Game Recaps December 21, 2015December 21, 2015

Reinhart Scores Hat Trick; Ads win in Rockford 6-2

The Milwaukee Admirals won 6-2 on the road against the Rockford IceHogs Monday night at the BMO Harris Bank Center.

This was about as wild of a way to head into the Christmas break as I could have imagined for the Admirals. After leading 4-0 through two periods of play the IceHogs mounted a strong comeback push in the third period and fired nineteen shots on goal in the frame. The closing heroics to seal the game off came from Max Reinhart who scored twice from the same penalty kill to earn a hat trick performance tonight on the road.

This game got off to a particularly nasty start as Ryan Hartman clocked Trevor Murphy from behind with an illegal check to the head four-minutes into the contest. Murphy was stationed in what would be the IceHogs right wing pocket along the end-boards when Hartman zeroed in with a follow-through check to the back of Murphy’s head. The play was whistled down. Jimmy Oligny went after Hartman, but no fight actually would manifest itself, and Murphy stayed down for a while before being helped to the Admirals locker room. Hartman was tasked with making his trip to the IceHogs locker room before Murphy got up and was given a match penalty (AHL Rule 48.5).

The Admirals cashed in only once from the five-minute power-play and did so forty-five seconds into the major power-play chance. Frédérick Gaudreau was able to free himself up and find a pocket of space directly in the slot and Max Görtz delivered a perfect feed from the left wing for the quick redirect. The goal for Gaudreau was his eighth of the season. It was also his fifth goal scored on the power-play which is one-better than all goals scored by him as an Admiral in the 2014-15 season.

Midway through the second period the game, and good fortune, all appeared to open up for the Admirals. Just as a high sticking penalty against Ryan Haggerty expired the Admirals scored six-seconds after their power-play chance expired. Matt White delivered a hard shot pass to the front of the net where Max Reinhart put a stick blade to it for the redirect past Mark Visentin to follow in Gaudreau’s footsteps with his eighth goal of the season.

A little over three-minute later the IceHogs were caught in a bad change, with the defense scrambling, when Zac Larraza tallied his second goal in as many games. Félix Girard, from the right wing, was able to pick out Larraza as he streaked in down the slot unmarked. It was a strong wrister labeled for the top shelf that Visentin didn’t have a chance to stop. Though you couldn’t pin much blame on any of the goals against on him it was this play that would end the night in net for Visentin as the IceHogs brought in Michael Leighton to replace him.

The second period for the IceHogs could probably be best summed up by one play. Daniel Paille was able to win a foot race down the right wing and fire a shot past Marek Mazanec and off the crossbar. The puck flew forward and the Admirals were set for a counter attack that ended with traffic clouding the sight of Leighton and a Taylor Aronson bomb from the right point that whistled through everyone to hit twine for his third goal of the season.

It was 4-0 Admirals when a former face decided enough was enough. Mike Liambas found himself a dance partner in the form of Jamie Devane and the two traded heavy uppercut after heavy uppercut on one another. Many missed. Many landed to the body. Some caught the head. I call this bout a majority draw.

The IceHogs came out of the second intermission with a good amount of purpose and the heat they were delivering paid off. Garret Ross was able to cradle a puck from behind the net out in front of Mazanec and Jeremy Morin pushed the loose puck past for his ninth goal of the season. He has now scored a goal in four straight games.

Pressure from the IceHogs would keep getting poured on as the third period stormed ahead. Even on an Admirals power-play they were pressing forward. Driving down the right wing on a shorthanded rush, Vince Hinostroza was able to battle through a check and pop a shot up and over the glove of Mazanec to score his second goal of the season and the IceHogs’ seventh shorthanded goal of the season.

The shorthanded goals wouldn’t stop there, either. Reinhart would record two shorthanded goals from the same penalty kill to notch his first career hat trick as a professional hockey player.

With 4:15 remaining in regulation, trailing the Admirals 4-2, the IceHogs pulled Leighton to bring on an extra attacker and have a six against four advantage when Victor Bartley in the box for a delay of game penalty when he pushed the Admirals net loose during an extended Rockford attack. Girard would hit post from a long range empty net bid. Then, a touch later, Reinhart would scoot in all alone along the left wing to glide the puck into the empty net. The IceHogs firmly believed that the puck cleared into the Admirals bench area before re-entering the playing surface. After a long delay the officials allowed the goal to stand.

Leighton was put back in the net but, before you knew it, he and Reinhart were squared up on a shorthanded breakaway. Reinhart swooped from the left wing into the slot before cutting back to his left for a forehand shot. Leighton got his right toe to make an initial stop by Reinhart batted it free and picked up two shorthanded goals from the same penalty kill, his third goal of the same to complete the hat trick, and now has a team leading ten goals on the season. To boot, the Admirals now have an AHL best eight shorthanded goals scored this season. They recorded five shorthanded goals all of last season.

Ramblings: No moves happened within the Nashville Predators system before the NHL Roster Freeze took place. Tonight’s Line Combinations: Fiala-Gaudreau-Görtz, Åberg-Reinhart-Payerl, Larraza-Girard-White, Devane-Pendenza-Saponari, Näkyvä-Aronson, Bartley-Granberg, Murphy-Oligny. Tonight’s Scratches: Cody Bass (upper-body), Conor Allen (upper-body), and Johan Alm (healthy). Former Admiral Mike Liambas made his return to game-action tonight for the Rockford IceHogs after a long layoff due to a lower-body injury. It was his first ever time playing against the Admirals. The hat trick by Max Reinhart is the first by an Admiral this season and first since Viktor Stålberg (3/6/15 vs. Grand Rapids). The last time an Admiral scored two shorthanded goals in one-game was Cal O’Reilly (10/24/07 vs. Quad City) and the last time the Admirals scored two shorthanded goals in a road game was way back on 11/24/01 @ Chicago (Marian Cisar and Bill Bowler).

So, this game happened! Thoughts? Despite a fairly well played second period why did the Admirals fail to get back into the game in the third period? Do the mistakes of the last two games despite the wins worry you at all?

Be sure to follow Admirals Roundtable on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and see our photos on Instagram.

Chatterbox December 20, 2015

Chatterbox, Vol. 101

What a crazy ending to a ridiculous game. (Photo Credit: Scott Paulus)

In the last Chatterbox I stressed the importance to ignore what happened against the Rockford IceHogs in Friday night’s loss and embrace the magnitude of beating the Manitoba Moose for the first time on home ice this season. If the Admirals were to lose to the Moose? The rest of the month doesn’t set up well confidence wise barring performances that would see this depleted team rise to the occasion. Little did I know so many instances of rising to the occasion would happen last night. But time after time, one goal after another, the Admirals were able to close out a roller coaster of a game against the Moose by winning 7-5.

