The Milwaukee Admirals secured a spot in the Western Conference Finals with a 2-0 victory over the Grand Rapids Griffins at UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena on Sunday evening.
After a hard-fought series, the Admirals triumphed over the Griffins in a five-game battle and are now set to face off against the Coachella Valley Firebirds in the conference finals for the second consecutive year. The best-of-seven series will kick off on Wednesday night in Palm Desert, Calif.
In a pivotal Game 5, Troy Grosenick stepped up in goal for the Admirals, replacing the injured Yaroslav Askarov and delivering a stellar performance by stopping all 30 shots he faced. This marked Grosenick’s third career Calder Cup Playoff shutout and the first postseason shutout by a Milwaukee goaltender since 2013, achieved by Magnus Hellberg.
Milwaukee took an early lead in Game 5 when Cal O’Reilly set up Zach L’Heureux for a shorthanded breakaway goal just 4:53 into the game. L’Heureux’s goal, his second shorthanded goal of the series, put the Admirals ahead and contributed to his league-leading eighth goal overall this postseason.
The Admirals extended their lead to 2-0 in the third period as rookie defenseman Ryan Ufko scored a crucial insurance marker just 3:00 into the final frame, beating the screened Griffins goaltender, Sebastian Cossa, blocker-side.
With this victory, Milwaukee remains undefeated at 4-0 this postseason when facing elimination, showcasing their resilience and determination throughout the playoffs.
(Milwaukee wins series, 3-2)
Game 1 – Wed., May 15 – Grand Rapids 4, MILWAUKEE 2
Game 2 – Mon., May 20 – MILWAUKEE 5, Grand Rapids 2
Game 3 – Wed., May 22 – Milwaukee 3, GRAND RAPIDS 2 (OT)
Game 4 – Fri., May 24 – GRAND RAPIDS 4, Milwaukee 2
Game 5 – Sun., May 26 – MILWAUKEE 2, Grand Rapids 0
