AHL Norfolk Admirals

Admirals Battle Past Sharks

Published on February 15, 2008 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Norfolk Admirals News Release


NORFOLK, VA - The Norfolk Admirals (18-29-2-4) came out on top of a game that featured 166 penalty minutes, as they defeated the Worcester Sharks (21-23-3-3) 4-2 on Friday night at Norfolk Scope Arena.

The Sharks attacked first 4:29 into the first period when Tom Walsh's shot from the left half wall deflected off a defender in the slot and eluded Norfolk netminder Jonathan Boutin.

The Admirals knotted the score at 1-1 less than ten minutes later. Blair Jones sent a pass from the left point to Norm Milley at the right faceoff dot. Milley sent a wrist shot that was deflected at the goalmouth by Mario Scalzo at 13:19.

Norfolk took a commanding lead with a four-goal second period. Karl Stewart picked off a pass behind the Worcester net and centered the puck to Adam Henrich at the edge of the slot at the left hashmarks. Henrich backhanded a pass to a wide-open Kyle Wanvig, and Wanvig netted his team-leading 16th goal of the season by sending the puck top-shelf, glove-side just 25 seconds into the period.

Norfolk's lead doubled midway through the period. Blair Jones exited the penalty box and received a pass at the Norfolk blueline. He sent it ahead to Junior Lessard in the left corner while Paul Szczechura snuck past the defense in the slot. Lessard threaded the puck to the left side of the goalmouth where Szczechura redirected it into the cage at 12:57.

The lead grew to 4-1 at 16:28 on an odd-man rush. Jones picked up his third assist of the night as Milley finished the play with a shot from the low slot.

Fireworks then went off at Scope on the opening faceoff of the third period as every player on the ice - including Boutin and Greiss - fought. Both goaltenders were ejected along with Worcester's Mike Iggulden and Norfolk's Justin Fletcher. Two more sets of fights would break out later in the period.

The Sharks attempted a comeback, as Nate Raduns netted a power play marker at 15:40 and the Sharks fired 19 shots on new Admirals goaltender Marc Denis. However, the Admirals denied the comeback and held on for a 4-2 victory.

Jonathan Boutin (21 shots, 20 saves) got the win through 40:06. Marc Denis (19 shots, 18 saves) did not receive a decision in 19:54. Thomas Greiss (22 shots, 18 saves) got the loss through 40:06. Taylor Dakers stopped all six shots he saw and did not receive a decision through 18:09.

Norfolk was 0-6 on the power play. Worcester was 1-6.

The Admirals and Sharks will face off again tomorrow night at Scope at 7:15 p.m. This will be the last Admirals home game until March 7, as the team will embark on a nine-game, 17-day road trip next week.

To purchase tickets to any Admirals game, you may visit the Scope Box Office weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., visit any Ticketmaster outlet, call Ticketmaster at (757) 671-8100 or visit Ticketmaster online at www.ticketmaster.com. To purchase Admirals season tickets, ten packs or group tickets, please stop by the Admirals' Administrative Offices at Scope or call (757) 640-1212 weekdays from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Three Stars:

1. Jonathan Boutin - NOR

2. Blair Jones - NOR

3. Mario Scalzo - NOR

Notes: The 166 combined penalty minutes (Worcester - 93, 73 - Norfolk) are the most in an Admirals game since February 24, 2007 at Hartford ... Norfolk's all-time record for combined penalty minutes in a game is 227 on December 11, 2004, when the Admirals received an all-time high 118 penalty minutes and the Lowell Lock Monsters picked up 109 - the most ever by an opponent ... Blair Jones netted three assists - his first assists since December 2 at Hershey and his first multipoint game since another three-assist performance on November 24 vs. Springfield ... Jones was also a team-high +3 ... David Schneider's three-game point/assist streak (0-3-3) ended tonight ... With 17 penalty minutes tonight, Jonathan Boutin became the all-time single-season penalty minute leader among Norfolk Admirals goaltenders (25 PIM), passing Adam Munro's 23 penalty minutes in 2005-06 ... Tonight's matchup began a stretch with 17 of the next 22 games against Atlantic Division opponents. Prior to tonight's game, Norfolk had only played nine games out of their own Division ... Forwards Shawn Collymore and Chris Lawrence and defenseman Andy Rogers missed the game due to injury, forward Jay Rosehill missed the game due to illness, and forward Zbynek Hrdel and defenseman Kevin Quick were healthy scratches ... Attendance: 4,050.

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