Admirals Make History with First AHL Playoff Appearance
April 7, 2003 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Milwaukee Admirals News Release
HISTORY IN THE MAKING...For the first time ever, the Milwaukee Admirals are involved in American Hockey League postseason play. Thursday night, one of the league's newest teams takes on one of its oldest members when the Admirals host the Rochester Americans in a best-of-three qualifying round series at the Bradley Center. The Admirals are hoping for a reversal of fortune from their days in the International Hockey League when they won just five playoff series over 24 years. With this year's appearance in the postseason, the Admirals have now qualified for the playoffs in 23 of 26 seasons and have never missed the playoffs in back-to-back years. The Admirals missed the playoffs last season for the first time in fourteen years. Rochester just completed its 47th season in the AHL and is beginning its 37th postseason. The Amerks have won six Calder Cups during their history. The most recent cup-claiming triumph came in 1996.
TICKETS ON SALE...Fans can purchase playoff tickets to Games A & B by calling 414-276-4545, online at www.milwaukeeadmirals.com
VS. AMERKS...The Admirals hope the trend between these two teams continue this weekend. Neither team has won on the other's home ice in the four games in the brief all-time series. This year, the Amerks beat the Admirals 7-3 on November 29th while the Admirals protected home ice with a 5-2 win on March 22nd. Last season Rochester beat the Admirals 3-2 in overtime at the Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial and the Admirals stopped the Americans with a 2-1 overtime win at the Bradley Center.
ROSTER REVISIONS...The Nashville Predators reassigned forward Scottie Upshall to the Admirals Friday. He played both games against Utah this weekend and scored his first Milwaukee goal Sunday. Goaltender Wade Flaherty has joined the Admirals after concluding the regular season with Nashville.
STRONG FINISH...The Admirals gained points in 10 of their last 11 games (6-2-1-3, 16pts) to move into seventh in the Western Conference playoff seedings. The only games in that stretch that Milwaukee failed to gain a point were vs. Manitoba 3/19 & 3/23.
MY FAVORITE MARTIN...Martin Erat finished the season with a six game scoring streak (2g-7a). He also scored at least one point in nine of the last 11 games (2g-10a).
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR...Rookie Darren Haydar was named the American Hockey League's Rookie of the Year Thursday. The team's leading scorer is the first Admiral to gain an AHL postseason honor in the two seasons that the Admirals have been in the league. The right wing scored more points for the Admirals in a single season than any other player since Tony Hrkac earned 88 points during the 1996-97 season. Haydar finished with 75 points (29g-46a) and previously set a new season high for points scored by an Admiral since the team's affiliation with the Nashville Predators (1998-present) when he recorded his 68th point of the season March 14th vs. Philadelphia. The former University of New Hampshire star became the Admirals' first ever AHL 20-goal scorer with a goal 1/31 vs. Grand Rapids. He led the team in goals scored (29), assists (46), multiple-point games (21), game-winning goals (9), and +/- (+17). Haydar finished first in scoring among AHL rookies and is seventh among all league scorers.
DENNY'S DINER...Once again Saturday night, veteran left wing Denny Lambert scored a clutch goal for the Admirals. His second period power play goal was the game winner in the 2-1 win over Utah. He scored seven goals in the last 12 games including the game-tying goal in the final minute of regulation Wednesday in Chicago.
MINDING THE MESH...Goaltender Jan Lasak started the final 14 games for the Admirals. During that stretch, Lasak was 6-7-1 with a 2.48 GAA and .911 save percentage. For the season, Lasak was 18-14-7 in 40 games with a 2.85 GAA and .901 save %.
ADDITION BY DIVISION...In 42 games against the division this season, the Admirals were 21-13-2-6 and finished the season with winning or break-even records against all four divisional opponents. The overall records vs. the West: Utah (7-1-0-2), Houston (4-4-1-1), San Antonio (5-3-2-0) and Chicago (5-5-0-2).
CENTERS OF ATTENTION...Centers Greg Classen, Domenic Pittis and Wyatt Smith combined to score 50 pts (21g-29a) in the last 22 games. In those games, Pittis had 24 pts (9g-15a), Smith had 17 pts (8g-9a) and Classen had 8 pts (3g-5a).
IRONMAN...Bryan Lundbohm played in his 105th consecutive game Sunday at the Bradley Center. He is the only player to play in all 80 Admirals' games this season and has missed only one AHL game in Admirals history (158/159). The only game he missed was in Rochester on February 16, 2002.
WORKING OVERTIME...The Admirals played in their league-leading 25th overtime session Sunday when they lost to the Utah Grizzlies, 3-2. The Admirals were 4-7-14 with OT winners coming from Cameron Mann (10/26 vs. CHI), Peter Smrek (11/30 @CLE), Jason Beckett (1/11 @HAM) and Darren Haydar (3/9 vs. CIN).
THIS WEEK
AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE QUALIFYING ROUND SERIES
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
THURSDAY April 10th vs. Rochester Americans 7:12pm
SATURDAY April 12th vs. Rochester Americans 7:12pm
SUNDAY April 13th vs. Rochester Americans 8:12pm (if necessary)
****Hear all of the Admirals' playoff games on Joy1340 (1340am) and on the Internet at www.sportsjuice.com****
American Hockey League Stories from April 7, 2003
