AHL Milwaukee Admirals

On the road again

January 24, 2005 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Milwaukee Admirals News Release


OVERALL...The Admirals (27-11-2-2) enter this week's action leading the AHL's West Division by five points over the Chicago Wolves (23-15-4-1). The Ads are four points behind the Western Conference leading Manitoba Moose (29-11-1-3). Milwaukee enters tonight's action with a 5-1-0-1 record in the last seven games and 9-2-0-1 in the last 12 outings.

THIS WEEK'S ACTION...

@HOUSTON...The Ads are 2-2 vs. the Aeros in 2004-05, including 1-1 in Houston. The Aeros broke the Admirals six-game winning streak at the Toyota Center with a 7-0 thrashing of the Admirals on January 11th. The Admirals are 10-2-1 in the last 13 overall games and 7-3-1 in the last 11 in Houston.

@SAN ANTONIO...The Ads are 4-3-0-1 in eight games vs. the Rampage, including 1-1-0-1 at the SBC Center. This is the fourth meeting in nine days against San Antonio. The Ads won both games last week at the Bradley Center. The Ads suffered a 3-1 setback on Sunday in San Antonio and are now 7-1-1-1 in the last ten games at the SBC Center.

@CINCINNATI...The Admirals are 1-1 in two Bradley Center games with the Mighty Ducks this season. They are 7-7-7-1 in 22 lifetime meetings, including 1-4-5-0 in Cincinnati. Nine of the 22 meetings between the teams have gone into overtime with the Admirals sporting a 1-1-7 mark.

@GRAND RAPIDS...The Ads are 1-1 in two games this season vs. the Griffins with each team winning in the other team's building. Milwaukee is 2-1 in the last three and 3-3 in the last six games at the Van Andel Arena.

LAST WEEK'S ACTION...The Admirals won the first two games of the week extending their winning streak to five before suffering back-to-back losses on Saturday and Sunday. The Admirals outshot the Rampage, 35-19, including 13-2 in the first period, but suffered a 3-1 setback on Sunday. Vern Fiddler scored the only Milwaukee goal. On Saturday night, the Ads lost to the Hamilton Bulldogs, 4-3 in a shootout at the BC. Tony Hrkac, Bryan Lundbohm and Darren Haydar provided the Admirals firepower. On Thursday night, Brian Finley blanked San Antonio stopping 25 shots in a 4-0 victory. The Admirals also defeated the Rampage on Tuesday night, 4-2. Wyatt Smith had two points (1g-1a).

NO OVERTIME...Saturday night's game was the first overtime game after 23 consecutive games without needing overtime. The Ads, who are now 3-0-2-2 in OT/SO games are 0-2 in shootouts this season. Prior to Saturday night, the most recent overtime game was a 2-1 loss at Manitoba on November 27th.

HALF FULL...HALF EMPTY...The Admirals' 57 points is the third best record after 40 games in franchise history. The 1988-89 Admirals had 62 points (30-8-0-2) and the 1992-93 Ads had 59 points (27-8-0-5). Milwaukee was 19-13-5-2 (45 points) through 40 games last season. After 22 road games they sport a 14-5-2-1 mark compared to 11-6-3-2 in 2003-04 and after 18 home games they are 13-5 compared to 8-8-2 last season.

ROAD WARRIORS...The Admirals face a grueling road trip with seven straight and nine of 10 games on foreign ice. The Admirals don't return to the Bradley Center until February 3. The Admirals under Claude Noel have amassed an impressive 83 of a possible 126 points (.659) in 63 regular season road games.

TRANSACTIONS...The Ads have released forward Chris Minard. Minard, who has 37 points, including 26 goals in 36 games this season for the Alaska (ECHL) Aces, was scoreless in one game with the Ads. Right wing Paul Brown was reassigned to the Trenton Titans on a conditioning assignment. Brown was scoreless in four games with 26 penalty minutes with the Ads.

LEADERS AT A GLANCE... Simon Gamache tops Milwaukee scorers and is third in the AHL with 55 points (19g-36a). His 36 assists also rank third among AHL playmakers and he ranks second in the AHL with 12 power play tallies. The 5'9", 185-pound left wing has accumulated 44 points (13g-31a) in his last 31 contests. Darren Haydar has 18 points (8g-10a) over his last 13 games and ranks second among Admirals' scorers with 37 points (16g-21a). Vern Fiddler leads the Admirals in plus/minus with a +18 and is fifth among scorers with 29 points (14g-15a).

FINLEY...Brian Finley had his five-game winning streak snapped on Saturday night, but he's been victorious in five of his last six and nine of his last 11 starts. Over his last 11 games he's allowed only 1.89 goals per game and sports a .936 save percentage. Finley's has 21 wins, which ties him for second among AHL netminders and a 2.18 goals against average ranking him eighth. His four shutouts are the most in a season by an Admirals goaltender since Chris Mason had five during the 2000-01 season. He now has eight career Admirals shutouts, two shy of Mason's career franchise record.

ONE-TWO PUNCH...Andrew Hutchinson is second among AHL defensemen with 31 points (9g-22a), second among AHL blueliners with nine goals and tied for first among defensemen with three game winners. Dan Hamhuis is tied for sixth among AHL defensemen with 27 points (7g-20a). Hamhuis is tied for the lead among AHL defensemen six power play goals.

GREAT IN THE SECOND...The Admirals rank second in the league offensively averaging 3.40 goals per game. They've outscored their adversaries 143-108 overall, and hold an impressive 62-40 scoring edge in the second period.

POWER PLAY...The Admirals are third in the AHL with 53 power play tallies. The Ads rank third in power play percentage completing 53 of 260 chances (20.4%). Over the past 12 games they sport an impressive 27.6% completion rate (16 of 58).

THE WEEK AHEAD

AWAY

TUESDAY JANUARY 25TH HOUSTON AEROS 7:00 P.M.

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 26TH SAN ANTONIO RAMPAGE 7:00 P.M.

FRIDAY JANUARY 28TH CINCINNATI MIGHTY DUCKS 6:35 P.M.

SATURDAY JANUARY 29TH GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS 6:30 P.M.

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

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American Hockey League Stories from January 24, 2005


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