug it out of our zone. The best breakout is if a defenseman can carry it all the way down to the other end and make a play with it. He does that every game.”
Rockford clawed back with a power-play goal after an unnecessary play from Salomaki saw him off for interference. The goal was set up by a behind the net pass by Dylan Olsen that picked out Alex Broadhurst on the right wing. Broadhurst let fly and scored his fourth goal of the season and close the score to a 3-2 Admiral lead.
Taylor Beck put the finishing touches to the game by scoring an empty net goal on an Ads power-play. The goal for Beck is his second of the season and acted as a nice reward for a good defensive night for the more typically offensive puck wielding Beck.
Another game and another win under the belt for goaltender Marek Mazanec. It wasn’t as flashy as some of his outings during this four-game homestand, but he is proving more and more reliable as he gets the chance to start games on a regular basis. Tonight’s game he produced twenty-eight saves and the two goals he allowed weren’t soft by any means.
The Ads are now off to Iowa where they begin the first of a four-game road trip.
How long will the point streak last? Who impressed you the most this opening homestand? Discuss! Discuss!
As we all know, the Rockford IceHogs are evil incarnate. They are in your face, tooth and nail, nasty. Last season the IceHogs averaged 22.6 penalty minutes per game for a league leading 1716 penalty minutes. The year before that? They had the second most penalty minutes in the AHL with 1391. The IceHogs are fierce, physical, and are a team that have scrapped it out with much success against the Admirals in recent years. The season series last year went to the IceHogs who went 7-4-1-0 in 12 meetings against the Ads. The year prior was even worse: the IceHogs won 10 of 12 contests.
Rockford will enter tonight’s game in Milwaukee with the best record in the Western Conference, 7-3-1-0 (15 pts). They have played a league high 11 games, though. Including a 5-3 loss in Rockford last night against the Charlotte Checkers. That game saw the IceHogs post 30 penalty minutes with ex-Admiral Brad Winchester taking center stage. He received a 5 minute major for interference and a 10 minute game misconduct to boot. No footage of that incident online yet (please link to that if you find it), but it does tell me enough about the IceHogs entering this first match against the Ads this season. They are entering that little bit tired off of a tough game against the Checkers. They are also entering with a chip on their shoulder. …so, IceHogs, Ads, chippy affair, what else is new?
To me, the standout player for the IceHogs has been Antti Raanta between the pipes. This is the Fin’s first professional season State-side after spending 5 years in the Finnish Elite League. Raanta has enjoyed the majority of time in net over Kent Simpson through 11 games. He has a .920 SV% to go with 5 wins in 8 starts (including 2 wins in the shootout). In the pre-season contest between the Ads and IceHogs, it was the Raanta and Hellberg show as they matched each other save for save right up until the last shootout attempt in the tenth round of the shootout. Small sample size, but Raanta really impressed me with his play in net. He wasn’t fooled by anything the Ads threw at him in that game. The only two pucks to get past him in the game came from a Roussel shorthander and a Tousignant shootout attempt. With the Ads desperately looking for a fast start to a game they must challenge Raanta early and often if they’re going to hit the net.
Your thoughts on tonight’s game? Will the Ads point streak to start the season continue? Who do you see on the score sheet for the Ads and can we expect more than one fight tonight?
The Admirals won 3-2 in overtime against the Texas Stars Wednesday night. Yet another 2-0 comeback was required for the Ads to reach OT. Goals from Anthony Bitetto and Austin Watson leveled the score. 33 saves from Marek Mazanec kept the Stars in-check. And veteran Mark Van Guilder sealed the game with a GWG in OT to preserve the Ads hot start to the season.
“We can’t continually get down,” said Milwaukee Admirals head coach Dean Evason. “We praised them for not giving up and continuing to push forward, but we have to be better to start hockey games. There is no question about it. We can’t continually do this all year. It’s going to bite us for sure.”
With last game in mind, the Ads started much better than their last outing as far as pace was concerned. They generated some chances from the boards to the net. Best of all, they weren’t letting the Stars blaze past them with their speed.
