AHL Milwaukee Admirals

Admirals Fall to Knights

Published on January 4, 2007 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Milwaukee Admirals News Release


Milwaukee, WI-Entering the game with only five wins in their eighteen contests against division rivals this season, the Milwaukee Admirals could very well add "improve record against division rivals" to their list of New Year's resolutions. Opening the New Year against the division rival Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights, the Admirals came up a goal short of starting the year off right, with 4-3 loss to the Knights at the Bradley Center.

Watching the first twenty minutes of play, you wouldn't have predicted the Ads to finish the game without a win. The group game out strong, showing grit, finesse, and creating chances that eventually led to two first period goals.

Four minutes into the opening session, Admiral's tough guy, Kelsey Wilson, scored off a neat pass by Brandon Segal from behind the Knight's net. Nearing the end of the period, Ads' top scorer Rich Peverley danced around Omaha defenders and sent a rocket into the net for a top-shelf goal, his fifteenth of the season, at 18:41 of the first.

The game was hard nosed and tensions were high from the opening face-off. Twenty-four minutes of penalties were doled out in the first frame which included a fighting major to Peverley, an uncommon infraction for the second-year player.

"Both teams are in the same division competing," explained Coach Claude Noel regarding all of the rough stuff in the first.

"This isn't a grass skirt dance. We are competitive. There's body contact. There's emotion. There's an intradivision game we want to win."

Omaha stepped onto the ice for the second period down 2-0. But as the period progressed, they turned Admirals' mistakes into solid chances and found a way to even the score before the period closed.

"They carried the play for about 12 minutes in the second. Those twelve minutes were poor. We didn't play intelligent. We got what we deserved. We didn't deserve any better than that. We made mistakes that hurt us. Basically, they countered and beat us."

Justin Taylor and Eric Godard were responsible for the Knight's production in the second. Godard finished the night with two goals and two assists, doubling his point total for the season, having a hand in each of his team's goals.

Despite only getting four shots off in the third period, the Knights were able to score two goals, with both of them coming in the first five minutes. The Admirals out-shot the Knights 12-4 in the stanza and 29-19 in the game, but couldn't find a way to make up for their early third period mistakes, including mental miscues that Noel feels have been plaguing his team as of late.

"[As a coach] you can't do a lot [about mental mistakes]. You have to put the responsibility on the players. This is a part of growing. Losing and being disappointed in your performance makes you realize you have to be stronger, because it is about mental toughness. You can't play in the playoffs unless you have mental toughness."

Scoring on their first two shots in the third, Omaha's David Van Der Gulik snuck past Sheldon Brookbank and got open for the go-ahead-goal at 3:01 while Godard sent a shot over Karl Goerhing's shoulder from the top of the slot at 4:40 of the third.

With only a goal from Jason Guerriero and two failed powerplay chances in the third, the Admirals found themselves a goal shy of playing in an extra session and were left with their first loss of 2007.

"Back to work," said Noel as he walked back into the locker room after a post-game interview.

The Admirals will get "back to work" when they take on rival and division leading Chicago on Saturday at 7:30. In four meetings, both teams have been able to get five points from the other. The first 3,500 fans will receive a winter hat courtesy of WM/Recycle America. For tickets fans can call Ticketmaster at (414) 276-4545 or log on to www.ticketmaster.com.

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American Hockey League Stories from January 4, 2007


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