Author: Daniel Lavender

Game Recaps

Because Why Not; Admirals Win 3-2 in Shootout
(Photo Credit: Asvitt Photography // Stockton Heat // flickr)

The Milwaukee Admirals won 3-2 in a shootout on the road against the Stockton Heat at the Stockton Arena on Wednesday night.

Of the Admirals now 32 wins this season they have earned 10 wins exclusively by way of the shootout. They are now 10-1 in shootout contests with the likes of Justin Kirkland, Frédérick Gaudreau, and Anders Lindbäck shining again and again and again.

The Admirals never held a lead in this game until taking the victory in the shootout. Kirkland is now 9/10 in shootout attempts while Gaudreau is 5/9.

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Feature

Kirkland Making Sophomore Strides
(Photo Credit: Scott Paulus)

Last season saw the emergence of four first year players with the Milwaukee Admirals: Alex Carrier, Jack Dougherty, Justin Kirkland, and Anthony Richard. All showed rather well but most have had to face real adversity in their sophomore campaign.

For Kirkland, his struggles in 2017-18 has an exact date circled around when things became difficult. 5 November, 2017. Vladislav Kamenev was traded away from the Admirals as part of a three team trade that helped acquire Kyle Turris to the Nashville Predators. The organization did not bring back Adam Payerl and now Kirkland’s lone linemate that he gelled so well with as a first-year pro was traded away. It would take a month before he would even register a point.

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Scouting

Heat: Scouting the Enemy
(Photo Credit: Scott Paulus)

Get your late night coffee ready, Milwaukee. The West Coast swing starts tonight for the Milwaukee Admirals. They play against the Stockton Heat tonight and then will see the San Diego Gulls and Ontario Reign on Friday and Saturday. All three of these teams have a better record than the Admirals. With the Rockford IceHogs continuing to motor forward while the rest of the Central Division’s Top Four remain a good margin ahead: the Admirals absolutely must keep the pace.

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Scouting

IceHogs: Scouting the Enemy
(Photo Credit: Jeff Hanisch)

The Milwaukee Admirals winning streak: done. What follows next can go a long way into determining the approach for the rest of this season. The Admirals can go back into sputtering, as they have a lot this season, or they can keep attacking one game at a time. Last night’s 4-3 loss to the Chicago Wolves ultimately hurts that much more because of the finish of a third period the Admirals did great in.

What the Admirals have to do in order for a result to turn their way is accomplish a fast paced and crisp first period. They lagged as a group last weekend against the Rockford IceHogs. That almost resulted in an all-time low for shots on goal in a single game. The Admirals can’t afford anymore lull moments. Tonight’s first period can paint one heck of a picture for a response by the Admirals after adversity yesterday.

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Chatterbox

Chatterbox, Vol. 263
(Photo Credit: Jeff Hanisch)

Welp, the Milwaukee Admirals weren’t about to win out for the rest of the season – as much as that would have greatly helped punch a ticket into the 2018 AHL Calder Cup Playoffs. The Admirals matched up with a team on a winning streak of their own and now the Chicago Wolves are on the league’s hottest active winning streak at six-games.

It’s really how last night’s game ended that is leaving such a sour taste in the Admirals mouths. Petter Granberg was called for boarding with 3:03 remaining in regulation. After all that happened in that game, KER-BLAMMO (that wasn’t a penalty), it felt harsh for a call to decide that game. Though, that’s exactly what ended up happening. Zac Leslie scored a power-play goal for the Wolves with 1:47 remaining in regulation. The Wolves would win 4-3 and win off of that Leslie power-play goal coming off of the Granberg penalty call.

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Scouting

Wolves: Scouting the Enemy with the Enemy
Yeah, these two also don’t get along very well. (Photo Credit: Dale Woltman)

The Milwaukee Admirals have run the gauntlet since the team went through its overhaul around the NHL Trade Deadline. They swept the three-in-three weekend and followed up with a School Day Game victory in the midweek. What now? Create a new gauntlet.

This weekend the Admirals finish off a four-game home stand at the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena with back-to-back games. Tonight it is the Chicago Wolves. Tomorrow it will be the Rockford IceHogs back on their radar. There is a three-game West Coast road trip looming next week. Before the Admirals can think about warmer weather they must first keep on the path established last weekend: one game at a time.

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Chatterbox

Chatterbox, Vol. 262
(Photo Credit: Jeff Hanisch)

This morning was an optional skate for the Milwaukee Admirals. It has been quite a whirlwind two weeks to be honest: traveling to Manitoba, traveling to Texas, traveling back home, three games in three days with the middle game featuring a five hour bus ride in and out of Grand Rapids, and then playing a game at 10:30 AM. Still, with the team buzzing on a four-game winning streak, it was fun to hit the rink at the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena and check in with the team.

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Chatterbox

Chatterbox, Vol. 261
(Photo Credit: Darren Hauck)

For the first time during one of these School Day Games that the Milwaukee Admirals put together I decided it was a good idea to wear ear protection. I had my headphones on with no audio going through them – and the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena was still rocking. These games just haven’t disappointed since the Admirals put them on and the 7,958 in attendance got to see a show. The Admirals beat the Manitoba Moose 3-2 in a shootout to extend their winning streak to four-games and keep this playoff push alive.

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Game Recaps

The Shootout Maestros; Admirals Beat Moose 3-2
(Photo Credit: Darren Hauck)

The Milwaukee Admirals won 3-2 in a shootout against the Manitoba Moose at the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena on Wednesday morning.

Since the overhaul around the NHL Trade Deadline the Admirals have gone from losing three straight games to winning four straight games. This game was a grinder and the Admirals for the second time out finished off a shootout in style. The Admirals have gone 8-1 in the shootout this season. That is the most shootout wins in the league this season and ties the Admirals AHL record set back in the 2009-10 season.

“We have to play playoff hockey right now,” stated Milwaukee Admirals head coach Dean Evason. “We can’t wait for it to be here. This is our playoffs. We made a real emphasis after the deadline there after we got the players that we got that it’s playoff hockey for us. It has to be or else we’re out.”

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