Sadly mistakes started to mount and the Stars cashed in with the opening goal. A turnover in the Ads defensive zone almost turned into an instant goal. Thanks to a hook by Scott Ford it went down as a power-play chance instead.
Unfortunately, that chance would net the opening goal for the Stars. A skipping and loose puck around the net couldn’t be cleared or closed down by the Ads. Colton Sceviour wound up popping in the loose puck above a scrambling Mazanec. This is the fifth straight game where the Ads failed to score first. The lone time they managed to do so was in the opening game of the season in Abbotsford.
The pace continued ramping up for the Stars. By the end of the first period it proved to be too much for the Ads to handle as they conceded again. This was a goal generated by speed and stellar passing from the Stars. Jyrki Jokipakka to Mike Hedden to Brett Ritchie. Tic. Tac. Toe. The shot by Ritchie was an absolute rocket that flew by Mazanec to give the Stars a 2-0 first period lead.
Period number two featured no scoring but some chippy moments out on the ice. Mathieu Tousignant, not once but twice, was hit to the head by Stars d-man Cameron Gaunce. The second “coming-together” lead to a roughing call against Gaunce which laid out Tousignant.
Next up in the sniper-scope was Mike Liambas. The Ads go-to enforcer dropped the gloves at the end of the first period with Francis Wathier (I call it a draw on the fighting scorecards). Late on in the second period Liambas was slashed on the way to the net by Aaron Rome. Liambas looked to the linesman for a slashing call, looked back down for the puck, and was planted into the boards very awkwardly. There was absolutely no call for boarding. The slashing call was the lone call on the play. Fortunately for the Ads, Mr. Liambas skated off and did not miss a shift despite being down face first in pain after the hit.
Anthony Bitetto continued his hot start to the season as he put the finishing touches off on a great breakout play. The entry into the zone saw the Ads stay wide as a group, keeping the Stars somewhat frozen, and passes by Simon Moser and Joonas Rask set Bitetto up for an open shot. That’s Bitetto’s third goal of the season. He had just one goal all last season.
The comeback was capped off by Austin Watson with 5:50 remaining in the third period. A no-look backhanded pass by Tousignant went straight to the net, bounced off Rask, and into the patch of Watson to make it two goals in two games for the Michigan native.
“I think for me it’s just a little confidence,” said Austin Watson of his recent performances. “I thought I had some good chances the first few games and nothing was going in for me. Credit to [Tousignant] tonight. He grinds the puck out for twenty-seconds. I was on the ice for five-seconds and he hits me for an open net, almost. Guys are putting pucks in the right places and I’ve been fortunate enough to put myself in the right spot to have the chance at a goal scoring opportunity.”
The Ads were getting trapped in their own zone late in OT and allowed a full line change to the Stars before Patrick Cehlin managed to fight the puck out of the zone. Then the unthinkable. Cehlin didn’t dump the puck. He kept skating, skating, skating, and before you knew it the Ads chewed out an OT winning goal off the stick of Mark Van Guilder. The Ads might have skipped a line change on the charge down the ice. Given they scored off of that rush lead by Cehlin – no harm, no foul.
“A win is a win,” laughed Anthony Bitetto. “If we comeback or come out and beat a team early, a win is a win. Yeah we want to come out of the gate a little bit quicker and get on the right page early but, at this point, a win is a win. We just have to keep rolling with it.”
The Ads are undefeated in regulation through their first six games. They are 4-0-2-0 and have claimed 10 of 12 points to start the season. Next up the Ads cap off the homestand with a game against the evil –EVIL– Rockford IceHogs.
Thoughts of the Ads to this point? Scrappy? Too slow at the start of games?
This afternoon the news has come out that Ads d-man Bryan Rodney will be suspended for two games as a result of his illegal check to the head of Texas Stars center Travis Morin. Rodney will officially miss the Ads games against the Texas Stars (Wednesday) and Rockford IceHogs (Friday).
The play occurred after a turnover at the blue line on an Admiral power-play. Morin was almost off to the races until he looked to his left and met the shoulder of Bryan Rodney. Morin stayed down on the ice for a brief time but did not miss a shift on the ice. Rodney was penalized with an illegal check to the head (Rule 48.2, minor penalty) but was not given a match penalty for the incident.
