AHL Milwaukee Admirals

Admirals Down Peoria 3-2

Published on January 27, 2007 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Milwaukee Admirals News Release


Milwaukee, WI - The Milwaukee Admirals looked to go into the all-star break on a high note by continuing their season long dominance over the Peoria Rivermen Saturday night at the Bradley Center. In front of 10,000-plus strong crowd, the Admirals delivered a 3-2 victory thanks to strong performances by some of their key players.

With barely four minutes left in the game, Sheldon Brookbank ripped a shot that went high over net, but had the velocity to ricochet back into the crease. A diving Rich Peverley poked it past Peoria goalie Jason Bacashihua. In frustration, the goalie stood up and threw the net off the moorings. The Admirals win was now just a matter of running off the clock.

Peverley also sunk the Ads' initial marker to go with his game winner and earned himself the night's first star. He has impressed fans all season and impressed the Nashville brass enough to earn an NHL contract. But, while teammates Sheldon Brookbank and Ville Koistinen head to Toronto for the AHL All-Star classic, the league's top-15 scorer will not be a part of the festivities.

"I would have liked to be in the All-Star Game," said Peverley of the snub. "I've never been in one."

After completing a seven-game stretch in a nine-day span Peverley isn't going to complain about getting a much needed break.

"I'm going to head home to just relax, take it easy, sit around, and do nothing," Peverley added.

Despite his crucial goals, Peverley was quick to note that he was not the night's x-factor.

"Pekka [Rinne] was unbelievable," he explained searching for words to describe the Admirals netminder's performance. "I don't think we would have won the game without him."

Coach Claude Noel couldn't agree more with Peverley.

"I thought Pekka Rinne was outstanding," he explained. "He made some spectacular saves. You talk about some key saves at some key times."

Tonight's game was driven by momentum, and Rinne had a lot to do with that. He delivered a flurry of saves from his back, four minutes into the third that brought the fans to their feet and left Peoria's bench scratching their heads as they tried to determine where they had failed.

An amazing penalty kill on a two man disadvantage for the Admirals a little under ten minutes into the first session and a series of spirited bouts early in the first stanza that included Admirals' defenseman T.J. Reynolds and the toothless Rocky Thompson helped set the tone for the game.

While many of the fans turned out to see the return of rookie phenom Alexander Radulov his return was quiet and overshadowed by the return of the previously injured Ville Koistinen who has been held out of the lineup since December 16th. Koistinen finished a +1 on the night and came up big with two assists, one Cal O'Reilly's go-ahead goal early in the third and another on Peverley's game-winner.

"I thought Koistinen was outstanding for a guy that hasn't played in some time," Noel explained outside of his locker room after the game. "He really played well."

While the rest of the team takes a much needed break, Koistinen and Brookbank will be boarding a plane to Toronto.

Noel coached the Canadian All-Star squad during the 2005 AHL All-Star Game and he has some simple advice for his guys as the head up north for the big game.

"They just have got to go and enjoy themselves and have a good time."

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American Hockey League Stories from January 27, 2007


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