Game Recaps February 1, 2016February 2, 2016

Central Division Claim Inaugural AHL All-Star Challenge

Frédérick Gaudreau and Dean Evason appear to have made a few new friends within the heated Central Division. Why not? The Milwaukee Admirals and their Central Division comrades became the first ever AHL All-Star Challenge Champions tonight in Syracuse. (Photo Credit: @ManitobaMoose // Twitter)

Milwaukee Admirals’ All-Stars Frédérick Gaudreau and head coach Dean Evason both came away Champions of the inaugural AHL All-Star Challenge. The Central Division All-Stars nearly swept the tournament ending the night winning three of four games. They matched-up against the Atlantic Division in the final and shut them out 4-0 to become the first ever AHL All-Star Challenge Champions.

[Editor’s Note: You can watch the full video highlights of the 2016 AHL All-Star Challenge on AHL Live right here]

In the opening contest the Pacific Division played against the North Division and immediately the new format had a heavy sigh moment. As the 4:30 time stamp was about to hit, signalling the end of four-on-four hockey to three-on-three, Mikko Rantanen sprung Brandon Montour off on a breakaway and the horn sounded before the shot was unleashed. The game stayed scoreless until 26.7 seconds remaining when Josh Leivo beat Peter Budaj for a 1-0 win.

The Admirals and friends were up next with the Central Division matching up against the Atlantic Division. Once again, the four-on-four format resulted in no goals for either team and it was left up to the the three-on-three portion to decide it. Pat Cannone scored five-hole on a breakaway to give the Central Division a lead but, after a failed empty net bid for Derek Ryan, Chris Bourque beat Michael Leighton with a bomb from the right wing with less than a second remaining. What happens when games in this format end tied such as this? They are decided in a three-round shootout. Gaudreau was the first man up for the Central Division but his shake and bake deke and turn to the backhander was stopped by Mike McKenna. The lone shootout goal scored came from the man who put the Central Division out in regulation, Cannone, who buried a snapshot off the post and in for a 2-1 shootout win.

After a small break the two winning teams of the opening games squared off. The Central Division popped in two goals from four-on-four play. Cannone scored a beauty of a backhander on a breakaway that slid through the five hole of Yann Danis. The bad times kept going for Danis, as well.. After a big save by Eric Comrie down at the other end of the rink Danis let in what appeared to be a misplayed pass by Jake Dowell and it rolled in through his legs to make it 2-0 through the first half. Dowell would open up three-on-three play with a two-on-naught breakaway and scored a hard wrister through the wickets of Kristers Gudlevskis to make it a 3-0 Central Division lead. This would be followed by two rapid fire goals for the North Division. Leivo whipped a wrister off the near post and in. Then Matt Taormina passed off to Mike McCarron and he scored to make it 3-2. The game would be polished off by a brilliant empty netter by Ryan Hartman. He banked a shot off the boards in neutral ice that perfectly angled in to the empty net to give the Central Division a 4-2 win.

The following game between the Atlantic Division and Pacific Division started quickly with a wing-to-wing goal finished off by Alan Quine. Then Seth Griffith was racing in on an odd man rush, skated right wing while looking left wing the whole way in on goal, and snapped a shot top shelf to give the Atlantic a 2-0 lead through the four-on-four segment. Anthony Stolarz put on a show in net during the three-on-three but would eventually get beaten on a slap shot by Sean Backman to set up an empty net frenzy that would go begging for the Pacific Division. The Atlantic Division would survive with a 2-1 win.

(Photo Credit: Milwaukee Admirals // Twitter) — (Photo Credit: @mkeadmirals // Twitter)

The loss for the Pacific Division meant the follow-up game wouldn’t do much for them. They were eliminated from the Final. That didn’t stop them from pounding the unbeaten and Final bound Central Division 3-1 in the four-on-four portion of their game. Derek Grant scored twelve-seconds into the game. Xavier Ouellet was able to level things at 1-1 with a nasty backhand-forehand breakaway finish. Nick Ritchie slid a puck undearneath Comrie to give the Pacific Division their lead back and, after Dowell rang iron on a breakaway, Rantenen scored a sick backhander to make it 3-1. With three-on-three play opening up ice T.J. Tynan tagged the left wing rush of Jeff Hoggan to make it 3-2 nine-seconds into the pond hockey frame. Ritchie would respond to that by adding his second of the game from a left wing breakaway finishing with a backhander that went five hole on Comrie. The punches kept coming as André Benoît scored a hard wrister through the legs of Budaj. And, with 27.1 seconds remaining, Dowell scored to level the game at 4-4 just as Comrie made it to the bench for the extra attacker. Sadly, the Central Division would be handed its only loss of the round-robin tournament as Grant scored Pavel Datsyuk-style with 3.7 seconds to go to end the game at a 5-4 Pacific Division final.

The game to decide who would play the Central Division in the Final was next, the North Divison against the Atlantic Division. This contest was pretty much all Atlantic Division as Rob Schremp and Bourque scored quickly to make it a 2-0 lead. A brilliant play by Mike Angelidis allowed for a feed to be delivered to the tape of Mike Sislo to get the North on the board. That would be it though. Quine added another and Schremp would score an empty netter to put the Atlantic Division into the Final after a 4-1 win.

The Final of the 2016 AHL All-Star Challenge was all Central Division all day and all night. Leighton, who had just tied the AHL’s all-time record for career shutouts, pitched a shutout in the Final as the team in front of him scored four goals to crown the Central Division as the first ever AHL All-Star Challenge Champions.