My take on the suspension: It was certainly a hit to the head. Based on the lone replay I saw of the incident at the game there was no intent from Rodney to hit Morin’s head. My guess is Rodney is looking to put a shoulder through the body of Morin to deny him a shorthanded breakaway, Morin tries to brace for a hit, and the net result is a shoulder to the head. Penalty? Yes. Two game suspension? No. I’ve watched a lot more blatant attempts of shots to the head at the NHL level this year (ex. Michael Grabner) receive similar punishment. It wasn’t as obvious. It wasn’t as dirty. Yet, this is an era of player safety. Any hit to the head, intent or no intent, is going to be under the microscope
Thoughts on the suspension? Who fills in in-place of Rodney? (Get better soon Jarvinen.)
The Admirals won 4-2 against the red hot Texas Stars Saturday night. A great second period effort from the Ads propelled the team to victory after trailing by two goals in the first period.
“We were fortunate we were only down two,” said Admirals head coach Dean Evason. “Five on five we weren’t bad in the first period. We just weren’t as detailed as we thought we should have been.”
Colton Sissons continued his outstanding start to the season by scoring two goals. Joshua Shalla and Austin Watson both tallied their first goals of the season. While a great 26 save performance in net by Marek Mazenec helped secure the victory at home.
Former Admiral Chris Mueller started for the Stars and won the opening face-off in his first game against his old team. The popular Admiral was the go-to guy in the pre-game skate as several players and members of the team talked to Mueller. Everyone was quite happy to see him back around the rink.
“It’s always good to see guys who you went to war with,” smiled Mike Liambas.
The Ads earned the opening power-play chance from an interference call by Texas while they were in their offensive zone. The Ads produced two good chances off the stick of Anthony Bitetto. His shots were clean to the net but failed to produce a goal.
The unfortunate then took place. A turnover from the Ads blueline lead to a shorthanded breakaway chance for Travis Morin. Bryan Rodney insured that would not happen by hitting Morin square in the head with a shoulder. The intent for a head shot wasn’t there. Looked like he was going in body-to-body but the pace of Morin altered the angle of impact.
Nevertheless, power-play gone – 4-on-4 hockey with a power-play to the Stars instead. The Stars cashed in just as the 4-on-4 expired. A great pass from Maxime Fortunus reached Morin whose slapper deflected off of Curtis McKenzie for a PP goal.
With the Ads earning another power-play, the Stars PK unit outpaced and simply suffocated the Admirals in their own zone. This lead to a turnover right in front of Mazanec and an unassisted shorthanded goal by Stars center Taylor Peters.
The first intermission was much needed for the Ads who were very over-powered in the first period. How do they start the second frame? Hot. They battled the boards strong and seemed to work the Stars onto their back-foot.
Reward would come after a great shift by the Liambas-Sissons-Rask line put the Ads on the scoreboard. Liambas tossed a puck to the net that Cristopher Nilstorp couldn’t trap. Sissons was right on top of the net to tap in the loose puck for his third goal of the season.
Persistence continued for the Ads as they equalized late in the second period after a silky series of passes. The break into the zone started off with Bitetto, who slowed down to find Van Guilder, and he picked out Joshua Shalla who one-timed it past Nilstorp for an equalizing goal.
The Ads didn’t let off the gas after the equalizer. Just one minute and thirteen seconds after Shalla’s goal Sissons tagged the net for his second of the game. Sissons took a great backhanded feed from the wall by Taylor Beck and deposited his wrister under Nilstorp’s blocker arm. That would be goal number four for him now.
With the Stars beginning to tilt the ice, the Ads and Austin Watson came from nowhere to push the lead to 4-2 in the closing stages of the third period. Watson skated in from the right wing and ripped a shot over the glove of Nilstorp for his first goal of the season.
Texas managed a strong push with their net empty (as well as a man-advantage from a Scott Ford boarding call), but the Ads held on for a 4-2 win over the visiting Stars. A really solid effort by the team after a sluggish start that saw them trail 2-0 and that deficit could have been even larger after the opening period.
