Admirals extend win streak to six
November 14, 2005 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Milwaukee Admirals News Release
OVERALL
The Admirals enter this week's action with a six game-winning streak after posting two victories over Western Division rival Iowa last week. The win streak follows on the heals of a four-game losing streak (0-3-0-1) that the team suffered through to start their 2005-06 campaign. Milwaukee currently sits tied with Omaha for third place in the West Division with 13 points and a 6-3-0-1 record. However, the Knights have played 16 games compared to just 10 for the Ads. The Admirals trail second place Peoria (18 pts) and first place Houston, whose 28 points are tops in the AHL.
LAST WEEK
Milwaukee swept a home-and-home series versus the Iowa Stars last week in their only two games. The Ads took a 6-0 decision in Des Moines on Tuesday night, getting a 29-save shutout from goaltender Brian Finley in the process. The game was the first action Finley has seen since opening night on October 8. On Friday night, the Admirals fell behind 3-0 in the first 12 minutes of the game, but countered with six unanswered goals, including four power-play tallies, to take a 6-3 victory. Darren Haydar led the way for Milwaukee with two goals and an assist, while rookie backstop Pekka Rinne picked up his fifth on the year in relief of Finley.
THIS WEEK
VS. HAMILTON...The Hamilton Bulldogs visit the Bradley Center for the first of two meetings between the two clubs for this season. Last season the Admirals were 2-1-0-1 versus the Bulldogs, including 1-0-0-1 in two home contests. Lifetime versus Hamilton the Admirals are 4-5-1-2.
VS. CHICAGO
Milwaukees makes their first trip of the season to the All-State Arena on Saturday night to do battle with their most fierce rival, the Chicago Wolves. The Ads came away with a 5-4 shootout victory over the Wolves in the first meeting between the two clubs this season. Kris Beech scored the only goal between the two clubs in the shoot-out to save the Ads, after the team had surrendered two Chicago goals in the last two minutes of regulation to send the game to OT. The showdown is the 114th all-time between the Ads and Wolves, with Milwaukee owning a 60-40-1-12 record in those games.
WELCOME BACK
Brian Finley's win on Tuesday over the Stars was the first game action he has seen since injuring his ankle at the beginning of the season. The shutout increases his team record to 12 career blankings. A Sault Ste. Marie, ONT native, Finley had a year for the record books last season when he posted a 36-22-4 mark with a 2.29 goals against average, a .921 save percentage and six shutouts, setting franchise marks for wins and shutouts.
SPECIAL TEAMS
One of the big differences between the Admirals first four games, all losses, and their last six, all wins, has been the team's play on special teams. After four contests the Admirals man advantage was executing at a paltry 9.4%, while their penalty kill was successful just 76.7 % of the time. Since then the team's power play has been an impressive 18 of 52 (34.6%) and the PK has killed off 44 of 47 (93.6%) penalties. Their power play has been particularly lethal over their last three contests, scoring 11 goals in 21 opportunities for an impressive 52.4% success rate.
TRAVELING MAN
When Preston Mizzi was signed by the Admirals last week to replace recalled center Jerred Smithson, he had no idea that he would get to know the section of I-43 from Rockford to Milwaukee as well as he has. The Sault, Ste. Marie, ONT native made his first trip up the Rock Freeway on Monday from the Rockford Ice Hogs just in time to take the Ads' team bus for a game in Iowa on Tuesday night. On Wednesday he was reassigned back to Hogs before being recalled for the second time on Friday for Milwaukee's game with the Stars at the Bradley Center. After picking up his first AHL goal since the 03-04 season versus Iowa, Mizzi again hopped in his car and drove across the Illinois border and played in two games for the Rockford over the weekend. The call came again for Mizzi Monday morning, and, once again, he packed up his hockey gear and was in Milwaukee for the team's 10:30 practice.
ANOTHER MILESTONE
When the Admirals win their next game it will be the 100th regular season victory for Head Coach Claude Noel. The Kirkland, ONT native has posted a 99-51-7-13 mark in two plus seasons as the Milwaukee bench boss. Noel is the only coach in Admirals history to have led teams to back-to-back 100-point seasons. The 2004 AHL Coach of the Year also led the Admirals to their only professional championship when the team captured the Calder Cup Title in 04.
