Prospect Info: Down On The Farm (Ads and Glads)

[Porter Stoutheart]

How many games left for the Ads?

Just 1. Friday. Probably why they felt they had time to pop Ufko up for a little reward last night.

 

[PredsV82]

Just 1. Friday. Probably why they felt they had time to pop Ufko up for a little reward last night.

So have they clinched the division?

 

[adsfan]

How many games left for the Ads?

One, on Friday the 18th at home against those evil Chicago Wolves at 7 PM.

The playoffs start on Thursday, May 1st at 7 PM. Then Saturday May 3rd at 6 PM.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

So have they clinched the division?

No, they are 2 pts up on Texas. Ads have 1 game to play, Stars have 2 to play. But the Ads have the tie-breaker? So as long as the Ads win that last game, it's in the bag. But if they lose and Texas gets 3 pts...

Anyway, hopefully the NHL Stars rest ALL OF THEIR players against us in the last NHL game of the season. Call up all their guys from Texas. And that actually helps the Ads...

 

[adsfan]

So have they clinched the division?

Nope. The Ads need to win their last game or have Texas lose one of their 2 games to clinch.

Milwaukee owns the tie breakers due to Head Coach Karl Taylor's brilliance! He played Murray during back-to-back games at Texas. The Admirals won both games in regulation and flipped the script. The Ads went from a Magic # of 19 to 11 in 48 hours. It should be down to 3 right now. Texas lost 5 games in a row and let Milwaukee catch them and pass them by 2 points.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

So what is the optimal full lineup for the Ads in the playoffs? There may be some limitations for the veteran rule. But I'm assuming it's:

G - Murray starting
D - Gravel, Del Gaizo, Stastney, Ufko, Friedman, Livingstone
F- Lucchini, Bellows, Kemell, Svechkov, O'Reilly, Wiesblatt, Rolston, Denisenko, Marino, Pavel, De Leo, ?O'Hara?

Extras:
G - Chrona backup, Haider/Milota available
D - Ottenbreit, Nychuk, Matier, Prokop, Hanzel
F - Ylonen, Mutter, Lind, Bjork, Gojsic, Wall, Reedy, Frasca
(possibly with other juniors joining once their seasons end)

Injured:
Schaefer, Ratcliffe

They didn't put L'Heureux on the clear day roster (doh) and Wood isn't eligible.

 

[adsfan]

G- Haider for the 3rd goalie. He played 1 AHL game. He lost, but it was a close game.

D- I heard that Del Gaizo is on waivers.
I would put Matier ahead of Nychuk. Maybe Prokop too.

F- Ylonen is playing! Mutter will play half of the games. He disrupts the other team's offense. Wall will play with Mutter when a heavy line up is needed. Marino might be their Center.

I have never seen Frasca play!

 

[adsfan]

My wife says that the Ads Magic # is 2.

Edit: She traced that to a Facebook comment. I don't consider that a reliable source! Neither the Admirals nor Texas has played since it was 3. Both teams play on Friday. Texas plays again on Saturday.

 

[Scoresberg]

Any word on who we are sending down for the Ads playoff run? I imagine MDG, Statsney and Svechkov could at least be sent down.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

Any word on who we are sending down for the Ads playoff run? I imagine MDG, Statsney and Svechkov could at least be sent down.

Stastney has already been there for a bit.

MDG and Svechkov are cleared for the playoff run. Per posts above, the expectation is they will play in the playoff run.

 

[PredsV82]

I've noticed Kemmell seems to have scored a few lately. Is he now fully healthy?
Would be nice to see him have a big playoff run and make his case for making the big club next year

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

I've noticed Kemmell seems to have scored a few lately. Is he now fully healthy?
Would be nice to see him have a big playoff run and make his case for making the big club next year

The whole ZLH-Svechkov-Kemell line was pretty big in last year’s playoffs? 2 outta 3 went up and didn’t look out of place? Kemell is hopefully not far behind, but he’s a little younger so …

 

[adsfan]

Game 72 of 72. The first place Admirals (39-21-5-6, 89 pts) host the 4th place Chicago Wolves (36-30-4-0, 76 pts). Milwaukee is 7-4 against Chicago and 4-1 in this building. I like that the Ads went 3-3 in Chicago this season!

