MILWAUKEE -- Troy Grosenick turned away all 30 shots for the Milwaukee Admirals on Sunday en route to a 2-0 win over the Grand Rapids Griffins at Panther Arena, ending the visitors’ 2024 Calder Cup Playoff run in Game 5 of the Central Division Finals.

Sebastian Cossa was spectacular in defeat for the Griffins, making a personal playoff-high 34 saves to finish his first AHL postseason with a 2.72 goals-against average, a .900 save percentage and a 5-4 record in nine outings. He and Grand Rapids' penalty killers, highlighted by the shot-blocking prowess of defensemen Wyatt Newpower and Josiah Didier, denied the Admirals on all six of their power-play opportunities, including a pair of 5-on-3 chances during the final period.

Milwaukee’s Zach L’Heureux mimicked his Game 2 shorthanded breakaway goal with another in Game 5, sniping a shot under Cossa’s right pad from the bottom of the left circle 4:53 into the first period for his league-leading eighth goal of the playoffs. That 1-0 Admirals lead held into the intermission despite Grand Rapids’ 14-6 shot advantage. Milwaukee went on to outshoot the Griffins 30-16 over the final 40 minutes.

After a scoreless second frame, Ryan Ufko doubled the Admirals’ lead on his first tally of the postseason, as his wrister from the top of the circles found the upper left corner behind a heavily screened Cossa with 17 minutes remaining in the contest.

With the game coming down to the wire for Grand Rapids, Cossa was pulled in the final minutes for an extra attacker to no avail, as Milwaukee advanced to face the Coachella Valley Firebirds in a rematch of last year’s Western Conference Finals.

Notes
- The Griffins' young core showed out in these playoffs, with Jonatan Berggren (5-5--10), Carter Mazur (3-5--8) and Marco Kasper (4-3--7) all ranking in the top four of team scoring during Grand Rapids' run.
- The last time Grand Rapids was shut out in the playoffs was also a 2-0 final in an elimination game on the road, as Utica’s Jacob Markstrom made 21 saves in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals on June 2, 2015.
- All time when facing elimination, the Griffins are now 15-16 overall and 4-9 on the road. When their opponent faces elimination, the Griffins are 21-21 overall and 12-7 on the road. In winner-take-all games, Grand Rapids is 4-7 overall, 0-4 on the road, 2-5 in Game 5s, and 0-3 in Game 5s on the road.

Box Score
Grand Rapids 0 0 0 - 0
Milwaukee 1 0 1 - 2

1st Period-1, Milwaukee, L’Heureux 8 (O’Reilly), 4:53 (SH). Penalties-McKeown Mil (holding), 3:08; Stastney Mil (tripping), 9:13; Berggren Gr (cross-checking), 17:06.

2nd Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Mazur Gr (roughing), 3:25; Wiesblatt Mil (roughing), 3:25; Cossa Gr (tripping), 3:56; L’Heureux Mil (interference), 7:11; Ufko Mil (slashing), 12:06.

3rd Period-2, Milwaukee, Ufko 1 (M. Del Gaizo, Afanasyev), 3:00. Penalties-Newpower Gr (delay of game), 7:25; Wiesblatt Mil (slashing), 7:31; L’Esperance Gr (tripping), 9:58; Czarnik Gr (roughing), 11:20; Shine Gr (slashing), 12:28.

Shots on Goal-Grand Rapids 14-9-7-30. Milwaukee 6-14-16-36.
Power Play Opportunities-Grand Rapids 0 / 5; Milwaukee 0 / 6.
Goalies-Grand Rapids, Cossa 5-4 (36 shots-34 saves). Milwaukee, Grosenick 4-1 (30 shots-30 saves).
A-7,846

Three Stars
1. MIL Grosenick (W, SO, 30 saves); 2. MIL Cal O'Reilly (assist); 3. GR Cossa (L, 34 saves)

Record / Next Game
Grand Rapids: 5-4 / n/a
Milwaukee: 6-3 / Western Conference Finals Game 1 / Wed., May 29 at Coachella Valley 10 p.m. CDT

Photo by Milwaukee Admirals