While the Milwaukee Admirals had to make do at times with a patchwork lineup in their five-game series against the Manitoba Moose, they are much more fortified as they begin the Central Division Finals vs. Chicago, having had five full days between games to prepare for the powerhouse Wolves.
Connor Ingram is back after missing the first two games of the Manitoba series while on recall to the Nashville Predators. Dynamic scoring threat Rocco Grimaldi returned for Game 4 against the Moose after missing nearly two months with an injury. And while Milwaukee lost the first seven games of the season series against Chicago, the Admirals then captured five of the final seven meetings between the clubs.
Ties between the clubs dot this series. Milwaukee did not play during the abbreviated 2020-21 season, with Nashville instead sending its prospects to the Wolves ― Ingram, Cole Smith, Tommy Novak, Jeremy Davies and Josh Healey among them. Admirals head coach Karl Taylor also worked alongside Wolves counterpart Ryan Warsofsky in Chicago.
And Cody Glass, the Admirals’ leading scorer this season, spent time with the Wolves in 2018-19 and 2019-20, putting up 15 points in 22 games during their run to the 2019 Calder Cup Finals. Glass said that he has benefited from going through the demands of the Calder Cup Playoffs while just out of junior.
“That helps a lot, especially as a young kid going to a winning team,†Glass said via the team. “I feel like that helps a lot just going forward. And I just felt like every day, it was just a new thing of how to prepare, going through a playoff series, taking one game at a time.â€
There is the Grimaldi factor for the Admirals, as well. The eighth-year pro piled up 26 goals along with 26 assists in just 44 games with Milwaukee before his injury, and he instantly provides Milwaukee with someone who can help to counter Chicago scoring aces Andrew Poturalski and Stefan Noesen.
Grimaldi’s last game before his return was March 12 against Chicago.
“We just started having fun and started rolling,†Grimaldi said via the team. “And I just felt like when I went down, I was kind of letting them down, too. I felt like we had something really special started, and I wasn’t going to be able to at least try to finish it.â€
After a rigorous rehabilitation process at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Grimaldi was able to return more than a month ahead of the original schedule.
“I’m here, and I’m grateful for all the [Vanderbilt personnel] that helped out,†Grimaldi said. “Just being back, I’m just ecstatic to be here with these guys and be able to chase a Cup here.â€
― Patrick Williams
