AHL Milwaukee Admirals

Admirals Have Light Week on Tap

Published on March 7, 2012 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Milwaukee Admirals News Release


Milwaukee, WI-- This week the Milwaukee Admirals (57 Games Played, 30-23-2-2-64 points, 4th place Midwest Division, 11th place Western Conference, 16th place AHL) will finish a stretch of six straight games against Midwest Division opponents by traveling to Chicago (58 GP, 31-22-2-3-67 points, 2nd place Midwest Division, 4th place Western Conference, 10th place AHL) Wednesday night, before returning home Saturday night for the start of a home-and-home series with Rockford (59 GP, 26-26-2-5-59 points, 5th place Midwest Division, 13th place Western Conference, 25th place AHL), which concludes on Sunday afternoon.

Milwaukee's Wednesday night trip to Chicago marks the 11th of 12 meetings this season between the Amtrak rivals. The two teams split the previous 10 battles, but the Wolves own a leg up in the season series due to the fact that the Admirals' 3-2 victory on Oct. 15 came in a shootout. Last Saturday Milwaukee concluded the Bradley Center portion of the season series with a convincing 6-0 win. Admirals forward Zack Stortini's (Elliot Lake, Ontario) first goal of the game at 9:34 of the opening period stood up as the game winner, while goaltender Jeremy Smith (Dearborn, Michigan) stopped all 27 shots he faced to earn his third shutout of the season. Matt Climie made 32 saves in the loss for Chicago, which has won only one of its previous six games. The Admirals and Wolves will complete the season series on April 14 at Allstate Arena.

On Saturday night the AHL's top home team returns to the Bradley Center for the start of a home-and-home series with Midwest Division basement dwelling Rockford. The Ice Hogs have owned the season series to date, taking five of seven prior meetings, including a 3-1 victory last Friday night. The Admirals fired 45 shots at Rockford's Carter Hutton, but the second-year Ice Hogs goaltender stopped 44 of them, allowing Brandon Pirri's goal at 3:55 of the third period to stand as the game winner. Milwaukee goaltender Atte Engren (Rauma, Finland) made 24 saves to take the loss.

Sunday night the Admirals will try to post their first victory of the season at Rockford's BMO Harris Bank Center. The Ice Hogs earned home victories in each of the four prior contests, including a 2-1 shootout victory on February 25. Hutton again earned the win, making 23 saves in regulation and then stopping all three Milwaukee attempts in the shootout. Despite 35 saves during the game, Engren took the loss due to the fact that he was unable to stop Pirri, Rostislav Olesz and Andrew Shaw in the shootout. Including this weekend, four of Milwaukee's next 11 games are against Rockford, and five of the final 19 games to conclude the season.

Key Statistics:

MILWAUKEE's road record: (25th best AHL) 26 Games Played, 11-13-0-2-24 points. MILWAUKEE's home record: (Tied 1st) 31 GP, 19-10-2-0-40 points.

Chicago's home record: (5th) 32 GP, 18-12-0-2-38 points.

Rockford's road record: (12th) 30 GP, 13-12-2-3-31 points. Rockford's home record: (26th) 29 GP, 13-14-0-2-28 points.

Active Leading Scorers as of March 6:

MILWAUKEE: Kyle Wilson (17 goals & 25 assists, 42 points); Chris Mueller (25 goals & 16 assists, 41 points); Juuso Puustinen (16 goals & 16 assists, 32 points).

Chicago: Mark Mancari (25 goals & 23 assists, 48 points); Darren Haydar (13 goals & 29 assists, 42 points); Jordan Schroeder (15 goals & 18 assists, 33 points).

Rockford: Brandon Pirri (22 goals & 28 assists, 50 points); Peter LeBlanc (18 goals & 15 assists, 33 points); Rostislav Olesz (11 goals & 21 assists, 32 points).

Power play:

MILWAUKEE: (9th best AHL) 42 goals scored in 214 chances, 19.6% success rate, 3 shorthanded goals allowed.

Chicago: (30th) 35 goals scored in 253 chances, 13.8% success rate, 4 shorthanded goals allowed.

Rockford: (23rd) 42 goals scored in 267 chances, 15.7% success rate, 5 shorthanded goals allowed.

Penalty killing:

MILWAUKEE: (28th best AHL) 51 goals allowed in 247 times shorthanded, 79.4% success rate, 4 shorthanded goals scored.

Chicago: (9th) 37 goals allowed in 223 times shorthanded, 83.4% success rate, 8 shorthanded goals scored.

Rockford: (23rd) 52 goals allowed in 266 times shorthanded, 80.5% success rate, 2 shorthanded goals scored.

National Hockey League Affiliates:

MILWAUKEE: Nashville Predators

Chicago: Vancouver Canucks

Rockford: Chicago Blackhawks

Check out the Milwaukee Admirals Statistics

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American Hockey League Stories from March 7, 2012


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