Gaudreau was a trigger man on three of the four goals in the Final. He was the tic of a tic-tac-toe goal between himself, Benoît, and Hoggan. Gaudreau then had a primary assist on a crafty goal for the man that would be named the AHL All-Star MVP, Cannone. Ryan of the Charlotte Checkers scored a phenomenal pull back wrister near post and under the crossbar. And the Gaudreau was able to assist on the empty netter by Ouellet that finished the AHL All-Star Challenge at a 4-0 final.

What did you think of the brand new AHL All-Star Challenge format? Do you think it would be easier if the AHL just adapted what the NHL showcased yesterday or is it fun to have two different All-Star formats such as this?

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News February 1, 2016

AHL Extends Partnership with CCM

Out of the woodwork from the AHL All-Star festivities this afternoon comes the news that the league will be extending its partnership with CCM for the next five-seasons to remain the exclusive supplier of sticks, helmets, gloves, pants and jerseys for the American Hockey League.

Press Release via AHL:

SPRINGFIELD, Mass./MONTREAL … The American Hockey League and CCM Hockey are pleased to announce a five-year extension of their multi-year partnership that will continue to serve as the foundation for the AHL’s marketing, licensing and on-ice branding strategies. CCM will remain the exclusive supplier of sticks, helmets, gloves, pants and jerseys, delivering world-class product to AHL players.

The AHL and CCM Hockey remain two of the most recognized and respected entities in the industry. The American Hockey League is currently in the midst of its 80th season as one of the premier hockey leagues across the globe. CCM is positioned as the largest designer and manufacturer of hockey equipment in the world, and is represented by NHL superstars including Sidney Crosby, Carey Price, John Tavares and Connor McDavid. More than 88 percent of today’s National Hockey League players are graduates of the AHL, including Patrice Bergeron,Carey Price, Corey Crawford and Dustin Brown.

CCM Hockey will remain the exclusive licensee for AHL replica jerseys, and will remain a licensee for other AHL apparel and headwear including authentic jerseys and the official Calder Cup Championship hats and shirts worn on the ice by the league’s championship teams. CCM will also continue to sponsor the AHL All-Star Classic, providing equipment, jerseys and locker room apparel for the annual event, and will also be the head-to-toe uniform provider for AHL referees and linesmen.

“Our partnership with CCM Hockey has been an integral element in the success of our league business for the past 11 years,” said David Andrews, President and Chief Executive Officer of the American Hockey League. “The scope of this relationship remains unmatched in our sport and continues to have a positive impact on every facet of our product both on and off the ice.”

“Our partnership with the American Hockey League is an asset to the continuous growth of both our brand and the league,” said Sean Williams, Vice-President Global Marketing and North American Sales of CCM Hockey. “We are committed to providing the world’s best players with technology-driven products that will help them perform their best on the ice, and are thrilled to be able to continuously do so with AHL players.”

About the American Hockey League
Formed in 1936, the American Hockey League (theahl.com, @TheAHL) serves as the top development league for players in all 30 National Hockey League organizations, as well as coaches, officials, executives, trainers and broadcasters throughout the NHL. More than 88 percent of today’s NHL players are graduates of the American Hockey League, and through the years the AHL has been home to more than 100 honored members of the Hockey Hall of Fame.

About Reebok-CCM Hockey
Reebok-CCM Hockey, a subsidiary of the adidas Group, is headquartered in Montreal. With operations in Canada, the United States and Europe, the Company is the world’s largest designer, manufacturer and marketer of hockey equipment and related apparel under two of the most recognized hockey brand names: Reebok Hockey and CCM Hockey. Reebok-CCM Hockey equips more professional hockey players than any other company, including superstars like Sidney Crosby and John Tavares. Reebok-CCM Hockey is also the official outfitter of the National Hockey League, the American Hockey League, the Canadian Hockey League, and several NCAA and national teams. For more info, visit: www.reebokhockey.com and www.ccmhockey.com.

What’s interesting to note about this partnership extension is there is now a direct split between the NHL and AHL as far as the supplier of uniforms is concerned. The AHL’s new deal with CCM will run through the 2020-21 season. Meanwhile, the NHL split away from CCM/Reebok and announced that Adidas will be the official outfitter starting with the 2017-18 season and extending through to the 2023-24 season. In a nutshell that means a slight bit more work for NHL/AHL equipment managers everywhere.

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News February 1, 2016

Arvidsson Recalled to Nashville

This afternoon the Nashville Predators decided to throw a bit of a curveball my way by recalling Viktor Arvidsson from the Milwaukee Admirals instead of Kevin Fiala. It seemed as if Fiala was assigned to the Admirals with the NHL All-Star break in mind. Games around the NHL resume tomorrow so plenty of names who were put in the same spot as Fiala are getting recalled back to their parent clubs – just not him quite yet.

Press Release via Nashville Predators:

Nashville, Tenn. (February 1, 2016) – Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced Monday that the club has recalled forward Viktor Arvidsson from Milwaukee (AHL).

Arvidsson, 22 (4/8/92), has five points (3g-2a) in 24 games for the Predators in 2015-16 after going scoreless in his first six career NHL contests a season ago. The 5-foot-9, 180-pound native of Skelleftea, Sweden’s first career goal was the game winner in Nashville’s season-opening victory over Carolina on Oct. 8, and he recorded back-to-back tallies on Dec. 5 at Detroit and Dec. 7 at Boston, with the latter also being a game-winning goal. Nashville’s fifth choice, 112th overall (fourth round), in the 2014 Entry Draft, Arvidsson has 18 points (8g-10a) in 17 games with the Admirals this season, with six of those markers coming on the power play. He was named to the 2015 AHL All-Rookie Team in his first season in North America after ranking third among league rookies and first on the Milwaukee Admirals in points (22g-33a-55pts).