The Ads are 8-1-1 in their last 10 games, with a 5 game win streak. Chicago is 6-3-1-0 with a ONE game win streak. They could meet in the playoffs in May. Throw a blanket over Ryan Suzuki and Justin Robidas and they are toast!

The starters were Murray in goal. At LD was Ottenbreit with Ufko. At LW was Bellows, with Ozzy at Center and De Leo!

I missed what happened. Ottenbreit ended up on the ice in the Neutral Zone. I think that #21 dumped him. Ottenbreit took off his gloves and stood up. He got 2 minutes for Unsportsmanlike at 21 seconds. The ENTIRE Admirals bench was up! The crowd chanted "Nuts and Bolts, Nuts and Bolts, We Got Screwed!" at 1:02 of the game. The Ads killed it. Legault gets 2 minutes for Holding Denisenko so he couldn't score. SOG 5-1 Ads at 5:30.

Chicago is up to their usual DIRTY Tricks!
Martin swung at De Leo and got a tap on the arm in return. De Leo crushed somebody in the NE corner. #91 interfered with Kemell at the Blue Line. Kemell hammered a Chicago player on the half wall. Kemell knocked him down and one ref with that check!

With 8 minutes remaining, the SOG are 7-2 Ads. Chicago can't get their shots on frame due to the swarming defense by Milwaukee.

Marino tripped in front of the net when the puck was on the side boards and no call. Martin just skated out to the right circle after the play and bumped Denisenko. How is that NOT a penalty?

Rolston slewfooted and no call. Martin came out of the net to check Denisenko in the right circle DURING play. Ref Jordan Deckard saw both penalties and called neither! People hitting each other with sticks as players return to their benches during the last two minutes. SOG 11-3 Ads.

I expect a brawl if these refs don't start calling penalties. This was like Slap Shot! There must be 7,500 fans to witness this travesty. The Ads did everything but score.

Edit: AHL official attendance of 9169.
(It seemed like less than 8000 to me, but the concourse was crowded like NYC.)

The same 5 skaters started Period 2 with De Leo as the Center. The puck was laying in the crease and a Chicago player got there first. After 1:50, the SOG are 3-1 Ads. Turcotte, 116 PIMs, bumped Marino from behind as the players returned after Icing on the Ads. Turcotte had something to say to Marino and Mutter!

Bellows (15) scores off of Martin. It popped in the air then hit his shoulder and into the net. I think that Ozzy (25) got the assist. Ozzy wants to fight Franco, who is 6 inches taller.

Lucchini (21) scores a PPG at 8:03. Assists to Friedman and Ylonen to make it 2-0. SOG are 23-6 Admirals. Sail Panwar, #27 was yakking at Murray on the ice and then from the bench! Turcotte elbowed Rolston, then Rolston is Tripped on the other side of the ice and no call, of course.

Turcotte jousting with Ozzy before the face off, twice. Friedman taps Turcotte's arm. Turcotte hit Gravel late and he got a slash in the back for his trouble. That is not like Gravel at all.

Chicago's Ryan called for High Sticking Ufko with 2:19 remaining. A Wolves player is in the crease and Murray trips him. THAT was called with 31 seconds left? The crowd is screaming "Ref you suck" for a minute at Jordan Deckard. Statsney just boarded somebody on the half wall. That player was slow to get up. No call. SOG totals 23-12 Ads. The Ads have been stuck on 23 SOG for a long time.


Chicago starts with 1:29 of PP. Chicago gets 1 SOG. Panwar yakking at the Milwaukee bench. Mutter sent #4 flying in the Neutral Zone. Now Denisenko hits Badinka, #4, in the SE corner.

Legault cross checked Bellows across the back and down to the ice and no call. Then Legault slashed Ozzy and no call. Ozzy dropped the gloves and started whaling on Legault. The crowd was chanting "Ozzy, Ozzy". They both get 5 minutes. There is no justice in this game! I am glad that Ozzy made that BUM pay! About 11 minutes left.

Kemell does a Pavel Bure on a stretch pass to make it 3-0! Assists to O'Reilly and Ylonen. Ads score again! It is waived off by Shithead Deckard with 9:28 to go!!! On the replay, it looked like a GOOD GOAL. No announcement at all. That is odd.

Now Ottenbreit is fighting Turcotte just inside the Chicago Blue Line. I did not see how it started. Ottenbreit got 2, 5 and 10. Turcotte got 5 and 10. They are both done. SOG 25-14 Ads with 9 minutes remaining. Denisenko (17) scores a SHG at 12:23 to make it 4-0 Admirals. The Wolves had SEVEN players on the ice for the goal.

