Viktor Stålberg is here, brought up, here again, and then he’s not, but then he’s back again, recalled, waivers, cleared? Here again! (Photo Credit: Scott Paulus)
Yesterday the Nashville Predators placed Viktor Stålberg on waivers. The twenty-four hour waiver process has come and gone. And, according to Elliotte Friedman, for the second time this season Stålberg has cleared waivers. He should be assigned to the Milwaukee Admirals for his next tour of duty and could play as early as tomorrow night.
Officially it would be his sixth reassignment to the Admirals this season. Remember the last one? I wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t because it was a rather sneaky one. With numbers tight up top, and Shea Weber potentially out with illness, the Predators called up Taylor Aronson and sent down Stålberg. Knowing that it was a one night deal for Aronson meant Stålberg never even left Nashville. It was purely a paper transaction on the part of the Predators to maintain their roster numbers. With bodies getting healthy and trades getting done this move should surprise no one.
This season with the Admirals Stålberg has scored 12 points (7 goals, 5 assists), has a plus/minus rating of +3, and 10 penalty minutes in 14 games. For the Predators this season he has only managed to get into 11 games and has 4 assists and 10 penalty minutes.
The return of Stålberg would actually signal yet another sad sight. With him joining the Admirals it should push Zach Budish out of the lineup yet again. I say it’s sad only because the Admirals are a staggering 18-0-1-1 when Budish plays. That’s 38 points out of a possible 40 points in 20 games. It’s the single most entertaining stat that has happened all season and it may go on the back burner once again.
Is Stålberg destined to be the go-to forward call up choice for the Predators from this point on? Does anyone know the amount of frequent flyer miles this guy has put up this season?
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When the Milwaukee Admirals are playing at their absolute best is when their game is at its absolute basics. Chip, chase, be disruptive of passing and shooting lanes, put pucks to the net, and crash for rebounds. Often times the skill level of the forward group breaks out of that mold to explore how much they can get away with and, in doing so, can disrupt the flow of the Admirals complete game. It’s the difference between an incomplete offensive effort on Friday night versus an all-zones controlled type of feel that was laid down Sunday evening.
If there is a quote that gets repeated more on this year’s Chatterbox more than “play the right way” I would be shocked. It’s been the identity of the Admirals since December came to a close and the right way is to play straight forward, controlled, smart hockey. Friday night, the Admirals were outshot by the Rockford IceHogs 33-24. Sunday, they out shot the Lake Erie Monsters 29-27. The work rate was better, the overall team play looked smoother, and as it would happen it resulted in a win. Simplicity works.
After the game I spoke with Dean Evason and then did some waiting around for the players. The purple jersey auction had plenty scrambling around after the game. From the sounds of it I think Rich Clune had the jersey with the highest bidding. I was hearing it went for somewhere in the $4,000 range. Not too shabby. Especially with that Swedish netminder of our’s always topping out those jersey auctions! Fortunately enough Kevin Fiala, Magnus Hellberg, and Anthony Bitetto (flu symptoms and all) caught up with me. Here is what they all had to say after the game.
“All I do is score big goals,” said a fictitious Triston Grant. (Photo Credit: Scott Paulus)
The Admirals won 5-2 against the Lake Erie Monsters Sunday evening. Kevin Fiala produced his second multi-goal game of the season while Triston Grant made it five straight games with a goal.
“I think we played really well tonight both offensively and defensively,” said Magnus Hellberg. “Everybody played hard and we scored a couple of really nice goals. It was a good win for sure.”
Kevin Fiala put the Admirals on the board in the first period with his third goal of the season. Triston Grant passed over to him and Fiala held off a defenseman, waited, and waited some more before beating Sami Aittokallio high blocker side with a wrister.
Grant continued the first period scoring by tallying his tenth goal of the season. He skated in from neutral ice, received a feed back by Zach Budish, and fired on goal past a net front screen. Grant has now scored a goal in five straight games and scored six goals from his last seven contests
It took only 2:05 into the second period for the Admirals to put another puck past Aittokallio. Colton Sissons was on the receiving end of some outstanding passing put together by Viktor Arvidsson and Fiala. The 18-year old from Switzerland started the play by swooping all the way around the net looking for a wrap-around. That didn’t work but the following tic-tac-toe to Sissons at the front of the net to score five hole did. It’s his seventeenth goal of the season.