For Arvidsson this will be his third spell up in the NHL this season. He started the 2015-16 campaign off with the Predators before returning to the Admirals and unleashing the longest point streak in the AHL this season that lasted thirteen-games. That saw him go back to the show before tailing off a touch and returning to the Admirals for what was only a three-game stint.

With the Predators this season Arvidsson has scored 5 points (3 goals, 2 assists) in 24 games. As a member of the Admirals this season he has been better that a point per game player by recording 18 points (8 goals, 10 assists) in 17 games. For those in Nashville wondering: Arvidsson only scored a goal in his recent stint with the Admirals that included missing two-games due to injury. That still didn’t stop him from rattling off 17 shots on goal in that small of a window. See Puck. Shoot Puck. Arvidsson logic.

Are you as surprised as I am that Viktor Arvidsson is getting recalled over Kevin Fiala? Is this a quick test to see if Arvidsson has regained some form to motor back at NHL pace?

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Feature February 1, 2016

Fifteen with Frédérick Gaudreau

Tonight will be the 2016 AHL All-Star Classic featuring a brand new format. If it is anywhere near as entertaining as the NHL’s updated take on the All-Star game we should all be in for a real treat.

When we last left off on Fifteen we had the head coach of the Milwaukee Admirals Dean Evason on-board. He’ll be coaching the Central Division All-Stars tonight. What better way to follow that interview, and setup tonight’s AHL All-Star Classic, than having the Admirals representative on the ice Frédérick Gaudreau be featured today?

I think Gaudreau’s story has been pretty well documented this season. Even the causal readers from Nashville had to take some stock in his play because he performed so well he earned a two-year entry level contract from the Nashville Predators. It really wasn’t long after that when he found out he would be going to the AHL All-Star Classic, either. This season has been a whirlwind for the 22-year old from Granby, Quebec. But it has all been positive and it has all been earned.

Before plunging into the interview with Gaudreau I feel like telling a very short story. After this season’s Admirals pre-season game at the MSOE Kern Center was finished up I was hanging around outside the locker room waiting to do my typical interviews. At that early in the season I was desperately trying to just figure out faces. As I was waiting and waiting I heard someone say my name. It was Gaudreau. He approached me, shook my hand, told me how great it was to see me again, and jogged on off to do cooldown work outs. After that happened I did a quick scan back through last season and I found that I had only talked to him one time during the 2014-15 season. He just saw a familiar face and wanted to give a hello.

The only thing better than Gaudreau the player this season is Gaudreau the person. The catch there is he’s been the same humble guy for quite some time now. That’s what made seeing a person like him earning an NHL contract so great for everyone around the Milwaukee Admirals to see.

Gaudreau has asked me after this interview if I’d be posting the audio of our chat up because he was nervous about his English. I told him the truth which was that he did fine. Better than me, actually, because I ended up basically substituting a question that kind of related to just that topic. So, when listening in, I’d like to throw the friendly reminder out there of the language barrier being a real thing and English is a language that even I still struggle at putting forward. That all said: Sit back. Enjoy. And let’s all get to know some more about tonight’s Admirals All-Star.

~Fifteen~

Admirals Roundtable: What were your inspirations to play hockey?

Frédérick Gaudreau: I think I grew up in a family that they just wanted me to be happy doing what I like. And, honestly, hockey is what I always liked to do. My brothers also played. My parents both played. So, basically I grew up in a hockey family. That’s where it came from I think.

AR: When did you realize you were going to be playing hockey for a career?

Gaudreau: It was always a dream but you only realize it when you start doing it. So, I would say last year. (AR: So, it didn’t even sink in until your first pro contract?) It was something that I always wanted to do and, for sure, I believed in it but I mean… I feel like you only realize it when you start doing it for real.

AR: Who was the first famous player that you met?

Gaudreau: I don’t remember that honestly but I started working out during summer with, actually two-years ago, with Sean Couturier and Mathieu Perreault. Which was pretty nice.

AR: What is your greatest hockey moment?

Gaudreau: I’d say when I won the Memorial Cup with the Shawinigan Cataractes in 2012. That was an unbelievable feeling. He hosted the Cup, lost in the Playoffs, but went there as the host team and finally won the Cup. So it was pretty fun.

AR: What’s the most memorable goal that you’ve scored?

Gaudreau: I don’t remember that. Maybe a goal in the playoffs in Drummondville last season in juniors. I scored five in that night. [Editor’s Note: It happened on 3/28/14 and he did it against Jonathan Diaby‘s poor Victoriaville Tigres no less. One better? Of Gaudreau’s five goals one was scored against Brandon Whitney – current goaltender of the Cincinnati Cyclones in the ECHL playing under contract to the Admirals.] So, probably the last one. (AR: Five?!) Yeah, it was a good night.

AR: What is the strangest game that you’ve played in?

Gaudreau: Whoa, that’s a good question. [pause] I don’t know that. I’ve played so many games.. so many strange games.. there’s not one.. maybe one I’d say, I think it ended up 11-10 or something like that. (AR: Did the goalies not show up?) I don’t know. It was just a crazy game.. crazy night.

AR: What is your most painful hockey moment?

Gaudreau: When I broke my wrist. When I broke my wrist in Midget AAA I’d say physically painful but I’d say when we lost in the playoffs the year we won the Memorial Cup, when we lost in the playoffs, that was pretty painful mentally for sure.