I feel if I were to sit back and write about all the defensive errors the Admirals had last night we’d all be here together for too long. The Admirals defense was a mess. I get that. You get that. If you don’t get that, look at the final score again, and now you’re on-board with the rest of us. It wasn’t Admirals hockey. But here is the most important thing that last night’s game provided. The puzzle pieces stuck together.

When the Admirals lost Friday night they didn’t play like a team. They were sloppy and let wave upon wave of the IceHogs either forcing or capitalizing off of errors get the better of them. Everyone in the Admirals locker room knew what they did wrong. And they responded strongly last night.

Yes, the defense was a disaster area but think about the resolve of the Admirals to ride through all the momentum swings last night’s game had. From the moment the Admirals broke the 2-2 deadlock the Moose equalized but never scored a go-ahead goal. It would trend “Admirals score, Moose score” until the 5-5 deadlock was broken when Pontus Åberg scored the game-winner with 32.8 seconds remaining in regulation and then Zac Larraza scored the empty netter off the following faceoff.

It’s probably unfair to keep bringing up last season again and again -but- allow me to do so once more. Last season the Admirals were a very streaky team. That applied to not just their overall record and how the wins and losses stacked up but you could see it within an individual game from a period to period basis. Certain games would overwhelm them and, before you knew it, they lost the plot all together. That’s not translated into this season at all. Perhaps that’s on the coaching staff and the players who went through the heat of last season’s miseries but the Admirals ability to go with the flow of a given game, shrug off momentum changes, and battle through low points in games has been a night and day difference from last season to this season.

On this exact day one-year ago the Admirals record was 14-10-0-3 (31 points, 0.574 points percentage). This season their record is 18-9-1-0 (37 points, 0.661). When you consider the amount of key players and offensive contributors that started the season with the Admirals who are no longer around – it’s nothing short of incredible to see what a difference a year makes.

~Chatterbox~

After the game, I spoke with Milwaukee Admirals head coach Dean Evason as well as Max Görtz, Juuse Saros, Kristian Näkyvä, and Frédérick Gaudreau. Here is what they had to say following the thrill ride of a game that was last night’s win.

Comments on the comments? What do the Admirals need to improve from last night’s game, and the one before it, to take down the IceHogs in Rockford on Monday night?

Be sure to follow Admirals Roundtable on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and see our photos on Instagram.

Game Recaps December 19, 2015December 20, 2015

Goal Frenzy; Ads win 7-5

The Milwaukee Admirals won 7-5 against the Manitoba Moose Saturday night at the BMO Harris Bradley Center.

This game had just about everything but a fight and proper defense. It was incredible to watch unfold as a spectator but intense as it gets to be calling the shots as a coach behind the bench. For all the incredible momentum shifts that happened the Admirals scored the game-winner with 32.8 seconds remaining in regulation. It might not have been the best bounce back game from last night but the Admirals will take the win.

“Crazy game,” said Milwaukee Admirals head coach Dean Evason after the game. “Frustrating at some points that we weren’t doing the right things but it’s just one of those games.”

The Admirals were able to score the opener tonight and it only took them 1:01 of ice time to do it. After collecting a loose puck in his defensive zone, Kevin Fiala lead a three-on-two rush into the attacking zone down the left wing and tagged Max Görtz on the opposite wing for a quick-strike goal. The tally for Görtz was his fourth of the season.

An unfortunate moment that occurred last night was replicated again tonight. The Rockford IceHogs scored twice in nine-seconds to go from trailing 1-0 to leading 2-1 last night. While not as fast, the Moose scored twice in the span of 1:20 to accomplish the same feat.

The first Moose goal seemed harmless enough when the shot was winding up. Chase De Leo was loading up on a wrister from the right wing faceoff dot and his shot surprised Juuse Saros near-post and high glove side for De Leo’s fifth goal of the season.

A mere 1:20 of ice time later, a defensive breakdown lead to a tap-in goal to give the Moose a 2-1 first period lead. Taylor Aronson was matched up one-on-one with Scott Kosmachuk and the Manitoba forward was carving around the right wing pocket and pulling Aronson further away from the slot. No forwards from the Admirals filled the negative space that was forming but Ryan Olsen scooted in and presented himself as a prime target for Kosmachuk to tee up. He did, and it was an easy finish for Olsen’s fourth goal of the season.

It wasn’t until three-minutes into the second period when the game saw a penalty called. After Andrew MacWilliam played Zac Larraza instead of the puck on zone entry he was sat down for two-minutes on an interference minor. This set the stage for your prototypical Swedish one-timed bomb from the left wing circle. Aronson at the point. Görtz on the left wing circle. Ker-blammo. And Görtz scored his second of the night and fifth of the season.

The rapid fire goals were given a new twist in the second period. The Admirals were able to score shorthanded through Félix Girard’s third goal of the season. He led a two-on-one rush down the left wing and snapped a shot against the grain before Eric Comrie’s glove hand knew whether to go up or down.

What is the downside of scoring a shorthanded goal? You’re still shorthanded when the puck gets dropped after scoring. Just twenty-three seconds after Girard’s shorthander and the Moose had themselves a power-play goal. It was an unconventional tic-tac-toe goal. Nic Petan’s wing-to-wing feed hit Olsen flush for a low shot that Saros fended off but allowed for an easy rebounder to be scored by Austen Brassard for his

The second period scoring frenzy would keep motoring along and pick up someone not generally known for goal scoring. Matt White beat Peter Stoykewych at the blue line, gained the attacking zone, and was squaring up Comrie down the right wing for a low shot. The puck kicked off Comrie’s pads, past Zac Larraza,and into the oncoming path of Jimmy Oligny who outwaited the Moose goaltender before depositing a backhander into the net for his second goal of the season.

Nearing the midway point in the third period the Moose found an equalizing goal to make it a 4-4 game. A puck skipped up on Saros who did well to battle it off as far as he could. That unfortunately wasn’t far at all. De Leo had the rebound, spin around on the forehand, and caught Saros as he was in recovery mode with a shot that went through the wickets for his second goal of the night and sixth of the season.

When Kristian Näkyvä signed on to join the organization in the off-season he did so with a reputation for delivering offense from the blueline. Thus far, that reputation hasn’t been showcased in Milwaukee and he’s often had ups and downs defensively. Tonight he can rest his head knowing he scored his first career North American goal. Fiala passed back up ice from the low right wing to Näkyvä at the point who hammered a slap shot. Stoykewych heavily screened his own netminder and Comrie never saw the shot taken.