WESTWARD HO
The Admirals have picked up 13 out of a possible 14 points in games versus West Division opponents thus far this season, outscoring those teams 32-13 in the process. In addition, Milwaukee is a perfect 4-0 in intra-divisional games at the Bradley Center this season. However, their fortune has not been quite as good against North Division foes. Milwaukee is 0-3 against teams from the North.
WELCOME ABOARD
Aaron Sims joins the Admirals as the team's new play-by-play broadcaster, replacing Kyle Schultz who passed away suddenly on October 22. Sims brings extensive radio and play-by-play experience to the Ads. Most recently he was the play-by-play man for the University of Wisconsin Hockey Team's broadcasts on Wisconsin Public Television. He has also done play-by-play work for the Madison Mallards of the Northwoods Baseball League and University of Wisconsin Women's Basketball Team.
OVER THE AIR AND ON THE WEB
The Admirals have a new flagship radio station this season in Milwaukee's ESPN Radio 1510 AM (days)/1290 AM (nights). In addition, the team has a one-hour hockey magazine dubbed "Milwaukee Admirals Center Ice" that airs every Tuesday from 6-7 pm on ESPN Radio. Fans can watch all Admirals games, home and on the road, live on the internet via B2 Networks. Simply go the Admirals website at www.milwaukeeadmirals.com and click on the B2 logo.
American Hockey League Stories from November 14, 2005
- Rivermen Weekly - Peoria Rivermen
- Michaud reassigned to Long Beach - Hamilton Bulldogs
- Coyotes reassign Gainey and Lehoux to San Antonio - San Antonio Rampage
- Canadiens recall Lapierre, assign Huet to Hamilton - Hamilton Bulldogs
- Portland Pirates Weekly Report - Portland Pirates
- P-Bruins Prepare for Busy Weekend - Providence Bruins
- Kings Recall Hauser; Monarchs Recall Fukufuji - Manchester Monarchs
- Monsters Pick Up Three Points on the Weekend - Albany Devils
- Tuesday matinee kicks off busy week for Griffins - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Knights begin five-game home stand - Abbotsford Heat
- Another bumper crop of rookies taking AHL by storm - AHL
- B-Sens weekly - Binghamton Senators
- Senators' Hamel named CCM Vector/AHL Player of the Week - AHL
- Wolves Weekly Notes - Chicago Wolves
- Sound Tigers Snippets - Bridgeport Islanders
- AHL announces make-up information for Peoria-Iowa game - AHL
- Live Music from Rock Guitarist Jon Nieboer Highlights Pre-Game Festivities - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Stars announce make- up date - Iowa Chops
- Sound Tigers weekly spotlights David Masse - Bridgeport Islanders
- Hamilton looks to extend winning streak - Hamilton Bulldogs
- Admirals, Bruins exchange wins - Norfolk Admirals
- Bruins return Leech - Providence Bruins
- Admirals, Culver's join forces for day of warmth - Milwaukee Admirals
- Coleman back with Falcons - Springfield Falcons
- Americans weekly update - Rochester Americans
- Milroy, Archer at Skate Gr8 tonight - Hamilton Bulldogs
- Canucks reassign Green, Nathan Smith to Moose - Manitoba Moose
- Canadiens recall Danis - Hamilton Bulldogs
- Barons weekly review - Cleveland Barons
- ESPN Hockey analyst Barry Melrose to speak at RailRaiders symposium - Cincinnati RailRaiders
- Harry Potter private screening for Aeros fans Friday - Houston Aeros
- Wolf Pack weekly report - Connecticut Whale
- Admirals extend win streak to six - Milwaukee Admirals
- Albany faces three road games as part of four games in five nights stretch - Albany River Rats
- Win streaks up to two at home, three on road and five overall - Bridgeport Islanders
- Monarchs weekly update - Manchester Monarchs
- Phantoms weekly review - Adirondack Phantoms
- Two games for the price of one - Connecticut Whale
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