There was a really spirited fight that came in the late going of the second period. Rich Clune and Mitchell Heard chucked their gloves and helmets off a draw and proceeded to unload. They actually swung each other down to the ice, officials tried to skate in to stop them, and they popped up and went at it some more. After the bout, Clune wanted to get the crowd to make some noise and grabbed the Admirals “Shooting for a Cure” crest on the purple jersey and he left the ice.
The game wasn’t going too kindly for Aittokallio in net for the Monsters and it didn’t get better when Fiala scored his second of the night. There were plenty of bodies crushing into the Lake Erie netminder as a loose puck scramble started. Fiala was able to pop in the puck for his fourth goal of the season but Aittokallio was livid about the lack of response by the officials as he was unable to make any attempt of stopping Fiala’s chance.
“Arvidsson went to the net and he went in the goalie,” said Kevin Fiala. “The puck was just laying there in front of the net. I just had to put it in. I don’t know if it was interference or not but it was a goal. So it’s a goal now.”
The second period ended with Magnus Hellberg’s shutout bid coming up short. A puck kicked around the left wing side of goal and fell over to a slap shot awaiting Karl Stollery. His blast found a hole through Hellberg on the glove side for his fifth goal of the season.
In the third period the Monsters were able to make it a two-goal game again courtesy of Gabriel Beaupre. Lake Erie was buzzing on the shift and when the puck fell back to the point the puck was wristed in from the right point. The puck glanced off a post before going in as Beaupre’s first goal of the season.
With time running out the Monsters emptied their net early as they trailed by two. Arvidsson managed to defend at one end, skated up towards neutral, and bag his sixteenth goal of the season on the empty net marker to make it 5-2.
To set the stage for Tuesday night’s rematch there was one last fight. Heard engaged his earlier combatant Clune after the game was over and that would prove to be a really bad idea. Clune clobbered him in the post-game tilt. Both received fighting majors and game misconducts after the completion of the game.
Ramblings: The pre-game news was headlined by the Nashville Predators making a trade that sent Admirals winger Brendan Leipsic to the Toronto Maple Leafs. He will be reporting to the Marlies. Anthony Bitetto was reassigned to the Admirals ahead of the game, as well. He was a game-time decision but played through flu-like symptoms. Today’s scratches for the Admirals were Joe Piskula (lower-body), Jimmy Oligny (right knee), Johan Alm (left wrist), and Jaynen Rissling (healthy). Piskula is expected to be out for a good while. Both Oligny and Alm have returned to skating with the Swede now sans-cast on his left wrist.
Thoughts on the win? Is simplicity to the Admirals offensive approach the key to their success? Which players will need to pick up the offensive pace with Leipsic leaving via trade today and what will his loss in Milwaukee mean moving forward?
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Brendan Leipsic has been one of the top AHL rookies this season with the Milwaukee Admirals. The Winnipeg native just got dealt closer to home as he has been traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs. (Photo Credit: Scott Paulus)
The Nashville Predators have just completed a big trade this morning. They’ve acquired Cody Franson and Mike Santorelli from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for Olli Jokinen, Brendan Leipsic, and the Predators 2015 first round draft pick.
Nashville, Tenn. (February 15, 2015) – Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced Sunday that the team has acquired defenseman Cody Franson and forward Mike Santorelli from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for Nashville’s first-round selection in the 2015 Draft, and forwards Brendan Leipsic and Olli Jokinen.
“In preparation for the 2015 playoff run, our goal was to add a veteran defenseman who could play in all situations and a proven forward who could move up and down lineup based on the situation,” Poile said. “We were fortunate to do this in the same transaction with players who are in the prime of their careers more than two weeks before the Trade Deadline in order to give them more time to contribute and gel with their teammates.
“Both Cody and Mike were drafted, developed and began their NHL careers here. They know our organization and still have former teammates and friends on the roster. We are fully confident that they will seamlessly fit into our team.”
Franson, 27 (8/8/87), was selected by the Predators 78th overall (third round) in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft and was a member of the 2010-11 Nashville club along with current Preds Shea Weber, Colin Wilson, Mike Fisher and Pekka Rinne, that won the first playoff series in franchise history. Hailing from the same hometown as Weber – Sicamous, British Columbia – Franson has amassed 32 points (6g-26a) in 55 games this season for the Maple Leafs, and 165 points (34g-131a) in 377 career NHL games. From 2007-09, he played with Nashville’s primary developmental affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals, and from 2009-11, he posted 50 points (14g-36a) in 141 regular-season games and seven points (1g-6a) in 16 Stanley Cup Playoff games with the Predators.
