The Admirals, who resume their West Division Semifinal series against the Chicago Wolves this evening at the Bradley Center, are confident that they have found the right mixture of intensity and relaxation, focus and a clear mind ... as well as offense and defense.
In the playoffs, that kind of balance is key.
"It's about not being too high and not being too low," defenseman Cody Franson said after practice Saturday morning. "You need to understand that there's always going to be adversity and not let it get to you. At the same time, when things are going good, you can't get ahead of yourself.
"You just have to try and stay on an even keel."
After taking the opener, 4-3, in overtime Wednesday night in Chicago, Milwaukee dropped a 2-1 decision Friday night to even the series, 1-1. Heading into Game 3, the Admirals think they're in a good position, but are still aware of the fact that they had a chance to take a 2-0 lead in the best of seven series.
"We think we're in good position," center and captain Cal O'Reilly said following a Saturday-morning skate. "We don't think we played our best game last night, but we only lost 2-1.
"We know if we had played a little bit better and did more with our chances; it could have gone the other way."
Milwaukee is playing somewhat shorthanded against the Wolves, with two of the team's top three scorers unavailable. Center Matt Ellison (26 goals, 32 assists, 58 points) is out with a leg injury suffered in the playoff opener. Right winger Josh Langfeld (27 goals, seven assists) was called up by parent-club Nashville just hours prior game two to help the Predators in their Stanley Cup Playoff series against Detroit.
Langfeld played a major role in game one, notching a hat trick that culminated with the tying score that sent the game to overtime. He finished with four points, earning the playoff promotion.
The absence of those two players has made it important for other players to step up. While there is added pressure, captain (and leading scorer) O'Reilly stresses the importance of staying with one's own game.
"Everybody's got to play their game," O'Reilly said. "Some guys will have to step up their game; you have to when the opportunity arises. But you still have to stay within yourself."
Games between Milwaukee and Chicago have, in the past, been notoriously chippy affairs. Up against the AHL's third-best power-play offense (107 goals in 514 opportunities), the Admirals know how important it is to keep emotions in check.
"You have to try and stay focused in games like that," Franson said. "You don't want to let the guys they have out there trying to stir that kind of stuff up let our guys get off our games."
During the regular season, Lambert's squad was among the most disciplined in the league, amassing just 1,191 penalty minutes, the second-lowest total in the league.
"I think everybody who plays these games within our league and the (NHL) knows the importance of discipline and controlling your emotions because of the importance and ramifications of power-plays," Lambert said. "From our standpoint, the intensity level is ramped up. We do play a very disciplined game but we've able to pick up our intensity level.
"That, in turn, can lead to a situation in the game where there might be a scrum here or a scrum there, but that's just playoff hockey, it's how it goes."
While Milwaukee is missing some of its firepower, it still has goaltender Pekka Rinne to take off some of the pressure. Rinne led the AHL and tied a franchise record with 36 victories in the regular season. He also led the league in minutes and shots-faced.
It's Rinne's experience in the post-season -- he took the Admirals to the Calder Cup Finals in 2006 -- that can be, at times, a steadying force.
"Playoff experience is important, no doubt about it," Lambert said. "For us, the experience and the fact that he's so depended on for us, it helps knowing that's he's been there before."
The Admirals and Wolves continue the series Wednesday night at the Bradley Center, with Game 5 scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Ill.
