Six months ago, Claude Noel didn't know what to expect.

The Admirals, fresh off a run to the American Hockey League's Calder Cup Finals, had been decimated by promotions and the loss of key free agents and were facing a less-than-grueling schedule (seven games in the first 30 days) to start the season.

Aside from trying to figure out where he would find enough offense, the Admirals coach would also have to find a way to replace all-star goaltender Pekka Rinne, who missed the first half of the season with an injured shoulder.

Now, with the AHL's 80-game regular-season in the books, Noel is pleased. The Admirals finished with a 41-25-4-10 record, good for 96 points and the No. 3 seeding in the Western Conference West Division playoffs. They will face rival Chicago in a best-of-seven series beginning Friday.

"I'm proud of the effort they've given all year," Noel said. "For the life of me I never thought we'd end up with 41 wins and 25 losses. Our team has really performed well this year and is coming together at the right time."

Finding offense has been the team's biggest task. Veteran Darren Haydar left to sign a deal with Atlanta and was assigned to the Thrashers' AHL affiliate in Chicago. Making up the 92 points (35 goals, 57 assists) scored by Haydar a year ago was no easy task. In a strange twist of fate, the Wolves' leading scorer, Ramzi Abid, ended up in a Milwaukee sweater and scored 19 goals to finish with 49 points in just 57 games after being signed by parent-club Nashville during the off-season.

Rich Peverley also took on an increased scoring role this season. The second-year center led the team with 68 points (30-38); enough to finish in the league's top-20 scorers. Peverly, the team captain, credits a March hot streak for setting up what he hopes is a deep playoff run.

"We've got great goaltending, we're scoring right now and that's the key ingredients," Peverley said "We're going in with a lot of confidence. I like our chances."

It was around the time of the March hot streak that Noel finally saw his team establish itself. Roles and play solidified and the team began to gel in preparation for the stretch run.

"By the time you play about 60 games, your team should be how you want it," Noel said. "We're playing really solid hockey from the goalies on out, we're in a good place. There are some things we might be able to do here."

To make up for Rinne's early absence and the departure of former first-round draft pick Brian Finley, the Predators signed Karl Goehring. Splitting time early on with Scott Reid, Goehring eventually played his way into the top job until Rinne returned and was back to full strength in January.

Goehring was 22-15 in place of Rinne, with a 2.69 GAA and 90% save percentage. In 29 games, Rinne enters the playoffs with the AHL's sixth-best goals-against average (2.34) and has saved 92% of the shots he's faced.

Back at full strength physically, Rinne is looking forward to using the experience gained during last year's playoff run. As a rookie, he was stellar in the second round and conference semis, but struggled in the finals against Hershey - he was pulled twice in the first period and had a 4.25 goals-against-average in the six-game series loss to the Bears.

"I feel good," Rinne said. "Physically [there is] no problem, and last year is not in the back of my mind anymore. It was such a good experience to go deep in the playoffs and get to the finals."

For Noel, goaltending is the key in the postseason. With Rinne at 100%, and a solid backup in Goehring, the coach thinks his team has what it takes.

"It's always important to have two goalies," Noel said. "I don't care which league you're in, if you've got good goaltending, you've got a chance. Both of our goalies are playing really well for us right now."

Rinne, Goehring and the Admirals will have their work cut out for them with Chicago, which led the AHL in scoring during the regular season. Haydar earned the individual scoring title with a whopping 122 points (41-81).

With Rinne's strong goaltending and the Admirals' improved defense; Noel thinks the Admirals have a good chance of advancing to the second round.

"I think we can get out of the division," Noel said. "But there are a lot of teams that can say that. Chicago is a good team. We have to be ready."