“Cody brings size, offensive ability and the capacity to play in all situations to our lineup,” Poile said. “He is the perfect component to round out our defensive corps and give us eight proven NHL defensemen.”
Santorelli, 29 (12/14/85), was selected 178th overall (sixth round) in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, 80 picks and two rounds before the Predators selected Rinne. The 6-0, 190-pound forward posted a 20-goal, 41-point season with the Florida Panthers in 2010-11, and has 29 points (11g-18a) and a +7 rating in 57 games for Toronto in 2014-15. In 314 career NHL games, the Vancouver native has 116 points (54g-62a). Santorelli posted three points (2g-1a) in 32 games with the Predators from 2008-10, in addition to amassing 74 goals and 171 points in 207 AHL games with the Milwaukee Admirals from 2007-10.
“Mike is a versatile player that can move up and down the lineup based on the situation,” Poile said. “He has fantastic speed, is excellent in the face-off circle, and can play all three forward positions if called upon. He is an excellent complement to our existing group of forwards.”
Both names acquired are former Admirals and Predators. Santorelli was drafted in 2004 by the Predators and was in the system from 2007-10. Franson was selected in the 2005 NHL Draft and was in the organization until the 2011-12 season when he was traded to the Maple Leafs.
As for what this move does for the Admirals. It doesn’t help that’s for sure. Leipsic was second on the team in scoring this season at the time of this trade with 35 points (7 goals, 28 assists). Since the turn of the calendar to 2015 he has produced 13 points (3 goals, 10 assists) in 16 games. He was also added to the 2015 AHL All Star Classic where he became the first Admiral in the AHL era of the team to score a hat trick in that contest.
I suspect if the Predators are really in “go for it” mode there is a chance that we could still see some more of this in Milwaukee. While the defense is an area that is dinged up at the moment it is the forward depth that is plentiful right now in the organization. Should the right player still be out there for Nashville other moves could be in the cards.
Slight good news in that defensive area I was just mentioning. Anthony Bitetto has been reassigned to the Admirals ahead of today’s game. Everyone’s favorite New Yorker has now logged 4 games in the NHL this season where he hasn’t scored a point of offense but is up with a win in the fighting department. Bringing him back to the blue line is a welcome boost. The Predators also have placed Viktor Stålberg on waivers again. He could be an Admiral come Tuesday’s game.
Thoughts on this trade by the Nashville Predators? Will there be more Admirals talents snatched up before the NHL Trade Deadline?
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Lake Erie. Wat r u doin? Lake Erie? STAHP. (Photo Credit: Scott Paulus)
Friday night was only the Admirals third regulation loss in their previous 20 games. As you might expect that should bode well as far as springing back in the next game is concerned. In the last two regulation defeats the Admirals have won both games and done so in convincing fashion: 4-1 win against the Hamilton Bulldogs… 4-0 shutout on the road over the Grand Rapids Griffins.
Sounds good, right? There’s one slight problem. Our upcoming opponent. The Lake Erie Monsters have won the last 3 games head-to-head including 2 games where they’ve overcome 2 goal deficits. Hopefully this is a trend that can be bucked as the Admirals and Monsters will play today and Tuesday.
~The Other Guys~
The Monsters have a record of 22-18-4-3 (51 points) and are in last place in the Midwest Division. Notice what I noticed? Yes, they are in last place of our division with a record that is over .500. The Midwest Division the only division in the AHL to feature all teams with winning records. They also stand eleventh in the Western Conference standings and trail the eighth place spot, held by the Texas Stars at the moment, by 6 points.
In their last 10 games the Monsters have a good record of 6-2-2-0 (14 points). They enter fresh off of a 3-2 win over the Charlotte Checkers. Despite the good record in this 10 game span they’ve been outscored by their opponents 26-24 in regulation and overtime – to which they have had 6 games go past regulation in that spell.