Delayed Penalty. Two Ads go after #27, Panwar, who had his stick up with 6:24 remaining. Ads Mutter for Roughing. Smith for Roughing and #27 Panwar for Slashing.
The Ads score in 7 seconds, pushing the puck through Martin's legs. It was Denisenko (18) at 13:44. Assists to De Leo and ? It is 5-0 Ads.

Martin just slashed Kemell. Gunler high sticked Rolston and he gets a minor. Now Chicago still has 5 skaters on the ice. The ref made #5 get off! Martin is rattled. The puck has gone through his crease 3 times since the 5th goal.

Central Division Champs! (Two in a row!)

Forty wins on the season. A 5-0 shut out. Beating Chicago like a drum. Just 2 SOG in Period 3 for the Wolves. That was lowest allowed by the Ads all season. This was a historic night on Good Friday!

The Admirals announced Karl Taylor as their all time winningest coach in the AHL. It was hard to hear, but I believe it was 248 victories. Win the Calder Cup and go to the NHL for next season!!!

The Admirals will know who they are playing after tomorrow night's games. It will be Chicago or Rockford or Grand Rapids. I prefer one of the first two in a 5 game series. The Admirals will roll over them!


Edit: FIVE Chicago Wolves fans were ejected for bad language. They were seated a few rows behind the team bench. They had caused problems at last Sunday's game. One of the women has been ejected before in Milwaukee this season. There is a video on Facebook.

 

[nullednumbed]

If Bruno does end up getting canned, Taylor deserves serious consideration. What he has been able to do with that roster this year is pretty remarkable.

 

[PredsV82]

If Bruno does end up getting canned, Taylor deserves serious consideration. What he has been able to do with that roster this year is pretty remarkable.

He should have been the pick two years ago. Definitely a better option than a retread

 

[PredsV82]

So the Ads get a decent break while there is a play in series, right?

Also, will they do it on a 2-3 format where the Ads have to start on the road like they did last year? That just seems so unfair.

 

[cjerina]

So the Ads get a decent break while there is a play in series, right?

Also, will they do it on a 2-3 format where the Ads have to start on the road like they did last year? That just seems so unfair.

They're already announced Games 1 & 2 are home, so arena availability may have played into that.

 

[PredsV82]

They're already announced Games 1 & 2 are home, so arena availability may have played into that.

2-2-1 is much better...

 

[adsfan]

They're already announced Games 1 & 2 are home, so arena availability may have played into that.

Chicago has Game 1 at home vs Rockford. Game 2 is at Rockford. Game 3 is at Rockford, but Chicago is designated as the "home team", so they get the last change.

Somebody must have the circus in town.

 

[cjerina]

2-2-1 is much better...

Being against either Chicago or Rockford, that is a whole lot more logical. But being the AHL, I've stopped trying to use logic.

 

[adsfan]

Rockford won 2-1 at Chicago, at exactly 11:00 minutes of OT.

Game 2 is Friday at Rockford. The Wolves already have their backs against the wall.

Rockford is a pesky team.

Chicago is a dirty team. They interfered with Commesso just 88 seconds into the game.

Just like they interfered with Matt Murray last Friday. It is a bad habit of theirs!

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

I think it's absolutely remarkable that the Admirals snagged 1st in the Central this year. Look at that team. Old Man O'Reilly as leading scorer with just 49 pts. We lost Hinostroza and had Bellows up for a lengthy stretch. No big point producer on D.

AGM (Nichol) was scrambling all year to pick up warm bodies to ice a functional roster - but the guys found like Rolston, Pavel, De Leo, Grigorenko, Ylonen, Friedman... absolutely key additions.

The guys highlighted in yellow below are our actual Preds "prospects". Stastney, Wilsby, Svechkov, L'Heureux were already promoted/graduated. Schaefer was injured for most of the year. So that left basically just Kemell and Ufko as serious prospects down there, with Wiesblatt as a depth/energy role player kind of "semi-prospect".

I don't think there is any doubt that Matthew Murray is the team MVP. As a player. But to me it's still an overall enormous feather in Karl Taylor's cap again too. That's quite a season relative to the lineup that was put on the ice most nights. It's nice to see SOME success in the organization!