Standout player of the evening was netminder Marek Mazenec. He posted 26 saves in the victory. More importantly he made some stellar “last line of defense” saves with the speed of the Stars attack getting the jump on the Ads defense. He looked very confident in net and the rest of the team really believes in the young Czech.
“We said right from the start that Mazenec and Hellberg were going to be 1 and 1-a,” commented Evason. “We didn’t come into the season that [Hellberg] was one and Mazenec was two. We planned on flipping them and seeing where we sit. It’s a nice thing to have two guys that we feel are real good prospects. [Mazenec] showed it tonight.”
The two will lock horns again Wednesday night and I, for one, can’t wait for the sequel.
Last year’s season ended with the Texas Stars topping the Ads 3-1 in the opening round of the Playoffs. As far as the regular season went the Stars took two of two from the Ads. With not too much shaken up from the rosters it’s clear to expect a toughy for the Ads at home come Saturday night.
The player the Ads will need to slow down is current AHL Player of the Week Travis Morin. Just look at what he has produced already this season: 8 goals and 9 assists… in 7 games. He is a mere 4 goals shy from his entire 2012-13 production. Morin has played a major cog to the Stars hot 5-1-1-0 start to the season that sees them atop the Western Conference (with those diabolical IceHogs). To beat the Stars is to slow down Morin and a hot Texas offense that has scored the most goals in the AHL to start the season.
It’s one thing to have this type of explosive offense. It’s another thing to pair it with great goaltending. That’s just who the Stars are and they feature a pair of quality goalies in net.
Captain ‘Merica Jack Campbell made a name for himself with his outstanding effort in net as Team USA won the 2010 IIHF World U20 Championship. The 21 year-old Michigan native played his first full professional season with the Stars last year. He went 19-13-3-3 in net with a 2.65 GAA and a .905 SV%. This year he has started twice and won both games with a sharp .956 SV%. Overall, still a work in progress for the Stars… but easily the future choice between the pipes for Dallas in the NHL.
While Campbell was the name in camp last year it was Cristopher Nilstorp who shouldered the load in last year’s playoff run. It was his first pro tenure State-side and he split the load with Campbell: 19-13-3-3, 2.38 GAA, and a .907 SV%. He’s played more games in net to start this season, but hasn’t quite provided as sparkling of a production as the young-gun Campbell. My expectation would be that Campbell gets the start against the Ads Saturday night. If he doesn’t though? The Stars have a solid alternative.
Oh yeah. Then there is this Chris Mueller character to talk about. The former Admiral returns to face his ye olde team for the first time after playing 262 games for Milwaukee. He scored 87 goals, 86 assists, and appeared in 25 playoff games for the Ads. Yet, after a decent stint with the Nashville Predators last season (18 games, 2 goals, 3 assists), the long-time member of the Ads headed off to Texas for an opportunity with the Stars. He has 3 goals and 5 assists to start this season off. He’s just one more part of a stellar offense the Stars feature. It’ll be fun to see the reception he receives as well as the on-ice interactions with his former teammates.
The last time the Ads suited up was without Patrick Cehlin, Kevin Henderson, and Joonas Jarvinen. No real time table was established for the players injuries but, in talking with Dean Evason last game, it sounds unlikely that Jarvinen will be in this contest. As for Cehlin and Henderson? We’ll probably get a better idea as to their fitness come game time. With an offensive explosion on the cards… the Ads sure could use them.
With Hellberg enjoying life up in Nashville for the first time it should be a tremendous opportunity for Marek Mazanec. He had a solid camp and a great first outing in a road victory against Grand Rapids. The team feels very comfortable with the young Czech in the net. It’ll be a great game for him to show everyone what he is capable of.
Thoughts on the return of Chris Mueller? Will Mazanec hold up while Hellberg is in Nashville? Who steps up if Cehlin and Henderson remain out of the lineup?
Ahh, the Amtrak Rivalry to kick off the home opener. Couldn’t have asked for a better opponent. One problem, especially to those who didn’t follow this news story late last season, the team is a little different this year.