~The Scoring Threats~
Lake Erie is led in scoring by defenseman Maxim Noreau who has 30 points (8 goals, 22 assists). He is followed by Andrew Agozzino, Paul Carey, and Colin Smith who all have 27 points on the season. Speaking of Agent Smith, he threw his name in the hat for AHL Goal of the Year since the last time we met.
In this season’s head-to-head, consisting of 5 games, sees Carey leading the Monsters big time with 8 points (4 goals, 4 assists). According to AHL’s transactions page, he shouldn’t be a factor for today as he was recalled by the Colorado Avalanche on Friday. That hands the “best in the head-to-head” nod off to the highlight reel man Smith who has 4 assists against the Admirals. Opposite side of the spectrum? This match-up favors Pontus Åberg who has a team best 6 points (3 goals, 3 assists) for the Admirals against the Monsters.
~Between the Pipes~
Lake Erie has their tandem of Calvin Pickard and Sami Aittokallio available again today. Pickard has always been good against the Admirals and the same can be said again this season. He has won 2 games from 3 appearances against the Admirals with a 2.14 goals against average and 0.922 save percentage. Aittokallio has yet to play against the Admirals this season.
For the Admirals, despite a hit and miss stretch on home ice, this match up favors Magnus Hellberg over Marek Mazanec. Hellberg has faced the Monsters twice this season and both games have gone all the way to a shootout. He has a 1.34 goals against average and 0.951 save percentage against the Monsters. Mazanec has allowed 9 goals in 3 games against the Monsters this season for a 2.99 goals against average and 0.890 save percentage.
~Breaking News~
The Admirals will be without Brendan Leipsic. Why? He was just traded by the Nashville Predators to the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Predators have also reassigned Anthony Bitetto to the Admirals.
Expectations for today’s game? Will the offense rebound? Can Triston Grant score a goal for the fifth consecutive game?
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The result wasn’t great -but- wasn’t it great to see Miikka Salomäki back on the ice for the Admirals? (Photo Credit: Scott Paulus)
I took awhile to even get started on this edition of Chatterbox just to sit, think, and evaluate the Admirals 2-1 loss to the Rockford IceHogs. My first impression of the game was that it felt like an all-around stinker for both teams. The Admirals and IceHogs are capable of far better performances than what both displayed. The other thought? Both wanted to avoid the chaotic happenings in last weekend’s 7-5 goal fest and it resulted in a more structured defensive chess match.
Reality is that the game was a little of each of those two thoughts. Yes, it could have been much better from both. Yes, it was a defensive game. And that’s where I find myself actually thinking that, despite the result going against the Admirals, it was actually a pretty good performance.
Jared Nightingale and Jaynen Rissling were in game number two with the Admirals and they looked like they had been playing on the same defensive line all season. They both play a very simple and straight forward defensive game and they complement each other well on the ice. It should be the weak spot on the defense that is currently down two entire lines from where they started the season. No Johan Alm. No Jimmy Oligny. No. Joe Piskula. And Anthony Bitetto is current up in the NHL with the Nashville Predators.
Considering the level of talent and quality that the IceHogs possess this season I thought the defense and team put in a pretty good night of work in the books last night from a defensive perspective. Marek Mazanec only allowed a net front redirect off a miscue that allowed a shorthanded goal and then allowed another from a power-play. He made thirty-one saves otherwise and the better majority of those were nothing special.
The offensive side of the puck? To borrow a PC term from Stone Cold Steve Austin, it was a clustermuck. There are too many occasions this season when I notice the Admirals getting into spurts where they pass out of shooting opportunities. Probably more often than not, when this is the case, they lose. What worked so well in January was the “keep it simple” mentality. Put pucks to the net and then grind out those second and third chance opportunities.
Again, bit of good and bad to take out of that game. The good news is that, despite the loss, the Admirals remain in first place of the Midwest Division over the IceHogs. That gap was build in the week leading up to the game and it helps mask what was only the Admirals fourth regulation loss in twenty-one games.
Before going into the audio I thought I would shed some light as to what went on with the roster moves the previous two days. Taylor Aronson was called up to Nashville and Viktor Stålberg was sent down to the Admirals. Then, flip that around because that’s what happened early Friday morning. For Stålberg it was basically a paper transaction due to the Predators roster numbers meaning someone had to be sent down. He never left Nashville knowing he was going to be there the next day. And all that for Shea Weber to play through a stomach bug anyways. Aronson participated in the pre-game skate and was a healthy scratch. …hockey sometimes.
