by Jason Karnosky | AHL On The Beat
The Milwaukee Admirals woke up on January 1 with an unusual New Year’s resolution – they decided they were not going to lose.
After dropping a 4-3 decision to the Rockford IceHogs on their last game of 2023, the Admirals began a storybook stretch of hockey, reeling off 19 wins in a row to start the new calendar year. In the process Milwaukee reached numerous milestones and built up an impressive lead in the American Hockey League’s Central Division.
“Even when we started stringing four, five, or six wins in a row, I don’t think any of us thought we were still going to be standing there at 19 wins in a row, going almost two months without a loss,” Admirals captain Kevin Gravel said. “It was a fun thing to be a part of for our team. There has been such a good mood for our group every time we come to the rink.”
The Admirals’ 19-game winning streak was the second-longest stretch in league history. Historically, the 2023-24 Milwaukee Admirals trail only their namesake Norfolk Admirals in the AHL’s record book, as Norfolk won 28 straight contests at the end of the 2011-12 AHL season.
“The vibe on our team throughout that run was great,” Milwaukee head coach Karl Taylor said. “We were always just trying to win the next game. That is what we have been trying to do all year, but especially during the streak. Our guys really enjoy being around each other, and they really stuck together as a team.”
Perhaps the most memorable win of the streak was the 19th victory in a row on Feb. 24. Tied at three goals apiece late in the third period against their archrival, the Chicago Wolves, veteran Admirals forward Cal O’Reilly took over, scoring a pair of crucial tallies as Milwaukee held on for a 5-4 victory.
In the process, O’Reilly became the Admirals’ all-time leading AHL scorer.
“It was really a special night and that is what we’ve been doing the last few months, just finding ways to win games,” said O’Reilly, who has eight goals and 26 points this season. “To see how happy the guys were for me, that meant a lot. We have a great group here and everybody cares about each other. Even when we have blocked shots, or huge hits, our whole bench is standing up and supporting each other.”
Taylor is proud of what O’Reilly has accomplished in his memorable return to the Cream City this season.
“What a historic night that was for Cal and his family,” Taylor said. “He played great, and he got a couple of goals and an assist for us. He definitely took that opportunity to rise up and he is a huge part of our organization.”
O’Reilly and Gravel played a key leadership role in piloting Milwaukee’s ship through some of its rockiest seas during the streak. Much like that 19th win in a row against Chicago, there were a couple of games where the Admirals were pushed to the brink.
On Jan. 24, Belleville scored two goals late to force overtime, but Milwaukee won the game in a shootout. On Jan. 30, the Admirals needed a third-period goal from defenseman Marc Del Gaizo to force overtime against San Diego, before claiming victory in overtime.
Along with those nail biters, there were a couple of wins along the way that stood out even a little bit more for Gravel. On Feb. 10, Texas outshot Milwaukee 34-22, but the Admirals prevailed 2-1 in the extra session. That set a new franchise record for consecutive wins at 14.
“There were certain games we won that were really fun along the way,” Gravel said. “When we broke the Admirals all-time winning streak, that was a game that we really wanted to win. We had come that far, so we didn’t want to lose that one and come up one win short.”
A victory over Chicago on Feb. 22 gave the 2023-24 Admirals the second spot all-time among all AHL teams.
“When we got to 17 wins in a row, we really wanted to win that next one,” Gravel said.
Personally, Gravel reached a milestone of playing in his 500th professional game on that same night. Milwaukee clearly values what the Kingsford, Mich., native brings to its squad, and recently signed Gravel to a two-year contract extension.
“Kevin is our captain, and he just plays so hard for us every night,” Taylor said. “He sacrifices his body and he’s a vocal guy in our locker room. I think he has a lot more games left in him.”
During the streak, Taylor reached the milestone of 400 wins as a professional head coach, which included stints with Reading and Ontario in the ECHL. The 2019-20 AHL coach of the year is in the process of leading Milwaukee to another stellar season and is now appearing on many short lists as far as National Hockey League coaching vacancies.
Perhaps what is most impressive about Milwaukee’s 19-game stretch of dominance is that it happened during January and February, during the heart of the AHL season. Late winter is often when AHL teams often have frequent player movement in both directions. The NHL’s trade deadline is also just over the horizon, which increases player movement, and the postseason is still a couple of months away.
“I think having the win streak during January and February speaks to the group that we have,” Gravel said. “Everyone on our roster truly cares about each other. We all show up and want to win every game. We have that buy-in, and when you have that you have the chance to do special things. I don’t think you ever think you are going to win 19 games in a row, but when you have a group that really relies on one another and cares about one another like we do, you can put together a special season.”
Cody Hodgson was an important addition during the streak that helped Milwaukee sustain its stunning momentum. The Toronto native came back to Milwaukee nearly eight years after his last professional hockey game, forced to retire due to complications from a rare muscle disorder known as malignant hyperthermia. With a clean bill of health, Hodgson rejoined the Admirals and scored key goals in each of the last three wins that capped Milwaukee’s epic streak.
“I don’t think you can put a value on what a guy like Cody can bring to your team,” Gravel said. “I can’t imagine the grind or what he’s been through with his health, but to be able to step back into the AHL after eight years away and look like he hasn’t missed a beat, I don’t think people are giving him enough credit for how special that is. He’s been a tremendous player for us.”
Milwaukee had its fair share of injuries during their two-month winning streak, but the incredible play of its goaltenders Yaroslav Askarov and Troy Grosenick helped the Admirals keep on rolling.
“They’ve both been unbelievable for us,” O’Reilly said. “When we know we aren’t at our best, the saves they made gave us a chance to win every single night.”
After winning 19 straight games, Milwaukee was due for a letdown. The Admirals have lost seven of eight games since the streak, but they still hold an eight-point lead over Grand Rapids in the Central Division and are still in the running to finish as the AHL’s top regular-season team.
While the going has been tough as of late, Milwaukee can take solace in the fact that the AHL’s all-time streak leaders, Norfolk, went on to win the Calder Cup in 2012. Meanwhile, Milwaukee’s NHL affiliate Nashville is currently sizzling as well, riding a 13-game points streak of their own.
That certainly bodes well for Milwaukee’s stretch run and the postseason ahead.
“Nothing is set in stone yet, and we still need to qualify for a playoff spot, but I do think we have a group that could do some special things this spring,” Gravel said. “That doesn’t necessarily mean that it is going to happen, but we have high expectations, and we know we have that opportunity.”
