AHL Norfolk Admirals

Admirals Beat Binghamton in Goal-Fest 8-6

December 21, 2005 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Norfolk Admirals News Release


The Admirals ended up on top in a roller-coaster match with Binghamton Wednesday night, finding the net eight times on 52 shots in an 8-6 victory.

Binghamton scored on their first shot of the game, as Charlie Stephens sent a wrister over Corey Crawford's glove for an even-strength goal at 1:46. The Admirals tied the game at 1-1 less than two minutes later. A sliding Martin St. Pierre redirected James Wisniewski's blue line shot into the corner to the left of Senators goalie Billy Thompson. Colin Fraser picked up the puck and beat Thompson high for an even strength goal at 3:30. The teams skated to the locker rooms tied at 1-1.

The second period saw the Admirals and Senators exchange nine goals. First, Binghamton scored two goals in a row to extend their lead to 3-1, as Danny Bois scored on a slap shot at 1:29 and Denis Hamel added a power play tally at the 6:29 mark.

However, the Admirals would score three goals in a three minute span to take a 4-3 lead. Milan Bartovic's wrister from the faceoff circle to the right of Thompson eluded the Senators netminder low at 9:31. Next, Anton Babchuk deked forehand before sliding a backhander into a yawning cage at 11:16 to tie the game at 3-3. Less than a minute later, Bartovic was tripped up on a breakaway and awarded a penalty shot. The winger gave Norfolk a 4-3 lead by sending a backhander past Thompson at 12:26.

The Senators then scored two power play goals in 43 seconds, as Tomas Malec's five-on-three goal at 15:40 and Joe Cullen's five-on-four tally at 16:23 gave the Senators a 5-4 lead.

The Admirals would not trail for long, as the wild second stanza-scoring spree continued. Matt Keith emerged from the corner to the right of Thompson, faking backhand before sliding a forehand shot past the sprawling Senators netminder at 18:09. Twenty-eight seconds later, Thompson stopped a Babchuk shot but left a rebound that Wisniewski sent into the back of the net at 18:37. The Admirals took a 6-5 lead into the third period.

Norfolk extended their lead to three quickly in the third. Quintin Laing tipped a Mark Cullen shot to St. Pierre, who sent the puck past new Binghamton goaltender Kelly Guard on the power play at 0:42. Thirty-eight seconds later, Guard left a rebound at the feet of Admirals' captain Ajay Baines, who netted his second goal of the season at 1:20 to give Norfolk a 8-5 lead. A Steve Martins tally for Binghamton at 13:40 rounded out scoring as the Admirals won 8-6.

Corey Crawford stopped 30 of 36 shots in the Admirals' victory. Billy Thompson played the majority of two periods and stopped 32 of 38 Norfolk shots. Kelly Guard finished the game for the Senators and picked up the loss as he made 12 saves on 14 shots.

Norfolk was 1-5 on the power play while Binghamton was 3-7.

Three Stars:

1. Milan Bartovic - NOR

2. Charlie Stephens - BNG

3. Mark Cullen - NOR

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American Hockey League Stories from December 21, 2005


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