After the game I spoke with Dean Evason, Rich Clune, and Triston Grant. Here is what they had to say following Friday night’s game against the IceHogs.
The whole game was like this. No breathing space. None. (Photo Credit: Scott Paulus)
The Admirals lost 2-1 against the Rockford IceHogs Friday night. The story of the night was defense. Both sides played very tight and it played far more like a playoff game that last weekend’s roller coaster set played out. In the end, the IceHogs managed to score a power-play goal in the third period. It was enough for them to hold on and get the win tonight.
“Five-on-five we’re not giving much up,” said Milwaukee Admirals head coach Dean Evason. “I don’t think [Mazanec] had to work extremely hard – certainly five-on-five. We’re not generating as much as we should be to score goals as we were because we’re a little bit too fancy a little bit too cute right now. Trying to do things one-on-one as opposed to just simplifying our game. We got to get back to that Sunday for sure.”
Off of the game’s first power-play chance the Admirals allowed their fourth shorthanded goal in six games. The IceHogs turned off the draw and went straight down ice. Stephen Johns’ shot from the right point took a net front redirect by Phillip Danault. The deflected puck went straight down and through Marek Mazanec for Danault’s eighth goal of the season.
“Our guys are not recognizing when there is danger,” said Evason of the shorthanded goals allowed. “We’ve found ways the last two games to give up a penalty kill goal and a power-play goal. We certainly have to be better in that department.”
From that very same power-play opportunity the Admirals were able to save face by leveling things up. The IceHogs worked up ice again but were caught with numbers back and it allowed the Ads took take advantage of the space moving forward. Pontus Åberg found Triston Grant all alone on the right wing to the backdoor of Scott Darling for the goal. It is Grant’s ninth goal of the season. He has scored a goal in four straight games and five of his last six.
In the third period the IceHogs would regain their lead with a power-play goal. Ville Pokka, Teuvo Teräväinen, and Joakim Nordstrom linked up for a tic-tac-toe passing play that ended with the puck on the tape of Nordstrom alone at the hashmarks to beat Mazanec on the glove side. It was the Swede’s ninth goal of the season.
These two will not meet again until Tuesday April 7th in Rockford. The Admirals already have the season head-to-head against the IceHogs won. As for what the Midwest Division standings will be come the time of that game – that will be the question. Plenty of games between then and now. I expect it to be tight.
Ramblings: Tonight’s scratches for the Admirals were Zach Budish (healthy), Joe Piskula (lower body), Jimmy Oligny (right knee), and Johan Alm (left wrist). Miikka Salomäki made his return to the lineup tonight after missing the previous seven games due to an upper-body injury. On the road Wednesday it was Triston Grant wearing the extra “A” available with captain Piskula out to injury. Tonight at home the extra “A” was given to Austin Watson.
Thoughts on tonight’s game? What happened to the offense tonight? Was this a positive game considering how battered the defense of the Admirals is?
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WHY CAN’T WE BE FRIENDS? …oh, right. (Photo Credit: Greg Hamil)
Let’s be honest, it hasn’t been too long since we’ve scouted these chaps. It was a week ago when first place of the Midwest Division was on the line and the Admirals swept not only the two games against the Rockford IceHogs but also the end of their three-in-three with the Rochester Americans. The Admirals did fall 3-2 in overtime to the Chicago Wolves on Wednesday but the points gained in the last two games were a bonus. The IceHogs haven’t played since we last saw them.
Entering tonight’s game, the Admirals and IceHogs have both played 48 games on the season. The Ads lead the Midwest Division with a record of 28-13-3-4 (63 points) over the IceHogs who have a 26-16-4-2 (58 points) record. A loss tonight would not impact the divisional standings. Though, I think we’d all prefer to simply win.
~Changes For Both~
What has changed since the last time we met? Quite a lot. The Predators and Admirals defensive injury woes have left the AHL side of things very tight. With Jaynen Rissling joining the Admirals this week there are no more defensive products in the system at the ECHL level. In addition, it meant adding an extra body to the fold. What’s fun is that it’s a player that should be more than familiar with tonight’s opponent.