“It was a long time to wait for that,” smiled Kristian Näkyvä. “It was nice to have that for Christmas.”

The scoring in this game seemingly wouldn’t stop and the momentum shifts kept bucking like bonkers. With under five-minutes to play De Leo grabbed his hat trick to equalize the game at 5-5. Petan was able to made a wide reaching backhanded pass from behind the Admirals net that went to De Leo in the high slot. He fired past the net-front screen of Joe Pendenza and beat Saros high blocker side for his third goal of the night and seventh of the season.

“Not the ideal game and obviously not the best of games for me,” said Juuse Saros post-game. “A lot of different situations. Of course I wanted to save a couple of those but that’s hockey. Got to learn from those and get better.”

Considering all the goal scoring that was taking place in this game it wasn’t even a sure bet that this game was heading to overtime as the call for one-minute remaining rang around the building. That would be the case. Adam Payerl whipped a beautiful pass from deep in the right wing while battling off MacWilliam and found a wide open Pontus Åberg on the backdoor of Comrie to score a goal with 32.8 seconds remaining in regulation. The goal for Åberg was his eighth of the season.

Directly following Åberg’s goal the Moose made up their mind to go empty net and extra attacker on the faceoff. Girard would get the tie-up and the newbie Larraza stepped in and threw the puck all the way down and into the empty net to record his first career AHL goal and polish the game off at a wild 7-5 scoreline.

“We did like the way that we stuck together,” commented Evason. “We talked about being a team after last night’s game. As you guys know, we talked about going on our own page a little bit last night. Tonight we didn’t. Tonight we stuck together. Although there were some breakdowns, clearly, to allow that many goals against – there was good stuff to get the opportunity to have success.”

Ramblings: There were no roster moves made between last night’s game and tonight’s contest. It is worth noting that the Holiday Break Roster Freeze comes into effect at midnight tonight. What does that mean? It means for all players on an active NHL roster, injured reserve, or with a non-roster status as of midnight tonight will be locked in place until midnight of December 27th with respect to waivers, trades and loans, subject to the exceptions provided for in CBA Article 16.5 (d). Tonight’s line combinations were exactly the same as last night: Fiala-Gaudreau-Görtz, Åberg-Reinhart-Payerl, Larraza-Girard-White, Devane-Pendenza-Saponari, Bartley-Granberg, Näkyvä-Aronson, Murphy-Oligny. Scratches tonight were: Cody Bass (upper-body), Conor Allen (upper-body), and Johan Alm (healthy). Bass has now missed the Admirals last eight games. Allen has missed the last six-games. Alm has been a healthy scratch the last four-games but did participate in pre-game skate ahead of tonight’s game.

What do you take away from a game like this? Did the Milwaukee Admirals regroup as a team in the space of twenty-four hours? Is the Admirals’ defense concerning? Are the Manitoba Moose playing up to the Admirals level or are the Admirals playing down to the Moose’s level?

Be sure to follow Admirals Roundtable on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and see our photos on Instagram.

Scouting December 19, 2015

Moose: Scouting the Enemy

“I’m not your guy, friend.” “I’m not your friend, buddy.” “I’m not buddy, guy.” (Photo Credit: Jeff Hanisch)

The Rockford IceHogs are going to be a very familiar team to us all in a week’s time. I feel like we can pretty much say the same of the Manitoba Moose, as well. Including tonight’s game, the Admirals and Moose have matched up in four of the Admirals last nine-games. Luckily, the next time they’ll clash won’t be until February 20th so there will be a bit of a breather on the season series.

~Mooooooooooooooose~

The Moose enter tonight’s game with a record of 8-14-1-2 (19 points). Their 0.380 points percentage currently sees them in seventh place of the Central Division just ahead of the Iowa Wild (0.250 points percentage). They’re second to last in the Western Conference standings by, gasp shock awe, the same margin.

Since losing getting obliterated 9-0 against the Toronto Marlies it appears as if the Moose have found their best form of the season. They have a four-game points streak going 3-0-0-1 which includes a win and shootout loss against the Admirals in Manitoba last weekend.

Their response to the shootout loss against the Admirals was achieving a game where they scored more than 3 goals in a contest for the first time all-season. They won 5-1 over the San Antonio Rampage and came out the next night and beat the Rampage again by the final score of 3-2.

In those two games after playing the Admirals: their power-play was 57.1% (4/7), penalty kill 81.8% (9/11), they outshot their opponent 62-55, scored 5 goals in the third period alone, and in his first two-games with the team since being reassigned from the Winnipeg Jets forward Adam Lowry had a team high 8 shots.

~Team Leaders~

Leading the offensive charge for the Moose is defenseman Brenden Kichton who has recorded 15 points (3 goals, 12 assists). He is followed closely by: J.C. Lipon, 13 points (6 goals, 7 assists)… and Chase De Leo, 13 points (4 goals, 9 assists).

I said it last time we faced the Moose that Eric Comrie has been the workhorse in net since Connor Hellebuyck was recalled by the Jets in late-November. So, let me put it in even bigger perspective. Comrie has played 598:39 of total ice time out of a possible 665 minutes in the last 11 games played for the Moose. That’s a whopping 89.9%. More perspective: Marek Mazanec has made the most starts for the Admirals in the last 11 games and has logged 352:25 minutes from a possible 670 total minutes (52.6%). Sometimes not over-working your goaltender is a good thing. Just a thought.

Expectations for tonight’s game? How important is it for the Admirals to win tonight knowing the tough road ahead for the rest of this month?

Be sure to follow Admirals Roundtable on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and see our photos on Instagram.

Chatterbox December 19, 2015

Chatterbox, Vol. 100

Before plunging into last night’s painful 6-2 loss for the Milwaukee Admirals I have to address something because, well, look at the headline.

~Volume 100~

This is the 100th edition of Chatterbox. That’s a lot of interviews! When I took over Admirals Roundtable from the fantastic Ryan Miller back in the 2013-14 season I wanted to change things on this website in a big way. I wanted to make the Roundtable more of a news hub and go-to source for information. Something that blended the lines of casual blogging and actual hard hitting journalism. Not only that, but I wanted this to be a place where fans truly feel like they have a behind the scenes perspective that allows for an interactive experience with players. I can’t take you into the locker room with me after games. Obviously for many reasons. But I could let you listen in on the post-game chatter that takes place within that locker room and often let you be the voice that decides who you want to hear from, what questions you want answers to, and to feel as if you’ve had a hand in the post-game media scrum. That’s where Chatterbox came from for me. And it amazes me to think we’ve made it 100 volumes into this feature.