AR: What are your favorite uniforms in hockey?

Gaudreau: That I played in? (AR: Yeah, or in general because I get a lot of responses. I keep throwing this back to people as an example. Max Görtz‘s favorite uniform I had to chase down. It was his boyhood team growing up – his hometown team. I was like, Frosta HC? Who are they? So any team, really.) I don’t know. I like any kind of vintage jersey that the NHL use. So, all the Winter Classics – the ones that Montreal used this season for their game against Boston. Boston’s was nice too. I like all the vintage jerseys. (AR: I don’t know if you had the chance to see it yet but you’re going to be wearing an awesome retro jersey for the All-Stars.) Yeah, I saw that. (AR: They look amazing.) I think so, too! They are really nice.

AR: Who is the funniest player that you’ve met?

Gaudreau: I’ve met a few but I’d say Vladislav Kamenev is pretty funny. (AR: Kamenev?) Yeah. (AR: Is there something that I don’t know because I keep being told that his English is a work in progress?) It’s not because he always talks it’s just the way he is. He’s just a great guy and we keep having fun with him. So, he’s a really nice guy. (AR: I saw a bit of his personality come through. I think it was on Media Day back during pre-season. He was playing table tennis against Garrett Noonan – and he was destroying Garrett Noonan. He was just having a laugh. He seems like a really nice guy.) Yeah, he is a really nice guy. Just the way he is we think he’s always funny.

AR: By the way, how is Kamenev’s English coming along?

Gaudreau: I think he’s getting really good. For sure it was hard for him I think because he didn’t know nothing about English. I think it would be hard for anybody but I think he’s really getting better. Starting to talk a lot more. And, for sure, understands a lot more too. (AR: That’s something I’m always cautious to do. I saw it with Miikka Salomäki when he was first here -English very difficult- [Marek Mazanec] when he was first here -English incredibly difficult- …playing out there is hard enough as it is much less being plopped into what’s like an alien world. I only speak one language and I had to go to college to learn it better.) Yeah exactly! (AR: You guys speak better English than me and you still speak like three different languages. All of you.) Ahh, well thank you but I think we still have to improve always. We can always improve. I got lucky enough that I grew up in Canada so our second language was English. We had to learn it a little bit in school and all that. But, for a guy like [Kamanev] that comes from Russia and the only thing [he’s] heard his entire life is Russian, I bet it’s really hard. I gave him a lot of credit for that because it’s something that’s always going to stay for his whole life. He could’ve learned a language like that. (AR: And there is no one else here who speaks Russian. I follow the Pittsburgh Penguins so I thought of him like an Evgeni Malkin in a sense where he doesn’t know the language coming here but at least Malkin had a Sergei Gonchar to help kind of usher him into the country. Kamenev really hasn’t had that.) No, exactly. He had it at the camp with [Yakov Trenin] but after that Trenin went back to Juniors so he was here, the only one speaking Russian, so he had to stick up with people all the time that would help him. So every time we were out for dinner or something like that – we had to explain to him a little more the menu and all that. As it went by he just kept going, kept working on his English, and for sure now he can go where ever he wants alone. (AR: For me, I took one-year of Spanish in high school followed up with two-years of French and I can only remember one thing of French. Which is: je ne sais pas.) [laughs] (AR: Which is very important because it’s true… because I don’t know.)

AR: What’s your favorite part of Milwaukee?

Gaudreau: I like the whole town. Never really had the chance to come here during summer. I heard it is really nice during summer. But, I don’t know, I feel like it’s kind of a big town.. not so big.. but even if it’s big we feel like it’s a small town because I feel like people are nice here. Hockey, they love it here. I like all of this city especially the people here.

AR: What is your favorite food?

Gaudreau: I love sushi. (AR: Sushi?) [nods agreeably off mic]

AR: What is your favorite non-hockey hobby?

Gaudreau: I don’t know. I don’t really have a hobby. I like to do all kinds of stuff. I just started to play guitar a bit last year. I’m not good at it but I enjoy it. So, it’s something I’d like to get better at for sure.

AR: What is your favorite non-hockey memory?

Gaudreau: I don’t know. Like I said, I enjoy so much simple dinner with my family. So every little dinner we have during summer, or whenever during season when I have the chance to, for me those moments I’m so grateful for those moments. There’s many of them that come to my mind so I’d say all of them.

AR: What do you see yourself doing after hockey?

Gaudreau: I haven’t figured it out exactly but it always depends on where you go at hockey. It’d be different if it be a long career. If it’d not be I don’t really know. I hope it be a long one and after that I could have more choices. But I don’t really know yet. My brother has a business doing some furniture. He has his own furniture company and I enjoyed doing it with him this summer. It’s pretty fun. So maybe I would like to go with him but so far I don’t know exactly. (AR: Well, so far even in the scope of like this season, Nashville ended up giving you your two-year entry level so that’s pretty impressive enough. So, it’s working out so far for ya this little hockey career.) Yeah, well for sure. I did it step by step for my entire career so far. That’s another step. For sure if I can keep reaching other steps to the top, which is establishing myself, that’s a big dream – just establishing yourself. I have a long career – that’s a big dream. If I can reach step by step to that goal for sure it’d be really nice. (AR: It wasn’t in that far a span either you get your contract from Nashville and then you get selected for an All-Star Game.) Yeah, that week was crazy. I just signed – which is something pretty nice – and then I think not even a week after I received that call to tell me I was going to the All-Star Game. So that was a crazy week.