Late last season it was announced that the Vancouver Canucks would not renew their deal to keep the Chicago Wolves as their AHL affiliate. Enter the St. Louis Blues who waved “so long” to the Peoria Rivermen. What became of Peoria? The Rivermen were wrapped up and shipped off to Utica, New York to become the Utica Comets – the new Canucks affiliate.
So, recap time. The Wolves are still here but were given a heart transplant. The Wolves of last year are now the Utica Comets. And the Peoria Rivermen, as we know it, no longer exist… outside of a Southern Professional Hockey League team that bears its name.
I don’t know about you but that makes me sad.
Who are the Wolves this year? Well, looking at last year’s Rivermen to this year’s Wolves, a fairly different but talented and young outfit – especially if you ignore Keith Aucoin.
According to Hockey’s Future’s Top 20 prospects for the St. Louis Blues, the Amtrak rivals have seven of the Top 20 on their roster: Jake Allen G (3), Ty Rattie RW (4), Dmitrij Jaskin RW (5), Joel Edmundson D (9), Jani Hakanpaa D (10), Yannick Veilleux LW (13), and Cade Fairchild D (18).
Jake Allen is certainly deserving the top nod as far as prospects go on the Wolves roster. The 23 year-old goalie is entering his fourth year of professional hockey and enjoyed a solid stint in the NHL last year with the Blues. Last year in Peoria, Allen produced a 13-19-2 record, 2.89 GAA, and a .904 SV%. Yet, with the Blues he played better with 9 wins from 15 starts, 2.46 GAA, and a .905 SV%. He has also started the season off with two wins in two starts with a razor sharp .973 SV%. In my book, he is the heart and soul of the team. If he is on his game the rest of the team responds. That was the case for him last year and so far in this young season.
Last year the Admirals clobbered the Wolves in the Amtrak rivalry by winning ten of twelve contests. The head-to-head against the Rivermen last year (more prevalent), the Ads went 8-2-0-2.
Against the Rivermen last year: Mark Van Guilder tallied four goals and five assists while Austin Watson put up five goals and three assists. For those with a good memory as well, you might recall that goaltender Magnus Hellberg absolutely owned the Rivermen last season: 5 games, 4 wins, 3 shutouts, 0.6 GAA, and a .979 SV%.
Either way you slice it, last year’s Wolves or Rivermen, this is favorable meeting for the Ads. The Wolves enter with a 2-3-0-0 record in five games against the Ads 2-0-1-0 in three. The Bradley Center should be set for a fun home opener for the Ads.
The Admirals won 3-2 over the Grand Rapids Griffins Friday night. The Ads spoiled the Griffins home opener where they raised their 2012-13 Calder Cup Championship banner in front of a sold out crowd.
“It was a real good hockey game with a real exciting atmosphere,” said assistant coach Stan Drulia after the game on Sports Radio 1250 WSSP. “Our guys stayed focused. We got scored on early on a bad bounce, but I really liked our defense, our commitment, our hustle. We skated with a really fast hockey team.”
Anthony Bitetto picked up his first professional multi-goal performance by scoring two power-play goals for the Ads tonight. Colton Sissons continued his strong start to the season by adding his second goal of the season. To boot, Ads goalie Marek Mazanec earned his first win of the season in his first start.
The Griffins didn’t allow the lengthy pre-game festivities to slow them down as they lit the lamp eighty seconds into the contest. The goal was scored off of a deflection by Gustav Nyquist for his third goal of the season.
For you fighting enthusiasts, great news! The Ads finally had their first fighting major of the season. Shortly after the opening goal for the Griffins, Mike Liambas squared up with former Admiral Triston Grant. Bad news for fighting enthusiasts: it was a quickie that ended in a take-down by Grant.
Anthony Bitetto managed to tie things up by scoring the Ads first power-play goal of the season. It was Bitetto’s second AHL goal and, more importantly, snapped an 0-9 PP skid by the Admirals to start the season.
The Griffins would respond with a PP goal of their own moments after a Liambas interference call. Ads d-man Scott Valentine lost the puck leading to the go-ahead goal from Griffins captain Jeff Hoggan.
The second period was a scrap fest amongst the two teams until 17:58 left in the period. Colton Sissons popped in his second goal of the season. Sissons was picked out by Joe Piskula to level the game at 2-2.