I’d like to thank everyone involved with making the Chatterbox what it is: Milwaukee Admirals VP of Communications Charlie Larson for giving me the privilege to provide behind the scenes interviews with coaches and players, Admirals head coach Dean Evason, every player I’ve had the chance to speak to or have a laugh with, and all of you phenomenal readers who continue to support Admirals Roundtable. Our fan base is one I am proud to represent and it’s all because the people associated with it are so fantastic. Thank you all for being you. And let’s see what the next 100 installments brings (hopefully more interview bombs).

~Recapping~

I was almost not even going to tap back into last night’s game. Why? Because I feel as if the scoreline says enough. It was bad. It was very much the not good. And more bad things that I could write about.

The positive to last night’s game comes in the form of today. There is a game today and a mission to be had. The Manitoba Moose have seemingly had the Admirals number this season and especially in Milwaukee. If the Admirals lose badly last night and win today? Whatever. It’s the ups and downs of a hockey season. The Admirals can shoot for payback Monday night in Rockford. If the Admirals lose again today? That’s when the real concerns start to creep in. That’s when the ugly head of doubt shows up and reminds the Admirals that they could be in-store for two-more hefty defeats at the hands of the IceHogs in the next two-games to go on a four-game skid. They can’t afford to do that. Not one bit.

So don’t stay stuck in the mud where last night’s game fell to pieces. Focus on what is directly in front of you. The Admirals need a bounce back performance. History has shown that this season, in games where they lost while allowing six or more goals, that they can and have come back strong: two wins from two opportunities. Today is chance number three to bounce back after allowing six or more goals in a losing effort. Time to bounce back.

~Chatterbox~

After the game I spoke with coach Evason. He summed up last night’s game better than I could have, really. I also chatted with Trevor Murphy, Joe Pendenza, and Félix Girard. Here is what everyone had to say after the game.

Comments on the comments? Are you at all concerned by last night’s loss or is it worth tipping the cap to a team as good as the Rockford IceHogs and moving on? Is Marek Mazanec‘s mojo against the IceHogs this season buried following his performance in net last night?

Be sure to follow Admirals Roundtable on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and see our photos on Instagram.

Game Recaps December 18, 2015December 19, 2015

Tough Sledding; Admirals lose 6-2

The Milwaukee Admirals lost 6-2 against the Rockford IceHogs Friday night at the BMO Harris Bradley Center.

This game had a promising start but it all fell apart following a Kevin Fiala goal in the opening minute of the second period. The IceHogs scored four unanswered goals and never looked back.

“Our team game wasn’t good enough,” said Milwaukee Admirals head coach Dean Evason after the game. “It was one of the rare times that we weren’t a team. We were off on our own page. We tried to do some things individually that make no sense. Who has ever been here this year, in and out of the line up, from Nashville, from Cincinnati, from somewhere else – we’ve played as a team. Tonight we played as individuals.”

Despite a lack of goal scoring in the first period it was a highly entertaining frame to watch. The pace was quick and favored the Admirals through the first ten minutes. It wasn’t until a pair of successful penalty kills by the IceHogs that the Admirals started to slow down. The highlight of the first period would come in the closing minutes when IceHogs defenseman Erik Gustafsson was given a ten-minute misconduct for shooting a puck away from an official.

Within the opening minute of the second period the game finally received its first goal. Kevin Fiala was measuring up Ville Pokka as he glided down into the left wing circle. Fiala waited, waited, and waited some more to leave Pokka scrambling. Fiala snapped a wrister against the grain, high glove side of Michael Leighton, bar down, to score his fourth goal of the season.

Unfortunately, the rest of the second period went downhill from there. In the space of nine-seconds the pairing of Pierre-Cédric Labrie and Vinnie Hinostroza set each other up for goals to go one-up on the Admirals.

Hinostroza fired a shot from the right wing circle that Marek Mazanec fought off with his glove and chest. Labrie split through the Admirals defense, was fullbacking the Hinostroza shot, and was able to secure the rebound and score underneath Mazanec to score his sixth goal of the season.

Perhaps the Admirals were in a dazed state but, regardless, it only took the IceHogs nine-seconds to score once again. After a bad bounce off a linesman’s skate it triggered an oddman rush with no one in place to recover. This go-round it was Labrie being able to set up Hinostroza from a wing-to-wing feed with Admirals defenders in tow. Mazanec wasn’t able to make the post-to-post save. And Hinostroza picked up his first career goal as a professional hockey player.

Then came a very scary moment in the second period that left everyone on the ice in silence. Victor Bartley wound up to deliver a slap shot from the left point but the puck went flying up and off the head of Ryan Hartman. The sound the puck made as it hit was as loud as the sound of the slap shot. Hopefully the mask or visor took the full brunt of the blow but the damage was still felt. Hartman went down, attempted to get to the bench on his own, and then dropped. The IceHogs head athletic trainer came out on the ice and Hartman would eventually be helped off by Labrie and Viktor Svedberg.

A late second period scrum, that saw only Adam Payerl get called for roughing, would lead to an IceHogs power-play goal. Gustafsson’s shot from the center point took a deflection off the stick of Marko Dano to beat Mazanec and make it a 3-1 game. The goal was Dano’s second of the season and first point of offense sense being returned to the AHL from the Chicago Blackhawks.

The third period started with a thunderous sigh for the Admirals. Labrie scored his second goal of the game to make it a 4-1 IceHogs lead. His shot was from a long way out, atop the right wing faceoff circle, and managed to beat the glove hand of Mazanec.

Fortunately for the Admirals they would respond to Labrie’s seventh goal of the season with a tally of their own 1:04 later. As the IceHogs were trying to rim a puck around the boards and out of their defensive zone – Trevor Murphy unloaded on a slap shot and received a kind bounce off of Garret Ross’ left leg and threw off the timing of Leighton’s glove hand for Murphy’s fifth goal of the season.

For all the power-plays the Admirals were picking up in the third period they couldn’t get anything going from them. The best chance came from a Max Görtz slap shot off the left point, which broke his stick, that hit Frédérick Gaudreau low right wing to the side of the net. Gaudreau had all of the net to bank the shot into but the puck went clean across the goal mouth behind Leighton.

Directly off of the Gaudreau miss the IceHogs stormed down the ice and scored shorthanded. Tanner Kero slid down the right wing, picked out the trailer on the play Mark McNeill, and NcNeill smoked a wrister past Mazanec for his fourth goal of the season.