A massive thank you to Milwaukee Admirals All-Star representative Frédérick Gaudreau for taking the time to do this interview. We’ll all be cheering him on tonight as he wears what I’m sure will become his favorite uniform of all-time. As for Fifteen, this week is Five Days of Fifteen so I will have one each weekday this week. As for the coming weeks – who do you want to have featured in Fifteen next? Please comment down below with your suggestions!

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Feature February 1, 2016

Admiral of the Month: January

The month of January felt like it was nearly as much of a marathon as December but for the complete opposite reason. The Admirals had so much time off at the end of this month. It didn’t feel anywhere near as draining as December’s 14 games in 31 days did.

In total, January ended with a record of 5-3-2-0 through 10 games of work. There were a few standout moments but I feel the month of January can be marked as a massive transitional period in the Admirals 2015-16 season. The Nashville Predators decided to get active in the trade market specifically with their AHL club in mind. Conor Allen and Victor Bartley were traded away and saw the arrival of Patrick Mullen and Stefan Elliott. Some roster swaps on Nashville’s end of things also shuffled the deck. Through it all the Admirals had a foundation to play in front of and get through any of those mistakes that would come with new chemistry. That foundation was Marek Mazanec.

This season’s goaltending had been pretty clean cut as far as who started in net for the Admirals. Both were doing a great job and the two were sharing the responsibilities of starting in net. That changed slightly at the end of January. Was it because Juuse Saros was having a poor month? He went 2-2-0-0 from 4 starts, had a 2.79 goals against average, and a 0.904 save percentage. It’s good. It’s just that Mazanec wasn’t good – he was great.

In the month of January Mazanec went 3-1-2-0 from 6 starts, had a 1.98 goals against average, 0.922 percentage, and 2 shutouts. When looking back at those two overtime losses those were pretty much 2 points earned by Mazanec for the Admirals. He battled hard against the Rockford IceHogs. He made an absolute highlight reel save to rob Lake Erie Monsters forward Nick Moutrey from point blank range. Those could have been defeats in regulation. With Mazanec in net they became valuable points earned in a season defined by points percentage. He was brilliant time and time again.

Admirable Mentions: Pontus Åberg, 6 points (5 goals, 1 assist) in 10 games including scoring a hat trick in San Antonio… Cody Hodgson, 5 points (2 goals, 3 assists) with an average of 4 shots on goal per game in 5 games since arriving from the Nashville Predators after clearing waivers… Vladislav Kamenev, 5 points (2 goals, 3 assists) in 3 games after returning from the 2016 IIHF World Juniors but unfortunately missed the end of the month due to a lower-body injury… Kevin Fiala, 5 points (1 goal, 4 assists) in 6 games…

~Admiral of the Month Award~

October: Félix Girard
November: Viktor Arvidsson
December: Frédérick Gaudreau
January: Marek Mazanec

Who do you feel was the Milwaukee Admirals top performer during the month of January? Was it Marek Mazanec, Pontus Åberg, or someone else? Answer in the comment section below.

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News January 31, 2016

2016 AHL All-Star Skills Competition

Tonight was the first piece of the 2016 AHL All-Star festivities in Syracuse. Frédérick Gaudreau took part in three events on the evening: Sher-Wood Puck Control Relay, U.S. Army Pass and Score, and Panasonic Breakaway Relay.

Gaudreau took part in the very first event of the night which was the Sher-Wood Puck Control Relay. His team of Pat Cannone and Brendan Ranford lost out to the Eastern All-Stars of Will O’Neill, Seth Griffith, and Nick Cousins. Cannone botched the puckhandling on the second pylon and Gaudreau did a decent job to close the gap when racing against Griffith. Sadly, when it came to Ranford and Cousins, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms forward put in a blinder of a last leg to give them the win.

The next event for Gaudreau was the U.S. Army Pass & Score. He had T.J. Tynan and Mikko Rantanen trying to score on goaltender Yann Danis. All three players passing on the three-on-none breakaway had to touch the puck before shooting on goal. They had three chances. The first one ran a little too deep before getting a shot away. The second chance was polished off by Tynan after Gaudreau left a drop pass in front of the net. And the final chance ended with a great post-to-post save by Danis to deny Rantanen on a one-timer from a Gaudreau feed.

As the final event started the score of the AHL Skills Competition was tied at 9-9 between the Western and Eastern All-Star teams. Leave it to a shootout to decide the winner, eh? Gaudreau took part in the Panasonic Breakaway Relay and missed his shootout attempt after striking iron. He pulled the move he’d been using a lot this season where he stutter steps a touch, pump fakes a shot, and then rips a writser. Gaudreau simply didn’t get enough of the inside of the post to bank it back in. Luckily for him, the rest of the Western All-Stars held up -especially the goaltenders- to give the Western Conference a win in the Skills Competition by a final score of 19-14.

The Individual Awards were: Fastest Skater, Derek Grant (14.307)… Hardest Shot, Ryan Graves (103.4 mph)… Accuracy Shooting, Pat Cannone… Top Goaltender, Eric Comrie…

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Chatterbox January 31, 2016

Chatterbox, Vol. 107

I’m not sure I would say last night’s 7-3 win for the Milwaukee Admirals over the Grand Rapids Griffins was the team’s best performance of this season – but it might certainly go down as one of the more important ones when this season ends and everyone reflects.

The Griffins have been dominating the Admirals most of this season. Their goaltender Jared Coreau has especially had the Admirals number and has so for his entire career. Remember what I wrote in Scouting the Enemy yesterday about his career numbers against the Admirals?

