Rinne's Return Spoiled by Rochester
Published on January 19, 2007 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Milwaukee Admirals News Release
Milwaukee, WI-The excitement surrounding the return of Pekka Rinne faded quickly as the Milwaukee Admirals struggled to keep up with the Rochester Americans in the first period. Rochester scored all four of their goals in the opening session, and the Ads were unable to recover in the 4-1 loss.
Rinne's first save of the year came against Greg Jacina as the Ads turned over the puck on the blue line and let Jacina skate in for a breakaway. Rinne was stoic as Jacina charged at him three minutes in. Rinne kicked out a leg pad to make the save as Jacina released his shot.
Marek Zagrapan was the first to get a goal past Rinne this season at 6:15 into the first when he got behind defenseman Kevin Klein and earned himself a clear shot on net.
The next ten minutes Admirals fans watched the Amerks add three more from Mark Mancari, Brandon Smith, and David Brine (his first of the season).
Coach Claude Noel did not hold back when talking about his team's performance in the first period.
"Possibly the worst first period I've seen us play, probably in the four years I've been here."
He added, "In the first period they were playing chess. We were playing checkers.
We were chasing them like a pee-wee team chasing an NHL team."
While Rinne may have allowed four goals in his first period of the season, Noel didn't feel he was responsible for the rough homecoming.
"Can you blame Pekka," Noel asked rhetorically. "We pretty much gave them three breakaway goals. That's one way not to help your goalie."
Noel was also firm in his belief that Rinne wasn't rushed into tonight's start.
"He was ready to go. I had no problem with him. We didn't help him out."
Many fans came into the game looking forward to seeing Rinne and, back for conditioning, Scottie Upshall. Both had not played for the Admirals since last season's playoff run that took them to the Calder Cup Finals.
But thirty-seconds in, the fans were treated to some old-time hockey. A pair of Ads players took acceptation to a hit on Rich Peverley that left Peverley bleeding from his face and nose.
"I thought it was a clean hit," explained Noel. "But our players didn't want to take any of that, and I thought that was good."
The first period saw fifty-two minutes of penalties handed out to players who decided to take enforcement of the rules into their own hands.
Despite letting in four goals and getting an on-ice view of a poorly played first period, Rinne was optimistic coming out of his first start.
"Obviously, that was not the way you want it to go. But I feel pretty confident. The last two periods I didn't have any problems."
In the last two stanzas, the Admirals' only problem was in finding the back of the net. They came out of the locker room to start the second period with some fire and passion and subsequently they out-shot the Amerks 20-10 in the last forty minutes.
"You can't focus on the outcome," noted Noel on how he tried to keep his player's heads in a lopsided game. "You're down 4-0. You've got to focus on taking one step at a time. If I went in there and said, 'Come on guys! We need five to win.' I'd lose everybody. That's a mountain to climb."
The Ads' only goal of the night came when Ramzi Abid took a pass from Cal O'Reilly, who was camped out in the trapezoid, for a power play marker less than four minutes in to the second period.
Tonight's contest was the first in a series of seven games in nine nights. With new players on the roster and a tough week ahead, Noel will have a keen eye on his group's dynamics.
"I'll be watching this closely. I'm curious how we will play tomorrow."
Tomorrow's game will pit the Ads against the Toronto Marlies for the second time this week. Karl Goehring will be the likely starter for tomorrow's action, as his last result was a shutout against the Marlies during last Sunday's afternoon match-up.
For tickets fans can call Ticketmaster at (414) 276-4545 or log on to www.ticketmaster.com. Groups of ten or more receive at least a $2 discount off the face value of the tickets. To order a group or fans with other questions please call the Admirals office at (414) 227-0550.
American Hockey League Stories from January 19, 2007
- Rinne's Return Spoiled by Rochester - Milwaukee Admirals
- Rampage's four-goal period stops Moose in tracks - San Antonio Rampage
- Rivermen Crushed by Chicago 6-1 at Home - Peoria Rivermen
- Fourth-largest Toyota Center crowd sees comeback fall short - Houston Aeros
- Bulldogs Clip Griffins - Hamilton Bulldogs
- Monarchs Narrowly Edge Aeros For Third Win In A Row - Manchester Monarchs
- St. Pierre, Brouwer Have Four-Point Nights as Admirals Defeat Penguins 5-2 - Norfolk Admirals
- Ak-Sar-Ben Knights Shoot Down Stars, 3-1 - Abbotsford Heat
- Stars fall to Knights - Iowa Chops
- Griffins Fall to Bulldogs, 2-1 - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Sound Tigers squeak by Phantoms - Adirondack Phantoms
- P-Bruins Fall to Falcons in Shootout 3-2 - Providence Bruins
- Sharks tag Devils with 3-1 loss - Albany Devils
- Sound Tigers Beat Phantoms in Shootout Again - Bridgeport Islanders
- Edmonton recalls Zack Stortini - Hamilton Bulldogs
- MacDonald Recalled, Vicari Signed - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Larman returns as Amerks face Admirals - Rochester Americans
- Kings Assign Brust To Manchester - Manchester Monarchs
- AHL Quick Hits - AHL
- Conditioning Stint Over For Weaver - Manchester Monarchs
- Sound Tigers to hold Connecticut Youth Hockey Shootout - Bridgeport Islanders
- Sound Tigers Host Trumbull/Ridgefield Game - Bridgeport Islanders
- Mullet Madness as O'Sullivan returns - Houston Aeros
- Bears at home for weekend pair - Hershey Bears
- Calgary Flames Send For Godard - Abbotsford Heat
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