The damage wouldn’t end there. While still on the power-play, and 3:36 left in regulation, the Admirals brought Mazanec to the bench to get an extra attacker on the ice and go for broke. Jeremy Morin would tuck away an empty netter to pick up his seventh goal of the season and secure a rough defeat for the Admirals on home ice.

Ramblings: Since the Milwaukee Admirals last played on Tuesday they released Zach Budish from his PTO contract and signed Zac Larraza to a PTO contract from the Manchester Monarchs (ECHL). Larraza was teammates with Matt White in Manchester this season and the two played on a line together tonight as members of the Admirals. Budish returned to the Cincinnati Cyclones (ECHL). Vladislav Kamenev left the Admirals to join Team Russia in Finland for the upcoming 2016 IIHF World Junior Championships. Tonight’s Line Combinations: Fiala-Gaudreau-Görtz, Åberg-Reinhart-Payerl, Larraza-Girard-White, Devane-Pendenza-Saponari, Bartley-Granberg, Näkyvä-Aronson, Murphy-Oligny. Tonight’s scratches: Cody Bass (upper-body), Conor Allen (upper-body), and Johan Alm (healthy). All three players scratched tonight aren’t expected to be back in the lineup tomorrow.

Reaction on this game? For how solid the Milwaukee Admirals started this game where did it all slip away from them? Can all be forgotten overnight with a quick turnaround game against the Manitoba Moose?

Be sure to follow Admirals Roundtable on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and see our photos on Instagram.

Scouting December 18, 2015

IceHogs: Scouting the Enemy

It’s been awhile since the Milwaukee Admirals and Rockford IceHogs have clashed. In fact, I would almost say that I’ve missed it. Will I be feeling the same way four-games from now when these two will have played three times? Let’s buckle up and find out together, shall we?

~Oink Oink~

The IceHogs enter tonight’s game with a 17-6-1-2 (37 points) record. Their 0.712 points percentage has them on top of the Central Division and second in the Western Conference behind the Ontario Reign’s 0.762 points percentage.

When these two last met it was the end of November and the Admirals won on home ice 2-1. Marek Mazanec was brilliant in net, stopping 27/28 shots on goal, and the Admirals penalty kill went a perfect 6/6 on the night. Vladislav Kamenev scored on a breakaway, Dennis Rasmussen scored off a net front redirect, and Pontus Åberg scored the game-winner in the third period after collecting his own rebound from a blocked shot.

Since that game? The IceHogs have gone 5-1-0-0 in a six-game span which included a five-game winning streak that was snapped by the Grand Rapids Griffins’ freight train Saturday night. Their offense has been scoring 3.8 goals per game since last playing the Admirals. Their power-play has gone 28.6% (6/21) and penalty kill 79.9% (15/19). Additionally, the University of Wisconsin alumni/relie Jake Dowell has been incredible for the IceHogs in the last six-games: 10 points (4 goals, 6 assists). This recent surge has him tied for the IceHogs’ team lead in scoring with Ryan Hartman at 17 points.

~Returning Names~

Earlier in the season the IceHogs had a pair of kiddos that were exploding out of the gate and earned some NHL time as a result. Marko Dano and Tanner Kero are both back with the IceHogs at the AHL level. Interestingly though, both have since been unable to score a point of offense since returning from the Chicago Blackhawks.

Dano had 8 points (1 goal, 7 assists) in his first nine AHL games of the season, went up to Chicago for all of November, and has been part of the last two-games for Rockford. Kero was even hotter in the scoring department at the time of his call up having scored 7 points (6 goals, 1 assist) in seven-games. He was brought up to the NHL in late-October and returned to the AHL these last three-games in December for the IceHogs. The two have averaged a combined 6 shots on goal in the last two-games.

~Goaltending Duo~

Both Michael Leighton and Mark Visentin have been doing very well in December. The bulk of the work loan has been shouldered by the veteran Leighton: 4 starts, 3 wins, 3.22 goals against average, and 0.918 save percentage. Visentin has fared well with a light work schedule. He has made 2 starts in December and won both while stopping 42/45 shots.

It’s been funny that, for how much work Leighton does for the IceHogs, he typically hasn’t been the go-to guy against the Admirals this season. Visentin has started and lost the last three-straight games played during this match-up. While that sounds bad as far as the wins column goes he has been great: 1.90 goals against average and a 0.936 save percentage. The only downside for him really is he’s bettered by how phenomenal Mazanec has been down at the other end of the rink: 1.27 goals against average and a 0.957 save percentage.

I would love nothing more than to see more of Mazanec against Visentin. I’d have to imagine, for these two to be playing three of the next four games against each other, that the match-ups in net will change here and there. Make no mistake about Mazanec’s numbers against the IceHogs this season though. He’s played his best hockey against them.

The Admirals will be without Kamenev tonight and beyond as he’s participating with Russia for the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championships in Finland. If Cody Bass is unfit to play tonight it would likely mean Joe Pendenza playing as a fourth line center. Does that thinned out forward group concern you when it comes to these upcoming big games against the IceHogs?

Be sure to follow Admirals Roundtable on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and see our photos on Instagram.

Ramblings December 17, 2015

Ramblings, Vol. 37

Today is an off-day for the Milwaukee Admirals. Rather than kick back – and glare into the roster-verse thinking about if the team will get another forward back ahead of tomorrow’s game – I’ve decided to do another Admirals Roundtable Mailbag. Answering any and all of your questions. There were already a few questions asked yesterday via social media but feel free to keep asking away in the comment’s section and I’ll get back to you ASAP.

~Mailbag~

What do you think of the difference in chemistry is on the ice at the beginning of the season compared to now? ~@awaitingseason

I feel like the biggest difference is simply the time it has taken for everyone in the locker room to settle in. I feel like a perfect example of the early season struggles can come from what a guy like Adam Payerl was experiencing. He was a training camp invitee from the Cincinnati Cyclones. Started the season not knowing really anyone associated with the Admirals. And slowly built his way up in performances that made him worthy of eliminating his PTO contract and signing him up for the rest of the season on a standard contract.

It’s not so easy, even for a team like the Admirals which had a fair amount of familiar faces around, to simply hit the ground running as a cohesive group from game one forward. There still are lots of new players in the mix. New players presents a feeling out process that has to occur for both teammates and coaches. With time to play games together, go through the daily grind together, and repeat the process on and on a few times it makes the comfort level way better. I think that’s been a great strength of the Admirals early in this season. They’re a solid group and they believe in each other enough to play different styles of games (open ice track meet, dump and chase, defensively tight damage limitation). Through it all they’ve managed to get results from those all while the roster has thinned as well. The feeling out process is over. This team is a team now.

