AHL Norfolk Admirals

Admirals Drop Heartbreaker in Wilkes-Barre

January 20, 2007 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Norfolk Admirals News Release


WILKES-BARRE, PA - In a game where Brandon Bochenski tied the Admirals' franchise record for goals in a single season with his 33 rd tally, it was the Penguins' leading goal-scorer who made the difference. Jonathan Filewich netted the game-winning goal in the contest's last minute to give the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (28-8-2-3) a 5-4 victory over the Norfolk Admirals (30-10-4-1) on Saturday night at the Wachovia Arena at Casey Plaza.

The Baby Pens got on the board first 6:08 into the game. Tyler Kennedy centered a pass from the right corner to a streaking Kyle Brodziak in the slot. Brodziak sent the puck top shelf glove side on Norfolk netminder Corey Crawford for a 1-0 Wilkes-Barre lead.

Norfolk tied the game on the power play seven minutes after Brodziak's goal. Troy Brouwer attempted a cross-crease centering pass from the bottom of the left circle to Martin St. Pierre at the opposite post. However, the puck deflected off a Penguins defenseman at the bottom of the slot and past netminder Andrew Penner at 13:43.

Bochenski's record-tying goal gave Norfolk a 2-1 lead. While shorthanded, St. Pierre stole the puck at the Wilkes-Barre blueline and broke in two-on-one with Bochenski. St. Pierre fed Bochenski at the edge of the right circle, and Bochenski sent a shot between Penner's left leg pad and glove at 18:36 of the opening frame.

The Admirals took a 3-1 lead just 25 seconds into the second stanza. Martin St. Pierre flipped a centering feed from the top of the left circle toward the goalmouth. Jordan Hendry sped down the slot and redirected the pass out of mid-air and into the back of the net for his second goal of the season.

The Penguins battled back to tie the game after two periods. Alexei Mikhnov scored on a goalmouth scramble at 10:11 after he found his own rebound and sent it through traffic and past Crawford.

Micki DuPont knotted the game at 3-3 just under three minutes later. He got the puck at the top of the slot and sent a slap shot through a screen top shelf on Crawford at 12:57.

Marc-Antoine Pouliot gave the Penguins the lead 4:38 into the final frame. He sent a shot from the right faceoff circle through Crawford's legs for a 4-3 Wilkes-Barre lead.

Norfolk tied the game at 4-4 less than ten minutes later on a power play. David Bolland sent a cross-ice pass from the right circle to Pierre Parenteau at the left circle. Parenteau one-timed the pass into the back of the net for his second goal as an Admiral at 13:03.

The Penguins got the game-winning goal on a two-on-one break with just 33 seconds remaining in the contest. Filewich skated into the Norfolk zone along the right wing and sent a snap shot past Crawford at 19:27.

Crawford (23 shots, 18 saves) was saddled with the loss. Penner (27 shots, 23 saves) picked up the win.

The Admirals were 2-5 on the power play. The Penguins were 0-3.

Bochenski now shares the Norfolk franchise record for most goals in a single season with Rene Bourque. Bourque netted 33 goals in 78 games as a pro rookie during the 2004-05 season. Bochenski now has 33 goals in 35 games as an Admiral this season.

The Admirals head to Philadelphia on Sunday for a 5:05 p.m. engagement with the Phantoms before returning to Scope on Friday for a showdown against the Hershey Bears at 7:15 p.m. Friday night's game will feature an AJ Gator's Pre-Game Party. For more information, please visit norfolkadmirals.com. Also on Friday, the first 2,500 fans through the gate will receive an Admirals' T-shirt courtesy of Liberty Tax Service. The Admirals will also honor the fifth STIHL Hometown Hero of the season during the game.

Check out the Norfolk Admirals Statistics



American Hockey League Stories from January 20, 2007


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