Milwaukee Admirals

Milwaukee Musings: Ads impress on northern road trip

Milwaukee Admirals

Milwaukee Musings: Ads impress on northern road trip

by
Eric D
October 31, 2023

After splitting the opening two games of the season, the Milwaukee Admirals went up to Canada for a short road trip before heading back to Wisconsin for another division matchup. The Admirals looked solid in both Eastern Conference contests but walked away with a 1-1-0 record. Denis Gurianov came up big in overtime against Iowa to secure four of a possible six points for Milwaukee last week. Here’s how it went down.

2023-24 Nashville Predators AHL | ECHL Prospects Stats

Quick Hits

On Monday, the Nashville Predators recalled Marc Del Gaizo (D) from the Milwaukee Admirals ahead of their Canadian road trip
On Sunday, Gustavs Davis Grigals (G) posted a 42-save shutout in a 6-0 win for the Atlanta Gladiators; he also submitted an early contender for save of the year
Missing both games in Canada after getting banged up against Texas, Jake Livingstone returned to the Admirals’ lineup on Saturday against Iowa

Milwaukee Admirals (2) @ Toronto Marlies (3)

Not giving Troy Grosenick much help in his first start of the season, the Admirals opened this contest to a swarm by the Toronto Marlies; Nick Abruzzese opened the scoring in the first period, cutting to the net inside Joakim Kemell. Moments later, Kyle Clifford doubled the Marlies’ lead.

Halfway through period two, Denis Gurianov and Joakim Kemell finished off a two-on-one with some beautiful passing before the latter deposited the puck into a near-empty net. And seconds before the end of the middle frame, Zach L’Heureux dazzled to score his first professional goal.

^{Zach L’Heureux scores his first professional goal against the Toronto Marlies.}

Both teams battled fairly evenly through most of the third period, but Milwaukee was doomed as they failed to convert on any of their five power-play chances. Later in the final 20, Alex Steeves beat Grosenick on his glove side to drop the Admirals to 1-2-0.

Milwaukee Admirals (4) @ Belleville Senators (1)

Milwaukee didn’t look amazing to start a low-event first period the next night in Belleville, but Mark Jankowski did open the scoring by pouncing on a turnover in the low slot about 15 minutes in. In the middle period, the Senators controlled much of the pace, but Egor Afanasyev tipped in his second goal of the season, converting on the Admirals’ only power play of the night.

^{Fedor Svechkov scores his first professional goal against Belleville.}

Belleville continued to out-pace Milwaukee in period three, where the visitors recorded just three shots on goal. Despite giving up one goal off the rush, Fedor Svechkov iced things with his first professional goal, and Zach L’Heureux added an empty-net marker to ensure a victory.

Milwaukee Admirals (2) v. Iowa Wild (1)

Heading home from their two-game road trip, the Milwaukee Admirals welcomed the Iowa Wild with a 20-shot first period. After a scoreless frame, Jasper Weatherby notched his first of the year, banging home a rebound six minutes into the middle period. Six minutes later, Yaroslav Askarov surrendered the game-tying goal off a bizarre deflection from a net-front screen.

^{Denis Gurianov scores the game-winning goal on Saturday against Iowa.}

Despite putting up 47 shots on goal, the Admirals couldn’t add another goal in the third period. But Denis Gurianov barely wasted a second in overtime, bursting into the offensive zone and lifting the game-winner, his sixth point in five games, over Zane McIntyre’s shoulder.