How cool would it be if the Milwaukee Admirals played in an outdoor game at Miller Park. I know other AHL teams have done this. Is this something that realistically could happen in the future? ~Aaron Z.

If the weather stays as it has been I’m not sure “cool” is the right word for an outdoor game, actually. In all seriousness, that would be an amazing sight to see a hockey rink set where the diamond would be within Miller Park. The only problem that occurs is that term you used: realistic. Even though the Admirals wear a Milwaukee Brewers patch on the front of their jerseys I’m not so certain the two sides would come together to host an event of that magnitude. I’d think the Admirals want to solidify their future home first (oh hey, hello UW-Panther Arena, hi) before considering something as extravagant as an outdoor game.

How much do you follow former Ads who went to Europe? Any update on Simon Moser? ~@AnnieShoes1

I love keeping track of specific Admirals that I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know since I’ve been around this team (2012-13 season). In saying that, HIFK in Finland is by miles my favorite European team because of the former Admirals talent that it has: Juuso Puustinen and the Joonas Brothers (Joonas Järvinen and Joonas Rask).

As for Mr. Simon Moser, he’s had a jolly old time since turning down the Nashville Predators talk of more AHL hockey before getting back up into the NHL ranks. He went to play for his hometown team, SC Bern, and had an injury plagued 2014-15 season. He’s already played more games, scored more goals and assists, and appears to be back to 100% of the player we all rooted on when he played in the 2014 Winter Olympics.

But, in short, yes. I always keep tabs on our former players trekking out to Europe. A lasting fun note to end on? Mark Van Guilder has been better than a point per game player in his first season overseas: 28 points (7 goals, 21 assists) in 21 games with Ritten Sport (Serie A // Italy).

How does Petter Granberg look? ~@zallen020

It’s only been three-games and, even then, it’s almost more like two-games for Petter Granberg in this conditioning assignment. The Admirals actually dressed seven-defensemen last Saturday in Manitoba purely because they were being cautious of bringing Granberg in for his first taste of game action this entire season. That’s actually another very important point in all of this. Granberg had been inactive from game time until last weekend. He’s been hurt. And now he’s entering an entirely new system after being claimed on waivers from the Toronto Maple Leafs by the Nashville Predators. It’s a whirlwind.

Granberg is known as more of a stay at home defenseman. So far through three-games, two goals have been scored as he’s been defending a shot or a pass and the puck has banked off him and gone in. That’s not a knock on him. That’s just been bad luck. I liked a lot more of what I saw in person Tuesday night. He’s clearly a very strong defender. It was impressive seeing him work along the wall or the boards shoving around members of the Chicago Wolves. I’m not sure where his personal comfort level is at the moment but, hey, this is why the conditioning assignment exists. The more he’ll play, the better he should feel, and I think the better it is he will look.

The real question is just what the heck are the Predators going to do when they get him back? They already have an extra defenseman that never sees the light of day, Anthony Bitetto. When they acquired Granberg they had Bitetto and another extra defenseman that they decided to put through waivers and then reassign him to the Admirals, Victor Bartley. Is Granberg and his 8 games of NHL experience the last two-seasons good enough to be better than what Bitetto or Bartley were doing as outsiders waiting to play? It’s still curious to me.

Is this a question? ~@SinBinCyclones

Yes.

Who is the most NHL ready defenseman on the roster? ~@BrandoWriter

There’s this young buck named Bartley down here that could probably play for the Nashville Predators at some point in his career. Him aside, I have been so impressed by Taylor Aronson this season and allow me to explain a bit why.

I have no shame in saying two or three seasons ago I felt Aronson was going to be an ECHL lifer. He came in last season off a great Kelly Cup run with the Cincinnati Cyclones and had himself a fantastic 2014-15 season for the Admirals. As great as he was last season I’m actually even more impressed with him this season because his work defensively has been so strong. He’s been paired most of this season with Kristian Näkyvä for most of this season, who I feel has been disappointing so far, but that partnership has put a spotlight on Aronson’s defense because he has bailed Näkyvä out quite a few times per game. He works all scenarios in defense for the Admirals and does it well. Aronson has gone from deserving to be in the ECHL to rightfully knocking on Nashville’s door. His biggest problem? There are so many defensemen ahead of him as it is and then the Predators acquired Granberg for good measure.

Of the 3 (Sissons, Salomaki, Arvidsson) who would you like to see back in MKE? Benefiting NSH and MKE with the move, obv. ~@bcsmith317

I was about to scream Viktor Arvidsson at you in ALL CAPS but then I saw the second part of the question and I don’t think it would benefit Nashville to lose him. The player I would like to see back the most, despite him probably not wanting to have his NHL time cut short, is Colton Sissons. I feel bringing back another center who can eat up solid minutes, and contribute across the board (offensively, defensively, power-play, penalty kill) would be huge for the Admirals all while the Predators eventually get back someone like Mike Fisher back healthy.

Looking back at the Admirals when their roster was at its strongest? They were so deep down the middle that Frédérick Gaudreau wasn’t even playing at center he was out on the wing. Gaudreau has been the top line center lately. That’s not a bad thing. He leads the team in scoring right now (friendly hint to David Poile – Gaudreau is on an AHL contract and you might want to change that next off-season). But, with no Vladislav Kamenev right now during World Juniors, it means the centers line by line probably goes: Gaudreau, Max Reinhart, Félix Girard, and Joe Pendenza (unless Cody Bass and his “upper-body injury” clear up soon). Adding Sissons would help a ton right now for the Admirals.

What you like to do for the holidays? ~@scouter715

*asks the magic conch shell* Nothing. No, seriously. I think the older you get the more you really appreciate down time to relax and be with family and friends. With the Admirals having a game on Boxing Day I’ll still be gritting my teeth to do a “Scouting the Enemy” late Christmas night so it’s up in the morning. So, my Holiday break is Tuesday-to-Friday next week. I’ll be in full-on hermit mode during that time, I’d imagine (and hope).

How do you see the Ads goalie situation shaking out next season? Hutton’s contract is up, so does someone get the call? ~@OnThePowerPlay

No offense to Carter Hutton, and his amazing television career that he’s built up since joining the Nashville Predators organization, but there is no way he’s back next season. The Predators need to find someone they feel more confident in that they can utilize and spare Rinne every now and then so he isn’t shouldering such a load season-after-season.

