Preview: Admirals at Knights, Stars
About the Admirals: The Admirals are playing their best hockey of the season. They continue on their road swing after completing their most successful weekend of the season. Sandwiched around a 3-2 shootout victory over first-place Chicago, the Admirals found their offense in beating Grand Rapids twice, 6-3 and 8-5. The Admirals have climbed into fourth place, two points ahead of Iowa, in the West Division with 30 points. The five road victories are the most in franchise history for December. Including the three road games this weekend, the team still has five road games remaining in 2006. Of the team's 15 games in December, 11 are road games.
About the Knights: The Admirals owned the Knights last season, compiling a 7-2-1 record. But this season has been a different story as the Knights have won the first three meetings, including a 7-1 drubbing of Milwaukee in the Admirals' season opener on Oct. 7. Curtis McElhinney is the AHL's second-leading goalie, allowing just 2.06 goals per game, while stopping 92.4% of the shots.
About the Stars: The Admirals go against their old coach, Dave Allison, for the third time this season, still looking for their first victory against him. Allison coached the Admirals for two seasons, 2000-'01 and 2001-'02 with current Admirals coach Claude Noel as his assistant. Goalie Tobias Stephan has allowed 2.7 goals per game with a 90.8% saves average.
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