AHL Milwaukee Admirals

Admirals take to the road

March 15, 2004 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Milwaukee Admirals News Release


OVERALL...The Milwaukee Admirals (39-17-7-3) enter this week's action with a six-game winning streak and are tied with the Grand Rapids Griffins for first place in the AHL's West Division with 88 points. The Ads, who also own the AHL's top winning percentage (.667), are 10-1-1 in their last 12 and 18-3-1 since February 1st, outscoring their foes 86-43. Along with Grand Rapids the Admirals are the only other team in the league to have clinched a playoff spot, marking the 13th time in the last 14 years that the team has qualified for the playoffs.

THE WEEK AHEAD:

UTAH...Milwaukee is 5-2 vs. Utah this season, including 1-1 at the "E" Center, outscoring the Grizzlies 7-2. The Admirals have an 11-9-1-3 overall mark at the "E" Center, including 5-2 in the last seven frays. In the past 13 overall meetings Milwaukee is 9-2-0-2 and 13-3-1-2 in the last 19.

SAN ANTONIO...The Admirals are 6-1 vs. the Rampage this season, including 3-0 in San Antonio, outscoring the Rampage, 13-9 at the SBC Center. The Ads are 11-4-2-0 lifetime vs. the Rampage with a 4-3-1 in San Antonio. Milwaukee is 7-1-1 in the last nine overall meetings and 9-2-1 in the last 12 encounters.

LAST WEEK'S ACTION...The Admirals had a perfect 4-0 mark last week as they picked up eight of a possible eight points. Tony Hrkac scored two goals and Brian Finley stopped 27 of 28 shots leading the Admirals past the Utah Grizzlies, 4-1 at the Bradley Center. Greg Classen's two first period goals led the Admirals to a 2-1 victory over the Griffins in Grand Rapids on Friday night. Wade Flaherty stopped 25 of 26 shots for the win, which secured a playoff spot for Milwaukee. On Wednesday night Mathieu Darche's goal with nine seconds remaining in overtime snapped Toronto's nine-game home winning streak. Darche and Darren Haydar scored two goals each. Jay Henderson supplied the game winner and Alexandre Jacques notched three assists in Tuesday's 4-3 win over Hamilton at the BC.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN...Seven of the Admirals next eight games will be on foreign ice. The Admirals have won two straight road games, are 6-2 in the last eight and 9-4-1-1 since January 2nd, outscoring their opponents 52-36. Overall, the Admirals have the best road record in the AHL at 17-8-3-3 (.645).

ROSTER MOVE...The Nashville Predators have recalled defenseman Andrew Hutchinson. Hutchinson, 23, has 21 points (10g-11a) and a +9 rating in 36 games with the Admirals.

ON THE PLUS SIDE...Entering this week's action, the entire Admirals active roster is +1 or better. Defenseman Curtis Murphy has +24 rating in his last 22 games and leads the league at +35. Rookie forward Timofei Shishkanov is third in the AHL at +23. Rookie defenseman Greg Zanon and veteran blueliner Ray Schultz are part of a group tied for fourth at +22. Tony Hrkac is even or better in his last 13 games going +7 over that span.

WHO'S HOT...Vernon Fiddler enters this week's action with a six-game scoring streak (2g-7a). The 5'11", 195-pound Edmonton native has 13 points (4g-9a) over his last 11 contests. Darren Haydar has four multiple-point games in his last six outings and has 13 points (5g-8a) in the last ten games. Greg Classen has eight points (3g-5a) over his last eight games. Mathieu Darche has seven points (4g-3a) in the last six and Zanon has five points (3g-2a) in the last six games.

LEAGUE LEADERS...The Admirals lead the AHL with 224 goals, 354 assists and 578 total points. They feature the league's most explosive offense at 3.38 goals per game. Curtis Murphy is tied for the scoring lead among AHL defensemen with 41 points (12g-29a). Brad Tiley leads AHL blueliners with nine power play goals. Timofei Shishkanov ranks among the top AHL rookies with 42 points (23g-19a) in 61 games. Veteran Wade Flaherty ranks eighth among AHL netminders with a 2.02 GAA. The 36-year old, Terrace, B.C. native brings a 17-8-3 record and a .927 save percentage into this week's action.

STELLAR GOALTENDING...In 35 games since January 1st Milwaukee is 23-8-3-1 and has allowed just over two goals per game. Brian Finley, a 22-year old Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario product, is 13-1-1 in his last 15 outings, improving his overall record to 20-12-4 with a 2.39 GAA and a .917 save percentage. Finley's 20 victories are the most in a season by an Admiral's netminder since Jan Lasak went 23-17-2-3 during the 2000-2001 season.

OVER THE AIR AND ON THE WEB...All Admirals games can be heard on JOY1340 AM and SportsJuice.com with Kyle Schultz. Web listeners can listen to the games through a link on the Admirals website (www.milwaukeeadmirals.com ).

THIS WEEK

ROAD
Wednesday March 17th Utah Grizzlies 8:05 p.m.
Friday March 19th Utah Grizzlies 8:05 p.m.
Sunday March 21st San Antonio 2:30 p.m.

Hear all of the Admirals' games on Joy1340 (1340 am) and on the Internet at (www.sportsjuice.com****

Check out the Milwaukee Admirals Statistics



American Hockey League Stories from March 15, 2004


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