Is Marek Mazanec that guy? I think it is entirely possible. It would be the more cost effective way to sign a back up but it’s determined on just how well Mazanec performs this season. I feel he’s been doing a really good job. This season more than his previous two-seasons I have more confidence in what the Admirals will do for a result when his name gets announced as the starter of the night. There were times when I’d hear his name and say, “We need to score three goals at minimum or we’re going to lose.” If he can keep up this season I can easily see him slotting in as the back up next season for the Predators.

For those instantly saying, “But what about Juuse Saros?” No matter how great his season has been with the Admirals. No matter how much better his numbers could end up being than Mazanec’s as the two sort of have their in-house competition this season. He’ll still only be 21-years old when the 2016-17 season begins and on the second-year of his three-year entry level contract. Allow for him the same room to grow and understand the North American game as some other Finnish netminder did down here before unleashing him on the NHL for the next eight-seasons. I’d rather Saros be active at this age, playing and learning, than sitting back watching from a bench only to play once every two weeks or so. These are key development years for Saros regardless of how well his numbers might be in the AHL. Allow for him to develop. Allow for him to play. And wait until you see the fully polished product in Nashville. Hey, it worked the last time right? Rinne played 145 regular season games for the Admirals before his first full-season of NHL hockey. Saros has played 14 games.

Any questions that you would like to ask? Be sure to comment below or to ask away on the social media platforms of your choosing. I’m in a slight hermit mode today so my answers to your questions can come in ASAP.

Be sure to follow Admirals Roundtable on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and see our photos on Instagram.

News December 17, 2015

Q&A with Jeremy Gover

The Milwaukee Admirals faced the Chicago Wolves on Tuesday night. Later tonight it’ll be time for the parent clubs to duke it out. The Nashville Predators are playing on the road against the St. Louis Blues. To get some insight on how things have been lately for the Predators I reached out to the great Jeremy Gover of 102.5 The Game (ESPN Nashville).

~Govertime~

Admirals Roundtable: The Nashville Predators 2015-16 campaign hasn’t quite lived up to all that happened last season. What do you see that is different or causing some of these struggles this season?

Jeremy Gover: The struggles of this 2015-16 team are not due to lack of effort or lack of talent. Do they need a true number one center in order to compete for the Cup? Absolutely. But the current struggles that has them 4-7-3 in their last 14 and without back-to-back wins since November 17 has to do with one thing: bad bounces. Rinne has played well, they have outshot their opponent in nearly every one of those 13 games and some teams they’ve just thoroughly outplayed but didn’t get the win. The bottom line is there are ebb’s and flow’s during each NHL season. Heck, it’s 82 games long for crying out loud. Last year, they went on a tear in the first 60 games never having lost back-to-back games in regulation. Then, in March and April, they struggled. This season, it appears as if they’re going through that slump in November and December. And, if you’re a Preds fan, you’d much rather struggle now as opposed to down the stretch.

AR: It was a lot of fun not only seeing Austin Watson get his contract in the off-season but earning an NHL spot with the Predators on what is the two-way portion of his two-year contract. What have you made of Watson’s performances at the NHL level this season?

JG: He has proven that he belongs. Probably not as a first or second line center as they thought he might turn out to be when they drafted him in the first round of the 2010 draft but certainly as a third or fourth line player, absolutely. He’s aggressive on the puck, He shows enough offensive flare to give the coaching staff confidence that he can chip in when given the chance and he’s been key on the penalty kill as both Paul Gaustad, Eric Nystrom, and Gabriel Bourque have all missed time.

AR: Additionally, several players associated with the Milwaukee Admirals have seen NHL time this season: Anthony Bitetto, Viktor Arvidsson, Miikka Salomäki, Colton Sissons, Marek Mazanec, Cody Bass, and Juuse Saros. Many of those names are still with the Predators and are performing well enough to make a claim to stay. Who has impressed you the most out of the recalled Admirals?

JG: Sissons made an impression right off the bat and has been a solid bottom six center since and Saros made the most of his opportunity despite the loss in his NHL debut but Arvidsson has been the biggest surprise to me. I knew he could play and I know the Preds scouts love them some Swedes (and have an excellent track record drafting them) but he looks like he belongs. He rarely has a shift — let alone a game — where I think “he looks out of place.” His speed and work ethic are excellent and he could become a key cog to the second or third line over time. Great to see, especially for a player who was passed over in two NHL Drafts before Nashville took him in the fourth round of 2014.

AR: Speaking of Saros, he’s one of a few bigger name talents playing in Milwaukee this season. Where do you see his career path going with the likes of Pekka Rinne still being such a workhorse for the Predators?

JG: This is a tough one for the Preds organization. Certainly, Rinne is the goaltender until he retires. That may not be for another six, seven or perhaps even eight years. If that’s the case, Nashville can’t hold onto Saros until then. So they either need to plan for him to be the back-up to Rinne by 2016-17 or trade him. Carter Hutton‘s contract expires this coming summer so, in a perfect world, Marek Mazanec is promoted to Rinne’s back-up next season and serves in that role for two full years before Saros steps in. He’ll then get a full season or two as an NHL back-up, getting regular work with the big club and then, when Rinne moves on, Saros takes his rightful place as the future of the Nashville crease. But, then again, this isn’t a perfect world.

AR: There’s all kinds of buzz already on the trade front when it comes to the likes of a Matt Duchene or Steven Stamkos. You wrote a fantastic article on the difficulties the Predators face in making high-end moves such as those not too long ago. Where do you sit on the Predators possibly adding a top center and is the potential risk worth the potential reward?

JG: I think they will add a top line player to the roster but I think it’ll be closer to the deadline. There are two problems with that, however. First, if they wait too long — and keep losing — they’ll be out of the playoff race in an ultra-competitive Central Division and Western Conference. Secondly, Nashville hasn’t had the best track record with deadline deals. In 2012, they went out and acquired Hal Gill because they needed size on the backend, they acquired Paul Gaustad because they needed a reliable faceoff man and penalty killer and, if that wasn’t enough, they traded for Andrei Kostitsyn because they needed help at forward. They fell short of their goal by losing to the Phoenix Coyotes in Western Conference Semifinal scoring just nine goals in five games. As recently as last season, they acquired Cody Franson and Mike Santorelli around the deadline. Franson played so poorly he was benched on more than one occasion and Santorelli scored just a single goal in 22 games. The addition of those two players didn’t help Nashville’s fortunes as, once again, they were bounced in the first round, arguably in a series they outplayed their opponent in all but two or three periods but lost nevertheless. If Poile makes a deal close to the deadline, is history going to repeat yet again? An argument could be made that they should make a deal sooner rather than later, giving the team a chance to gel at a time of the year where they can develop some chemistry.