In net against the Admirals Coreau has played in nine-games, made eight starts, holds a record of 7-1-0-0, has three career shutouts, and stopped 203/212 shots on goal for a career save percentage of 0.958 to go along with a 0.99 career goals against average.

Yeah. That’s domination. That’s Admirals Killer status. It made perfect sense why the Griffins went with Tom McCollum in net Friday night when they matched-up against the Toronto Marlies. They were saving Coreau for the Admirals in a two-in-two. The Marlies are the hottest team in the AHL. Why burn up your tried and true formula of Coreau against the Admirals the night before in a grinder?

Hard cut to present day where that scenario for the Griffins didn’t work out at all. Coreau lasted 25:33 of ice time, was bombarded with shots unlike the Admirals have ever thrown on him before, and ended the night stopping 19/23 shots on goal. Think about that for a moment. 23 shots on goal from 25:33 of work. Coreau’s first game in net against the Admirals he faced 22 shots and stopped them all. Coreau’s fourth start against the Admirals this season he faced 23 shots on goal and stopped them all. Last night the Admirals smacked 23 shots on goal in under half a game and sent Coreau packing.

~Liev Schreiber’s Stunt Double~

Cody Hodgson has been terrific since he has joined the Milwaukee Admirals. He absolutely has been. The weight of being sent on waivers by an NHL team can’t sit well on the mind nor should the idea, on a contract as affordable as Hodgson’s, that no other NHL is willing to claim you. Mentally that is a defeated position to be in… but it doesn’t have to be.

With a demotion to the AHL at Hodgson’s age, 25-years old, there is an opportunity to learn, improve, and use this time with the Admirals as a launch pad. Last season saw two such examples of waiver talents from Nashville make it to Milwaukee and both had their own way of handling themselves. Rich Clune was, well, Rich Clune and provided his grinding style to the ice and endearing locker room personality that kept things loose. Viktor Stålberg had bright spots here and there for the Admirals but it was clear that his focus was less in the now and more in the summer. When Hodgson fell through waivers was he going to be as locker room oriented and team first as, say, a Victor Bartley when he turned up this season? Was he going to be shellshocked by getting dropped by the Predators and struggle to find the inspiration to finish out his contract within the organization? Honestly, I believe that could all have been answered in his first game in Admirals blue.

From the first moment he suited up in San Antonio wearing the #21 to last night in Milwaukee when he was wearing #19 Hodgson has been visibly working his butt off. He plays with great pace and precision on both sides of the puck and has been a point per game player through five-games with the Admirals: 5 points (2 goals, 3 assists). He has averaged a crisp 4.0 shots on goal per game. And, above all, has been acting the part of a pro behind the scenes.

“[Cody Hodgson] has been unbelievable,” praised Evason. “I don’t know what’s said of him what’s talked about him as a player in Nashville or the NHL. He has been a leader. He has been great offensively. He has done all the right things defensively. He has done everything off the ice correctly. We love him here. I don’t think he’s going to be here long. People are going to see what he’s doing here. He’s just been a pleasure.”

“I’m trying to enjoy the game again,” said Cody Hodgson of his time with the Admirals. “Being creative and trying to make plays with the guys. That’s hockey. As a kid you don’t play for the glory that kind of stuff you play for being able to try to do things on the ice and push yourself. That’s what I’m trying to do here. Trying to get better but, at the same time, try and enjoy the game.”

~One and Done~

There’s a reason why Kevin Fiala was sent to the Admirals recently. It’s the NHL All-Star break and two things slash questions that I’m sure the Nashville brass thought up: (1) Why not have him play a game for the Admirals rather than sit out during the break? (2) Why pay him NHL money to do nothing when he could make AHL money for five-days instead? If that sounds brutal that’s sadly just the way it is. Though, I do wonder why Cody Bass wasn’t given the similar payday shaft. I digress…

How was Fiala going to look after his stint in the NHL? How was he going to react being back in Milwaukee? Well, brilliantly. Fiala played with such an incredible pace in last night’s game and his goal pointed to just that. McCollum was cold in net after replacing Coreau. Fiala used his speed and quick hands to beat McCollum on the wrap-around. Not only that but the speed of his passes was noticeable – his quick reads to create plays. The Hodgson goal last night was a prime example. Fiala put some trust in Taylor Aronson to handle his defensive assignment and connect an outlet pass from the defensive zone to hit him in stride after he cheated up ice to create a two-on-one between himself and Hodgson with Robbie Russo last man back for the Griffins. And Fiala zipped ahead to Hodgson the instant he took Aronson’s pass. It was how that goal could happen thanks to the high pace of the transition from defense to offense.

It should be no surprise when Tuesday morning comes and news hits that Fiala has been recalled by the Predators once again. Seeing him play as loose, as quick, and enjoying his hockey as much as he was last night is simply why. After a rough start it looks like Fiala is having fun again. A little spell in the NHL for the teenager can’t hurt the confidence, either. Nor did his game last night when he returns to Nashville. He looked great.

~Chatterbox~

After the game I had the chance to speak with Milwaukee Admirals head coach Dean Evason. I also caught up with last night’s first star of the game, Hodgson. Yesterday’s headline maker, Matt White. And, because I was curious how badly that shot caught him in the third period, Marek Mazanec – giant welt on his collarbone and all. Here is what they all had to say following last night’s football score win in a hockey game.

Comments on the comments? Do you feel like Cody Hodgson will play himself back into the Nashville scene or will his play in Milwaukee attract a lower-end trade that the Predators could make? How important was it for the Admirals to finally switch to three right-shooting defensemen to balance out their defensive group?

