ROCKFORD, Ill – Many predicted the Rockford IceHogs would be facing off in the Calder Cup tournament against their in-state rivals, the Chicago Wolves, in a battle of Interstate 90. But when defending champs were eliminated from playoff contention, Rockford found itself pitted against a more northernly opponent, the Milwaukee Admirals, in a battle of I-94.
The Admirals finished tied for first in points at 107 with the Manitoba Moose, who had one more win. Rockford barely got into the postseason dance, capturing the the fourth spot by edging out a streaking Quad Cities team.
Both teams come in the playoffs with top 10 goaltenders. But Milwaukee can boast not one but two netminders in the top five. Veteran Drew MacIntyre in his first year with the Admirals has gathered a league-leading 34 wins in 55 games with four shutouts and a .921 save percentage. Rookie Mark Dekanich (Nashville’s round 5 pick, 146th overall, in the 2006 Draft) has compiled an equally impressive record going 15-10-0-2 in 30 games which includes one shutout and a save percentage very equal to MacIntyre at .923.
Rockford also has a decent tandem. Even though Corey Crawford did not play up to par as last season’s numbers, he still put up decen t numbers, winning 22 of the 47 games he played in. Success with the parent Chicago Blackhawks this season kind of hurt his chances for promotion. Antti Niemi took half the load in Rockford and won 18 of the 38 games he played in while putting up a .913 save percentage.
With the parent Nashville Predators, eliminated from the Stanley Cup chase, look for Milwaukee to get even stronger with the return of forwards Cal O’Reilly and Jed Ortmeyer. The Admirals also boosts one of the league’s best defenses, allowing only 2.44 goals per game in the regular season.
On the other side, Rockford continues to enjoy roster stability. What probably has hurt the team most was losing top scorer Petri Kontiola at the trade deadline to the Anaheim Ducks.
Both teams scored the same amount of goals, so look for defense and goaltending to dictate who will win the series. Head-to-head this season, Rockford might have a slight edge with the home ice going to the Admirals. They fared pretty well on the road. Rockford’s power play is going to be a major key also in this series where they ranked 27th in the league while Milwaukee has the league’s highest percentage in the penalty kill.
Contact Matt.chin@prohockeynews.com.
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