AR: Who is the better defenseman right now: Shea Weber or Roman Josi? (Sidenote. Is there another defensive pairing remotely as good as that in hockey today?)

JG: Shea Weber and Roman Josi are two completely different types of players. It would be like asking “Who was better? Wayne Gretzky or Peter Forsberg?” Gretzky certainly had the numbers but he would shy away from contact almost as if he were allergic to it. Forsberg put up the numbers and didn’t shy away from anyone. Ever. Weber is the best all-around defenseman but Josi is the most offensively talented and has one of the best first passes in the League. In other words, when you enter the zone on a rush, Weber will crush you while Josi will put the puck through your legs and then start a rush the other way.

AR: We’re nearing Christmas. The Predators are in the middle of the pack as far as that tough Central Division goes. How do you see this season unfolding?

JG: Once they start being rewarded for their hard work, they’ll be fine. The question becomes, how much longer will they continue to be stifled? Because of that Central series of games on the horizon, it better be soon.

~Le Fin~

Thank you very much Mr. Gover for taking the time to chat with the Roundtable. For those that don’t already you should follow him on Twitter, check out his work with 102.5 The Game (ESPN Nashville), and he also happens to be a guest of Milwaukee Admirals Center Ice every now and then so keep an eye out for Aaron Sims‘ Twitter feed on Monday’s to see if he’ll be on the show.

Be sure to follow Admirals Roundtable on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and see our photos on Instagram.

Chatterbox December 16, 2015

Chatterbox, Vol. 99

It hasn’t been pretty. It hasn’t been flashy. It honestly hasn’t been all that entertaining to watch unfold in-game. But, fact remains, the Milwaukee Admirals keep finding ways to get the job done.

The 2-1 win against the Chicago Wolves was yet another example of an Admirals group being able to adapt with momentum shifts and style changes in-game and do it all without shooting themselves in the foot.

The defensive effort in particular last night was the key to success. While the Wolves haven’t been at their best, make no mistake about it, the team defense of the Admirals made the Wolves look slow and dysfunctional. The style of games where the Grand Rapids Griffins were out battling the Admirals this season? Last night was the Admirals version of that script.

The offense has averaged exactly two goals per game in the last week over the course of four games. The Admirals lost the first two games of that spell but have clawed out victories from their last two games. To be producing so little but still find results as things aren’t at their best is a sign to me of the quality this group has. I still look back to the difficulties last year’s squad had when the roster really thinned out and players were having trouble getting into a groove. It’s early. It’s happening pretty darn good right now as far as a roster stretching goes. And the results and performances have still been solid.

I would like to highlight a specific moment in last night’s game that stood out to me more and more as time was expiring in regulation. Remember when the Admirals made a massive mistake on zone entry during a power-play? Jordan Caron had a shorthanded breakaway from the Admirals attacking blueline but Juuse Saros stopped him cold. Remember that?

At the time, the Admirals were leading 1-0. The Wolves -despite missing this opportunity- would go on to score a wacky power-play goal but think about their scoring opportunities away from that power-play goal. This was as good as it could possibly get and everything past it was tough sledding. Saros came up huge right at the midway point of the game to get his team off the hook for a poor mistake and the Wolves weren’t handed a gift of an opportunity like that ever again.

~Here Comes The Kid~

Speaking of solid performances, I feel as if the last few weeks has provided everyone here in Milwaukee with the Kevin Fiala we were expecting when the season started. Last night in particular was one of the first times this season when I viewed Fiala as an explosive presence on the ice. It’s the style he was playing last season when it appeared he hit the ground running after his move from HV71 of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) to North America. It appears as if his motor and wheels are fully synced again.

The amount of points he has right now offensively might not entirely be reflecting how good he’s been but in his last three games he has fired a team-leading 13 shots on goal for the Admirals. The next closest to him during the last three-games are Pontus Åberg (12 shots on goal) and Max Reinhart (11 shots on goal). If you’re going to get the offensive game going all it takes sometimes is to put that puck on net. Fiala has been battling himself between the ears I feel for the start of this season but his play is starting to really shine. It’s very encouraging to see.

~There Goes That Other Kid~

During last night’s post-game press conference with Milwaukee Admirals head coach Dean Evason I was planning on asking about the upcoming 2016 IIHF World Juniors and what might happen with the likes of a Fiala or a Vladislav Kamenev. As it turns out, Kamenev is officially en route to join Team Russia in the host country of Finland today while Team Switzerland will be without the services of Fiala who’ll remain here with the Admirals.

For those in the dark about the World Junior Championships, they’ll be starting up on Boxing Day (December 26th) with the Group Stage completing New Year’s Eve (December 31st), the Playoff Rounds beginning January 2nd, and the Tournament ending with the World Junior Championship Final on January 5th.

Kamenev joins a Team Russia squad that is slotted into Group B which is comprised of: Belarus, Czech Republic, the host nation Finland, and Slovakia. It will be the second consecutive year in which Kamenev has represented his country in World Juniors. He recorded 4 points (1 goal, 3 assists) in 7 games in the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championships while claiming the silver medal as Russia fell 5-4 to Canada in the Final.

Russia’s schedule to keep an eye on will unfold as follows for the Group Stage: 12/26/15, vs. Czech Republic… 12/28/15, vs. Finland… 12/29/15, vs. Belarus… 12/31/15, vs. Slovakia.

So, why is Fiala not joining Kamenev in all the World Junior Championship fun you ask? Truthfully, I do not have the answer to that one. According to what I assume to be a projected roster for Switzerland on the official website for World Juniors – Fiala wasn’t included at all on the December 7th version of the listed roster. It’s curious why he isn’t going to take part and as to how that decision came to being. Was Fiala not up to par with the competition at forward? Was Nashville protective of him staying here in the States to keep developing with the Admirals? Not sure, really.

~Chatterbox~

After last night’s game I chatted with Evason, Åberg, Fiala, and Saros. I also spoke with Adam Payerl to get a better sense of what he’s seeing from the Admirals offense lately, Fiala’s game, and what it’ll be like seeing his linemate Kamenev heading up to the World Juniors. Here’s what they all had to say following last night’s Amtrak Rivalry win.

In the media scrum last night: Dave Boehler (JSOnline) and Mario Tirabassi (Along The Boards).

Comments on the comments? What’s your take on why Kevin Fiala wasn’t included in Team Switzerland at the World Juniors? Also, FYI, the Admirals have swapped out Zach for Zac in the wee hours of the night in a move that I’m sure will make sense at some point in time.

Be sure to follow Admirals Roundtable on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and see our photos on Instagram.

News & Discussion Site For Your Milwaukee Admirals