With mutual friends in Milwaukee for a Milwaukee Admirals hockey game, my buddy Tony and I made the easy trip from northern Illinois to join them. Having never been to an Admirals game, we looked forward to the experience.

Our trip there included a stop at the legendary Brat Stop for lunch. Tony had The Bratfather, a burger topped with a brat, while I had chicken quesadillas. We split an appetizer combo. The food always lives up to its reputation. We were two hungry guys, but we had to take some of it as leftovers.

The Admirals play downtown in UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena. Built in 1950 and most recently renovated in 2016, this beautiful venue has a 12,700-seat capacity, all with excellent sight lines. Playing in the American Hockey League, the Ads are affiliated with the NHL’s Nashville Predators, but their roots date to 1970 when they started as the Milwaukee Wings.

After meandering around the arena, we headed to the Media Room, where we ran into our friends, Wisconsin promoter David Herro and West Coast friend Lisa Marie Varon. After catching up, we let them get to their work while we continued our tour of the facility.

Along the way, we ran into Joe Mauriello and several other friends and even a few players. Unfortunately, I did not cross paths with Roscoe, the sea dog mascot. Wanting to get the feel of the entire arena, we watched from several locations. We talked to a lot of fans and engaged in a bit of good-natured city rivalry jabbing.

Joe Mauriello

Scoring three goals in 2.5 minutes in the second period, the Ads went on to beat the San Diego Gulls 5–1. The Ads are in third place in their division but only six points out of first place.

It was an exciting game and fun night. The Admirals are just one more reason I need to get to Milwaukee more often.

— John Wroblewski, online writer