Whether you're talking about tonight's game against Grand Rapids as a whole, or describing one of the longest hockey fights in recent memory, "An Absolute Battle" fits the bill.

First, let's discuss the Admirals battle with Grand Rapids, a battle they won 5-4. (Nuts and Bolts are found here, and are worh reading).

The unsung hero of the game was Stephen Werner. Werner made a great play in the first period, battling two defenders along the boards and slipping the puck to Mike Santorelli. Santorelli then found Franson for the goal and a 3-0 Admirals lead. Franson with the goal, but the play was made by Werner.

Then, in the 2nd period, Werner had the best sequence of the night for any player. He streaked up the left wing, and carried the puck into the offensive zone. As he cut back to drive to the net, Grand Rapids' Jason Josza had to trip him to prevent the break-away. That gave the Admirals their 6th power play of the game.

On the ensuing face-off, Mike Santorelli was chased out of the face-off circle. Werner stepped in, and won the face off from Cory Emmerton. 5 sedonds later, Cody Franson had his second goal of the night.

Werner's speed led to the power play, and his versatility led to the face off win. It was something that did not escape Coach Lambert's notice.

"I thought he was using his speed again to break away and draw some penalties. That's the kind of game we need from him," said Lambert.  

Then there's The Fight. That's a capital T, and a Capital F. Triston Grant vs. Aaron Downey. An official clock was not kept - but estimates run between two and three minutes. That's a looooong hockey fight.

Goalie Mark Dekanich had time to grab a sandwich. "That's one of the best fights I've ever seen. I thoguht it was gonna stop about three times."

Hugh Jessiman says it really pumped him up. "Granter just hung in there. That was an absolute battle. Huge way to step up for the guys. That's a great show of character there, and it really gets the guys going."

Nevermind the fact that Grant probably lost the fight. (He never could get Downey's helmet off).

Jessiman was certainly jacked up after that. He wound up with the game winning goal.

Without looking.

On his backhand.

From his knees.

Seriously. It was an unbelieveable goal. Cal O'Reilly had done the heavy lifting behind the net, and sent a pass to Antti Pihlstrom. Pihlstrom's shot, however, his Jessiman's skate, and frittered away towards the left circle. Jessiman chased it down, got knocked down, and ripped the back-handed shot from his knees that beat Jimmy Howard to the far post.

I was impressed, even if Jessiman wasn't.

"That's really my job, sort of get those loose rebounds," said jessiman.

"Sometimes when you get the best chance in front of the net, it doesn't go in. When you get a little trickler like that, you just somehow try to get it towards the net and it goes in."