Editor's note: Welcome to another installment of "Admirals Playoff Diary," OnMilwaukee.com's exclusive look at the Milwaukee Admrials as they battle through the American Hockey League playoffs in search of their second Calder Cup championship in three years. As the team prepares to face Hershey in Game 1 of the finals, enjoy this visit with right winger Brandon Segal.

NOW THAT WE KNOW WHO WE ARE GOING TO PLAY, it makes a difference of how we go at it in practice. We know who we've played, and we kind of know some of the players on their team. We are going to make adjustments as to how they play the game, and we still have our main focus and that's winning and giving it our all.

I played in the team that won the Cup in 2004 and there are some similarities with this year's team because we've got a few guys that were on the team, and those guys know how it is to win the championship and what it takes. This team is a little bit younger than it was two years ago, but we've got the same determination. Off the ice, I've never been on a team this close; everyone wants to win for each other.

[Hershey center] Kris Beech played half of the season with us this year. The fact that he is playing for Hershey is not going to change the dynamic of the series. We know how Kris plays, and it's hard. He's probably one of their top players because he was one of our top players. We know we have to put pressure on him and that he's going to make plays, he's really smart with the puck. It's going to be kind of weird playing against him because he was here in Milwaukee the whole year and he did a great job for us. We are going to play the same -- on the ice we are not friends and off the ice we are -- but on the ice it's a totally different game. Both teams are going to go for one goal, and that's to win the Calder Cup.

When we get him down in the corner, we might give him a little extra jab in the ribs to let him know that we know he's out there. We are playing for keeps, if you have to make a hit on him or try to take him off his game, then that's what you have to do because he's going to be doing the same thing to us.

We are building up for these first two games of the series in Milwaukee and we've got a little bit of a break before the games in Hershey. It's too bad, because it kind of takes away whatever momentum you gain from the first two games. You can't be too high and you can't be too low. You've got to keep an even mind whether that's going out on the ice and having a sweaty workout or just having a bike ride, you have to relax yourself during the break. Guys are still going to be focused and that's the main thing. You've got to keep your focus throughout the time off because those can be pretty tough with seven days off. You've got to look at the big picture, and going into Hershey is going to be pretty tough, but I know the guys are ready to play and it's going to be good.

Over the break, I've been hanging out with the boys, just relaxing mostly. I've done a little golfing and went to the lake and did some boating and Sea-Dooing. Doing stuff like that helps keep your mind free of hockey and makes me able to just have some fun. I'm just trying to get focused now and it's the Calder Cup, the best time of the year.

I am looking forward to getting back to Calgary and checking out my new house. My sister and her husband live in the house and I live in Vancouver. I'm actually buying another place in Vancouver that I will be living in. I'm looking forward to the summer, it should be a good one. It's going to be nice to go back home and see my friends and family. My buddies and I are planning on going on a little trip at the end of the year. We grew up together and have been close ever since, so it should be good to go away and just relax and have some fun. We are planning on going to Vegas and from there to Mexico; it's a man's trip for sure and it's going to be some fun!