The Milwaukee Admirals' veteran goalie knocks out Grand Rapids with a shutout
Zach L’Heureux scored a short-handed goal, Ryan Ufko added his first playoff goal as a pro and Troy Grosenick stopped every shot the Grand Rapids Griffins sent his way Sunday as the Milwaukee Admirals advanced in the AHL playoffs with a 2-0 victory at the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena.
Milwaukee, which has gone the full five games in its two playoff series, will take on the Coachella Valley Firebirds in the Western Conference finals. The best-of-seven series is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. (Central) Wednesday in Thousand Palms, California. The Firebirds, the team that eliminated the Admirals last season, advanced by sweeping the Ontario Reign and have won six straight games across two playoff series.
Game 5 box score: Admirals 2, Griffins 0
The rookie L’Heureux scored his Calder Cup playoffs-leading eighth goal 4:53 into the game with Roland McKeown in the box for holding. Cal O’Reilly, skating in his 100th playoff game, assisted. Ufko’s goal came 3:00 into the final period on assists from Marc Del Gaizo and Egor Afanasyev.
Grosenick made 30 saves for his third win in four playoff starts across two series. The 34-year-old Brookfield native was the first Admirals goalie since Magnus Helberg in 2013 to record a playoff shutout.
Admirals vs. Firebirds AHL Western Conference finals schedule
Game 1: at Coachella Valley, 9 p.m. Wednesday
Game 2: at Coachella Valley, 9 p.m. (Central) Friday
Game 3: at Milwaukee, 7 p.m. Tuesday
Game 4: at Milwaukee, 7 p.m. Thursday
Game 5: at Milwaukee, 7 p.m. Saturday, if necessary
Game 6: at Coachella Valley, 9 p.m. June 10, if necessary
Game 7: at Coachella Valley, 9 p.m. June 12, if necessary
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Admirals top Griffins in Game 5, meet Coachella in AHL Western finals