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Game Recaps January 30, 2016January 31, 2016

Second Period Explosion; Ads Win 7-3

The Milwaukee Admirals won 7-3 against the Grand Rapids Griffins Saturday night at the BMO Harris Bradley Center.

This game was highlighted by a massive second period that saw an offensive explosion by the Admirals end the night in net for Griffins goaltender Jared Coreau early and the two sides combining for eight goals. The loss for the Griffins was their fifth straight defeat and all of them have come in regulation.

“It was obviously a good game for us,” commented Milwaukee Admirals head coach Dean Evason after the game. “We weren’t real happy with the three-goals that we gave. We talked to the group about our skill level allowed us to score as many goals as we scored but our structure wasn’t good. We literally gave them three-goals. That was disappointing but we thought the third period was real good. They did a good job in all areas in order to have success there in the end.”

Perhaps the schedule breakdown for these two teams contributed to the way the first period played out. The Admirals haven’t played in over a week’s time. The Griffins were fresh off of a 4-2 loss last night in Grand Rapids against the AHL’s best team the Toronto Marlies. The Admirals came out of the gate with incredible speed and immediately yielded results.

After a Stefan Elliot shot was blockered aside by Jared Coreau the puck fell off to the left wing wall where Jimmy Oligny cradled a long range wrister that zipped through traffic and in. Coreau’s view of the show was masked the net front presence of Colton Sissons and Jakub Kindl. The goal was Oligny’s third of the season.

The second period will probably go down as the night all the luck Coreau had going for him in net against the Admirals finally went away. The Admirals buried three goals against the Griffins netminder in the span of 3:17 of the sandwich stanza to put a close to his outing in net.

Kristian Näkyvä labeled a wrister from the left point to the net that Pontus Åberg was able to get a stick to en route to scoring his thirteenth goal of the season. Viktor Arvidsson followed that up forty-two seconds later with a wrister that snuck through Coreau for his eighth goal of the season. 2:35 after the second Swede of the second period scored Cody Hodgson was on the end of two great outlet passes that sent him in on a two-on-one breakaway. Taylor Aronson passed off to Kevin Fiala who hit Hodgson up ice. Hodgson unloaded a howitzer of a slap shot over the glove and bardown to record his second goal with the Admirals this season.

Coreau’s night ended after that frantic opening to the second period and last night’s starter for the Griffins, Tom McCollum, entered the fray. After the Griffins got off the mark with a slap shot tally for Louis-Marc Aubry – the new goaltender was given a rude welcoming to the contest by Mr. Fiala. The Swiss teenager was able to beat the very cold McCollum with speed on a wrap-around effort and the Griffins post-to-post save attempt was far too late. The goal for Fiala was his seventh goal of the season.

The wackiness of the second period would not be left alone there. The Griffins would respond through a defensive zone turnover to creep back into the Admirals lead. Aronson threw a puck blindly out of the right-wing pocket in the Admirals defensive zone and Griffins captain Jeff Hoggan took the feed first time to score his fifth goal of the season and make it a 5-2 Admirals lead.

Then came a huge opportunity for the Griffins to claw back even further. Stefan Elliott and Félix Girard were both in the box and the Griffins had 1:54 of five-on-three power-play time to work with. The Admirals penalty kill survived and, as Girard exited the box, caught an outlet pass and managed to dish off to the front of the net where Joe Pendenza crashed through to earn his third goal of the season.

“Our penalty kill has been real good,” said Evason. “It starts with your goaltender. [Marek Mazanec] was real sharp, again. We were blocking shots. Our sticks were in good lanes. We were committed.”

The last goal scored of the second period would come once more on the tape of Griffins center Aubry’s stick. A crafty piece of puck control had Aubry dodging a sprawling poke check by Johan Alm and lifting up a wrister into the top shelf on the near-side post to Mazanec’s glove side. It was Aubry’s second goal of the second period and eighth scored on the season. In total, the Admirals and Griffins combined for eight goals in the sandwich stanza.

In the third period the pace and scoring rate was far more relaxed. It wasn’t until the closing minutes of the game when Jamie Devane took a great pass from Pendenza to polish off his fourth goal of the season popping a puck through McCollum from the slot to make it a 7-3 Admirals lead.

“[The Grand Rapids Griffins] are a good team,” said Evason. “They’re a real good team that play fast, play hard, put a lot of pressure on you. We liked our energy tonight and clearly we caught a team that played last night. We had the week off. So our start was real good. I don’t think that was their best game but we certainly respect and have a lot of difficult time with their group -but- if we play like the way we played, for the most part here tonight, we’ll have a shot at success in any game.”

Ramblings: Since the Milwaukee Admirals last played one week ago there were two roster moves made. Matt Leinter was released from his PTO contract and returned to the Manchester Monarchs (ECHL). Kevin Fiala was reassigned to the Admirals from the Nashville Predators and is expected to be recalled Tuesday once the NHL All-Star break comes to an end. Tonight’s line combinations were: Arvidsson-Sissons-Görtz, Fiala-Hodgson-Åberg, White-Gaudreau-Payerl, Devane-Girard-Pendenza, Oligny-Eilliott, Näkyvä-Mullen, Alm-Aronson. Tonight’s scratches were: Max Reinhart (personal reasons), Vladislav Kamenev (lower-body), Jonathan Diaby (upper-body), and Trevor Murphy (upper-body). Jamie Devane wore the extra “A” patch as Max Reinhart wasn’t on-hand tonight for the Admirals. Tonight’s attendance was 11,096.

