Magnus Hellburg got his first shutout of the season, leading the Admirals to a 4-0 victory over the Grand Rapids Griffins on Friday night at the BMO Harris Bradley Center.
Hellberg stopped 22 out 22 shots from the Griffins, while Colton Sissons scored a pair of goals tonight.
The Admirals started off the first period strong with two goals. The first came from Joe Pendenza. Anthony Bitetto miss-shot and Pendenza picked up the long pass. He shot twice, Tom McCollum stopping the first one but letting the second one in at 6:32 giving the Ads the lead 1-0. At 12:26, Viktor Stalberg drew out all three Griffins defensemen and flipped the puck to Sissons, who got it in right between the legs of McCullum and strengthened the Admirals lead 2-0.
The Ads picked up another goal mid second period. The puck was flipped to the right corner of the Griffins zone, Mark Van Guilder found it, and shot it in from right along the goal line at 13:30, bringing the score to 3-0 Admirals.
Sissons scored an empty net goal with just 57 seconds left in the third to solidify the Admirals win at 4-0.
Pendenza and Van Guilder each recorded a goal and Sissons with two. Brendan Leipsic tallied two assists and is ranked second overall in the AHL.
Hellberg has only played three games so far this season, winning all of them and getting a shutout tonight. “He’s certainly making a case. He’s really calm. He’s playing great. He’s playing like he did two years ago. Credit to him. He deserved to get back in there tonight and got the job done,” said Head Coach Dean Evason.
“I’m more relaxed,” said Hellberg. “I try to take it one day at a time and stay as humble as I can because I know it can go either way pretty fast. I just feel comfortable out there and the boys play unbelievably, they make my job easier. It in the end its important that we win games and I am proud to be a part of it.”
Tonight was Stalberg ‘s last night on his conditioning assignment up here in Milwaukee. He took a rough hit tonight, however, he is still heading back to Nashville tomorrow to be evaluated.
“It’s not good, not good,” said head coach Dean Evason. “I don’t know exactly what they’re saying it is but it’s his knee and its not good. It’s unfortunate. Tonight was probably his best game here. He was flying. He was playing hard. He was doing all the right things to get him back in the lineup in Nashville. It’s a shame. That’s what he came here for and that’s what we were trying to do for him. He was progressing and he was right there. It’s disappointing for sure.”
The Admirals are back at it again at the BMO Harris Bradley Center next Wednesday, November 12 at 7pm as they take on the Iowa Wild.