Jared Nightingale was added on a PTO contract and made his Admirals debut on Wednesday night in Chicago. He was the team captain of the IceHogs last season where he played 67 games, scored 4 points (1 goal, 3 assists), had a plus/minus rating of -14, and 114 penalty minutes.
“To be coming to a team like Milwaukee, they’ve always been a playoff team, I’m really excited to help them continue to win,” said Jared Nightingale on Aaron Sims’ pre-game show Wednesday night. “Hopefully I can fit in and can add an element that they need. I’m excited for that.”
By joining the Admirals Nightingale is playing for his fourth different AHL team this season. He has played with the Norfolk Admirals, Hartford Wolf Pack, and Grand Rapids Griffins in 2014-15. That goes along with the Toledo Walleye of the ECHL.
“Things have changed quickly. This will be my fifth team,” said Nightingale. “You could look at it through two odd lenses, get frustrated, but I’ve honestly been pretty fortunate to go to quality organizations and I know I’ve only heard good things about Milwaukee. Grand Rapids was a great experience. I was down in Norfolk for a couple months and that was great. Even when I was in the [ECHL] with Toledo it’s still rewarding. There is a lot that you can get out of it.”
Tonight won’t just be his first game against the IceHogs since playing for them last season. It will actually be the first game he has ever played against the IceHogs in his career. Quite impressive to have a first like that when you have logged 542 professional games.
It isn’t all bad news as far as the Admirals injury woes are concerned. Tonight should mark the return of Miikka Salomäki to the Admirals lineup after missing the last 7 games due to an upper-body injury. The Finn was cleared to play ahead of Wednesday night’s game but the team elected to keep him out one more game just to be on the safe side.
Also on the Admirals side of things. Taylor Aronson has already been returned to Milwaukee after a cup of coffee in the NHL. He was brought up pretty much on an emergency basis in case Shea Weber was still feeling ill last night. As it happened, both d-men took to the ice for pre-game skate and Weber was good enough to go. Aronson was a healthy scratch. Anthony Bitetto is the lone man up in Nashville at the moment.
What’s changed for the IceHogs? Nearly as much. They’ve had quite the active transfers the last week and it even includes Kirill Gotovets. That Belarus native made his professional playing debut with the Admirals on an ATO contract last season. He even made a Chatterbox appearance.
The comings and goings for the IceHogs have seen Kyle Cumiskey and Ryan Hartman both get called up to the Chicago Blackhawks while Finnish phenom Teuvo Teräväinen rejoins the IceHogs from a decent spell in the NHL.
Teräväinen has played 12 games for the Blackhawks this season and has scored 4 points (2 goals, 2 assists). He’s been much better at the AHL level this season: 33 games, 23 points (6 goals, 17 assists), plus/minus of -3, and 6 penalty minutes. Against the Admirals this season he has 4 points (1 goal, 3 assists) in 6 games.
As far as those suspensions go, the IceHogs will be receiving Brandon Mashinter tonight while Cody Bass starts the first of a two game suspension tonight. Mashinter served his two game suspension for elbowing last weekend. Meanwhile, Bass was suspended by the AHL for his actions last Friday in Milwaukee. I know Bass was involved in his fair bit of post-whistle antics, as was Pierre-Cédric Labrie, but I don’t recall a moment where I thought he went over the line. Garret Ross was given a match penalty for saying the magic words at the officials in the Saturday game in Rockford. Would still love to know more of what happened there.
~Expectations~
After last week I could just about toss expectations to the wind. The two games played between the Admirals and IceHogs had a playoff level intensity with a defensive structure in the second game of *pause* no defensive structure. Those two games ended with a combined scoreline of 11-6 to the tune of the Admirals with a combined 88 penalty minutes.
If there were any aspect that could be bigger and better than it was last weekend you would assume both defenses should be on point tonight. The game plan for both should be simplified and I think both would prefer to avoid the run and gun nature of the Saturday game in Rockford last weekend. With the Admirals defense in a small jam at the moment – this might be the make or break to the game. Otherwise, perhaps that offense will just do enough like they did last weekend.
What are you expecting out of tonight’s game against the Rockford IceHogs? How will the Admirals defense fair in their second night together in the current shape that they’re in? Will our offense be able to overpower the IceHogs to control this game?