Immediately following the equalizing goal, Joonas Rask fought his way to open ice only to by dragged down Griffins defenseman Ryan Sproul. Rask nearly scored off a second effort chance as he went down. No penalty shot was given on the play, but Sproul received a minor for holding.
What do the Ads do on that PP goal? Score. Who else? Bitetto. It’s his first career multi-goal performance as a pro. The late second period surge by the Ads featured two goals a mere 49 seconds apart.
The Griffins pushed the Ads hard in the third period. So much so Mark Van Guilder even took a roughing penalty. The Griffins had a late PP chance with eleven seconds remaining in the game and their net empty. On the last shot of the game Griffins forward Cory Emmerton rang a shot hard off the post to end the game.
The story of the game for me was Ads goalie Marek Mazanec. For his first outing as an Admiral he played very strong. His best moments in net seemed to come late in the third period when the Ads were holding on for the final horn. The first goal might have been a shock to the system. It was a late deflection that gave AHL scorers a fit over who even scored it. Yet, he proved to be dominant past that goal. He put up 24 saves en route to his first win in his first start.
Also worth mentioning: Ads defenseman Bryan Rodney assisted on all three goals scored tonight. That includes a primary assist on Ads opening PP goal from Bitetto.
Three games in. The Ads are 2-0-1-0 and have taken five out of a possible six points on the road to kick off the season. That is absolutely fantastic to see the team so strong on the road to start the year. I believe you’ll all join me in saying, “I can’t wait to see these guys on home ice!”
What are your first impressions of the team so far? Any players exceeding expectations to start the year? Sissons has certainly blown me away to start the year.
Last year the Grand Rapids Griffins had a stunning season. They claimed the Midwest division and enjoyed a thrilling playoff run en route to their first Calder Cup success. On paper, not too much has changed from that Cup winning team. So, what should be expected of the 2013-14 Griffins? Considering there will be up to 17 returning cast members from last year expect more of the same.
The team boasts a plethora of young talent. According to Hockey’s Future’s Top 20 prospects for the Detroit Red Wings, the Griffins have twelve of the Top 20 on their roster: Gustav Nyquist LW (1), Petr Mrazek G (2), Calle Jarnkrok C (4), Tomas Jurco RW (7), Riley Sheahan C (8), Ryan Sproul D (9), Xavier Ouellet D (10), Martin Frk RW (11), Teemu Pulkkinen RW (12), Landon Ferraro C (15), Alexei Marchenko D (18), and Adam Almquist D (19).
The most puzzling name on that list: Nyquist. Not because of his talent. Not because of his prospect placement. But because, well, why? Why?! Why is a player this talented back in the AHL to start the season? Last season in the AHL he played 58 games, scored 23 goals, and picked up 37 assists. He also suited up for 22 games with the Red Wings where he managed 3 goals and 3 assists. Already three games into this season he has 2 goals and 4 assists. Simply put. This kid isn’t going to be in Grand Rapids for too much longer.
Another big name back from last year is netminder Petr Mrazek. The 21 year-old from the Czech Republic was fantastic in his first professional season last year with the Griffins. He played the bulk of games in net and recorded 23 wins, 2.33 GAA, and a .916 SV%. The Red Wings might have a good goalie in Jimmy Howard who they’ve investing in for the next six years, but Mrazek is a player I expect to hear great things from at the NHL level for a number of years. He is fast, athletic, and can only improve between the ears with time.
The Admirals defensemen better be prepared for some speed in this match up. Why? Darren Helm is suiting up for the Griffins. One of the fastest skaters in the NHL, Helm has been incredibly banged up in recent years. Most recently he has been nursing a groin injury, but is expected to hit the comeback trail with a game against the Admirals Friday night.
Last season the Ads went 5-3-0-0 against the Griffins. Patrick Cehlin lead the team in scoring against them with 3 goals and 2 assists. Also pesky against the Griffins is Taylor Beck who in 10 games has a goal and 7 assists in the match up.
How do you see the Ads fairing against the Griffins? Will the solid start on the road continue?
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