Admirals return to the road
March 22, 2005 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Milwaukee Admirals News Release
OVERALL...The Admirals (41-19-3-4) enter this week's action tied with the Chicago Wolves (41-20-5-2) for the AHL'S West Division lead. The Admirals are 5-1 in the last six and 6-5-0-2 over the past 13 games. The Admirals are 6-2 in the first eight games of a franchise record nine-game homestand.
THIS WEEK... VS. GRAND RAPIDS...Milwaukee is 3-2-0-1 vs. the Griffins this season, including 1-1 at the Bradley Center. Overall, Milwaukee is 3-1-0-1 in the last five games against the Griffins and 2-1-1 in the last four played at the Bradley Center.
VS. CINCINNATI...The Ads are 2-3 in five games against the Mighty Ducks, including 0-1 in Cincinnati. The Admirals have won only one of 11 lifetime meetings vs. the Ducks in Cincinnati entering this weekend's series with a 1-5-5-0 mark
LAST WEEK'S ACTION...The Admirals picked up four of a possible six points last week capping the week with a 5-3 victory over the Edmonton Roadrunners. Scottie Upshall had a pair of goals and Brad Tiley picked up three assists. Earlier in the week the Ads split a pair of games with the Manitoba Moose losing 5-2 on Thursday after picking up a 3-2 shootout win on Tuesday. Defensemen Ryan Suter (2g-1a) and Dan Hamhuis (1g-2a) each scored in all three games last week.
RACE AT A GLANCE... Milwaukee (13): Home (7): March 23 - Grand Rapids; 29 - Utah; April 2-Edmonton; 5 - Houston; 9 - Chicago; 12 - Grand Rapids; 15 - Utah. Away (6): March 25 - Cincinnati; 26 - Cincinnati; April 6 - Hamilton; 8 - Hamilton; 16 -Cincinnati; 17 - San Antonio.
Chicago (12): Home (3): April 3 - Edmonton; 5 - Cincinnati; 16 - Utah. Away (9): March 23 - Syracuse; 25 - Utah; 26 - Utah; 30 - Edmonton; 31 - Edmonton; April 2 - Cincinnati; 9 -- MILWAUKEE; 14 - San Antonio; 15 - Houston. The Admirals enter this week's action tied with the Wolves for the West Division lead. The Admirals have 13 games remaining against eight different foes sporting a .505 cumulative winning percentage, while the Wolves have 12 games remaining against seven different opponents with a .483 winning percentage. Seven of the 13 remaining Admirals games will be on Bradley Center ice, while nine of the Wolves 12 will be on foreign ice. The Admirals and Wolves meet at the Bradley Center on Saturday night, April 9.
TO BLANK OR BE BLANKED...The Ads have been shutout six times this season, one shy of the club record of seven, which was established during the 2001-02 season. They have also tied the club record, established during 2000-01, by shutting out their opponents six times this season.
ONE GOAL GAMES...Thirty-three of the Admirals 67 games have been decided by one goal and the Ads are 18-8-3-4 in those contests. Thirteen games have finished 3-2 with the Admirals holding a record of 8-2-2-1 in those frays. The Ads are 2-3 in five 1-0 games this season. Milwaukee has played only 17, 1-0 games in franchise history and are 7-9 with one shootout loss.
OVERTIME/SHOOTOUT NUMBERS...The Ads are 5-3 in 14 overtime games this season with six shootouts. The Admirals were the last AHL team to garner a shootout win this season, losing their first four, but have now won two shootouts in a row to improve their shootout record to 2-4 on the year.
ONLY 13 LEFT...The Admirals' have 89 points (41-19-3-4) after 67 games compared to 88 (39-18-7-3) at the same point last year. On the road, the Ads had 44 points (19-9-3-3) after 34 road games last season compared to 43 points (19-10-2-3) this season. On home ice, Milwaukee is 22-9-1-1 this season compared to 19-10-4 after 33 home games in 2003-04.
CENTURY MARK...Claude Noel now has 103 victories in 169 overall games as coach of the Admirals. He enters this week's action with a 103-49-7-10 mark and a .660 winning percentage.
COME-FROM-BEHIND VICTORY... The Admirals are now 3-13-0-0 this season, including 1-6 on home ice when trailing after two periods. Last season, the Ads were 0-17-3-1 when trailing after two.
GAMACHE...Simon Gamache leads Admirals scorers and ranks third in the AHL with 76 points. His 52 assists rank fourth among AHL playmakers and his 14 power play goals also rank him among league leaders. His 76 points and 52 assists are the most in a season by an Admirals' player since Tony Hrkac amassed 88 points and 61 assists during the 1996-97 campaign. Gamache's 14 power play goals are the most by an Admiral since Peter Douris finished the 1996-97 season with 17.
FINLEY...Brian Finley is third among AHL netminders with 32 victories and ranks 11th with a 2.19 goals against average. He is the fifth goaltender in franchise history to surpass the 30-win plateau. He needs three victories to tie the Admirals' team record of 35, which was established by Lindsay Middlebrook in 1985-86. Other goaltenders to win 30-plus games for the Admirals include: Rich Sirois, who won 34 in 81-82 and 32 again in 82-83; Rob Holland won 34 in 86-87; and Danny Lorenz grabbed 33 wins in 96-97. Finley's six shutouts are the most in a season by a Milwaukee goaltender and his ten career Admirals' shutouts tie him with Chris Mason for the franchise record. The 23-year old, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario native has started 54 games, which is most by an Admirals' goaltender since Lorenz started 54 during 1997-98. Lorenz owns the Admirals record with 67 starts during the 1996-97 season.
WHO'S HOT!!! Hamhuis has scored in four straight games (1g-3a). Upshall has five goals and is +6 over his last five games. Gamache (1g-5a), Suter (2g-2a), Brendan Yarema (2g-2a), Wyatt Smith (2g-2a), Libor Pivko (1g-3a) and Hrkac (4a) have all scored in four of the last five games.
POWER PLAY...The Admirals lead the AHL with 74 power play goals and rank third in power play percentage completing 74 of 389 chances for an 19% completion rate. The Ads have equaled their season average over the past seven games connecting on eight of 42 (19%) chances. Over the past 18 games the Admirals have just 10 goals in 91 chances for an 11% completion rate. The 74 power play goals is the most in a season for the Admirals since they scored 84 during the 1997-98 season.
THE WEEK AHEAD
HOME
WEDNESDAY MARCH 23ND GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS 7:00 P.M.
AWAY
FRIDAY MARCH 25TH CINCINNATI MIGHTY DUCKS 6:35 P.M.
SATURDAY MARCH 26TH CINCINNATI MIGHTY DUCKS 6:35 P.M.
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