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It’s been a journey but Taylor Aronson has earned his first ever taste of playing in the NHL with his call up to the Nashville Predators today. (Photo Credit: Scott Paulus)
Well this move comes as a surprise. The Nashville Predators have called up Taylor Aronson for his first ever NHL call up and reassigned Viktor Stålberg to the Milwaukee Admirals.
Nashville, Tenn. (February 12, 2015) – Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced Thursday that the team has recalled defenseman Taylor Aronson (TAY-luhr AIHR-uhn-suhn) from Milwaukee (AHL) and reassigned forward Viktor Stalberg to the Admirals. This is Aronson’s first career recall and he will wear No. 50 with the Predators.
Aronson, 23 (12/30/91), leads Milwaukee defensemen, and is tied for 10th among all AHL blueliners, in points (3g-23a-26pts) while appearing in 45 of the team’s 48 games in 2014-15. A native of Placentia, Calif., the 6-1, 196-pounder is also tied for second among AHL defensemen in assists and power-play assists (12).
Nashville’s second choice, 78th overall (third round), in the 2010 Entry Draft, becomes the fourth member of the draft class to spend time with the team, and the third Portland Winterhawk on the active roster, joining Seth Jones and Paul Gaustad.
This is quite the feel good story. Aronson was in the ECHL playing for the Cincinnati Cyclones all of last season before earning his spot with the Admirals and really exceeding all expectations. He leads Admiral defensemen in scoring with 26 points (3 goals, 23 assists) in 45 games to go along with a plus/minus rating of +5 and 12 penalty minutes.
As for Stålberg, this is now his fifth stint with the Admirals this season. He started with a conditioning assignment and has since logged more than his share of frequent flyer miles between the NHL and AHL.
Thoughts on the Aronson call up? Where does this leave the Admirals now ahead of this weekend?
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Shane Harper’s point streak has now reached ten games for the Chicago Wolves. He had the primary assist on the game-winner in overtime. (Photo Credit: Ross Dettman)
The Admirals lost 3-2 in overtime against the Chicago Wolves on the road Wednesday night. It’s the third time this season that was the final scoreline in the Amtrak Rivalry but the first that saw the Wolves have the winning edge.
Jaynen Rissling’s first contribution to the AHL may not be something he’ll be too fond of. He was called for interference and the Wolves capitalized off of it to score the game’s opening goal. Petteri Lindbohm passed over to Magnus Paajarvi on the right wing for a shot pass in front of Marek Mazanec to Terry Broadhurst. The redirection went up and over Mazanec for Broadhurst’s sixth goal of the season.
It didn’t take too long for the Admirals to respond. Less than two minutes after the power-play goal allowed the Ads had a deflection goal of their own. Ian White’s shot from the right point was stabbed on the way to the net by Triston Grant. The redirect put the puck low and out of the reach of Jordan Binnington for Grant’s eighth goal of the season.
The Wolves were not too happy about the Admirals second goal scored in the first period. Colton Sissons had slight contact at the net with Binnington and then the netminder was completely screened by Rich Clune. White had a shot that kicked out perfectly for Sissons to tap it in for his sixteenth goal of the season. There was no call or review on the play despite Binnington instantly getting snippy with the officials.
In the second period the Admirals generated plenty of power-play chances. They had two five-on-three opportunities but didn’t generate goals from them. With the period coming to a close the Wolves scored shorthanded. Brent Regner sent Rob Bordson up ice with Jeremy Welsh on a break. The Ads had the numbers back but Kevin Fiala didn’t backcheck Welsh and it allowed Bordson’s feed to hit him in stride to the net for his twelfth goal of the season and fifth scored against the Admirals this season.
The game would roll through the third period and into three-on-three overtime. Pat Cannone was able to dodge a stick check of Austin Watson and break in on goal from the left faceoff circle to square up Mazanec and beat him top shelf over the glove for his eleventh goal of the season.
The loss tonight for the Admirals ends a franchise record six-game road winning streak. The point gained by making it into overtime does allow the Admirals to earn sole possession of second place in the Western Conference.
Ramblings: Tonight’s scratches included Miikka Salomaki (cleared for game action today, healthy scratch), Joe Piskula (lower body), Jimmy Oligny (right knee), and Johan Alm (left wrist). With the team captain out tonight the extra “A” went to Triston Grant.
Thoughts on tonight’s game? With all the banged up bodies was taking a point on the road still a positive result? Who is most to blame on the shorthanded goal allowed?
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