Was this the best performance by the Milwaukee Admirals this season? How badly did the Admirals need a win like this to shove back against the Griffins this season?

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News January 30, 2016

Admirals Sign Matt White Through The 2016-17 Season

Matt White has fit right into the Milwaukee Admirals lineup since joining on a PTO basis from the Manchester Monarchs (ECHL). Rather than re-up him to a new PTO contract when his current one expires the Admirals have signed White to a standard player contract through the rest of the 2015-16 season as well as for the 2016-17 season.

Press Release via Milwaukee Admirals:

Milwaukee, WI—The Milwaukee Admirals announced today that they have signed forward Matt White to a American Hockey League contract for the remainder of this season and the 2016-17 campaign.

Originally signed by the Admirals to a professional try-out contract on December 4, White has registered five goals and six assists for 11 points in 21 games with Milwaukee this season.

The Whittier, CA native joined the Admirals after starting this season with the Manchester Monarchs of the ECHL. At the time he was the Monarchs leading scorer, tallying 22 points (10g-12a) in just 19 games to go along with a +9 rating. He posted 28 goals and 32 assists for the Ontario Reign last season and notched 18 points in 19 playoffs games while leading the club to the Western Conference Finals.

White had originally signed a professional try-out (PTO) contract with the Ads on December 4.

When White joined the Admirals locker room this season he had never played a game at the AHL level. His career started with the Omaha Lancers of the United States Hockey League (USHL). In his last season with the Lancers he was named the USA Hockey Junior Player of the Year (2009-10). He played with the Lancers for three-seasons before making the leap up to play at the collegiate level with the University of Nebraska-Omaha. His college playing career also lasted for three-seasons and he would join the Los Angeles Kings ECHL affiliate the Ontario Reign to start his professional playing career as an undrafted free agent signing for the 2013-14 season.

Following White’s first pro playing season he left ECHL hockey and went overseas to play for Olimpija Ljubljana in Austria. That experiment was short lived and he returned back to the Kings’ ECHL affiliate after a less than two-month stay abroad. He’s remained part of the Kings ECHL setup all the way through to this season when the Kings swapped their affiliate’s league standing this summer as part of the AHL Pacific Division movement. His 2015-16 season had been spent with the Manchester Monarchs.

In total, White has 158 games of ECHL experience and produced 139 points (60 goals, 79 assists). His brief professional stint in Austria wasn’t too poor, either. He logged 6 points (2 goals, 4 assists) in 11 games with Olimpija Ljubljana. As a member of the Admirals he has produced 11 points (5 goals, 6 assists) in 21 games.

What do you think of this signing by the Milwaukee Admirals to sign Matt White to not only the rest of this season but next season as well?

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Scouting January 30, 2016

Griffins: Scouting the Enemy

Grand Rapids Griffins goaltender Jared Coreau has owned the Milwaukee Admirals in his career. Can the Admirals start making a dent against him and start putting more space between themselves and the Griffins in the Central Division standings? (Photo Credit: Mark Newman)

The Milwaukee Admirals last game was played a solid week ago on the road against the Lake Erie Monsters. Their last home game was three weeks ago against the Iowa Wild. This will be the last game of an incredibly relaxing January that saw the Admirals only play 10 games throughout the month. The start was rough thanks to the marathon that December presented. The last four-game road swing allowed for a more rested and practice sharpened team to tighten up the details and pick up three-wins and two-shutouts.

Perhaps the timing of the schedule will work to the Admirals favor tonight when the Grand Rapids Griffins roll into town. The Griffins are coming off of a four-game homestand that saw them get swept clean in regulation by the Rochester Americans and Toronto Marlies. They were shutout on back-to-back games by the Americans and Marlies in that span. And, to add the fatigue factor to the mix, lost 4-2 to the Marlies last night before getting on the bus and reaching the Cream City.

During this four-game losing streak for the Griffins they have been outscored 15-5. It hasn’t been for a lack of trying, though. They’ve outshot their opponents 165-129. That’s an average of 41.3 shots per game.

Perhaps they’ve fallen into the slight trap that the Admirals have every now and then when they’ve relied too much on their power-play to get the job done. In those four defeats the Griffins went 1/17 (5.9%) on the power-play and are currently on a power-play drought of twelve straight chances without of power-play goal.

The flip-side to the Griffins special teams during this run has been perfect. Their penalty kill against the Americans and red hot Marlies was 10/10… Tye Dillinger reference here.

What I’m sure the Griffins will be thinking about heading into this game is burying those past four losses and focusing in on an opponent they’ve pretty much owned this season, the Admirals. The Griffins have a 4-1-0-0 record against the Admirals this season and Jared Coreau has officially achieved Admirals Killer status.

In net against the Admirals Coreau has played in nine-games, made eight starts, holds a record of 7-1-0-0, has three career shutouts, and stopped 203/212 shots on goal for a career save percentage of 0.958 to go along with a 0.99 career goals against average.

If there was ever a reason as to why the Griffins should be feeling confident despite coming off of a four game homestand where they were swept clean in regulation it is this match up tonight with that man between the pipes.

Expectations for tonight’s game? How do you think Kevin Fiala will play fresh off of logging some solid NHL time for the Nashville Predators? The last time Juuse Saros made a start was two weeks ago. Is it time to get him back in net or should Marek Mazanec remain the go-to following his brilliant outings against Lake Erie last weekend?

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News & Discussion Site For Your Milwaukee Admirals