Admirals Fall in Tight One against Elmira
October 21, 2016 - ECHL (ECHL)
Norfolk Admirals News Release
NORFOLK, VA. - Despite the team's undoubted best effort of the season, the Admirals (0-4-0-0) fell to the Elmira Jackals (1-1-0-0) on Friday night by a score of 3-2.
Although holding a commanding control over play in the opening 20 minutes, the Jackals made sure it was business as usual for the Admirals, opening the scoring thanks to Tyson Fawcett on the power play. Fawcett's snap of the wrists came just 5:14 into the game. Jackals forward Kyle Rankin set up the play for his first professional hockey point, his first of two assists on the evening.
After entering the locker room scoreless for the seventh consecutive period, the Admirals came out blazing in the second, striking for two in the same period for the first time this season. Rookie defenseman Mike Krieg found the back of the net first after displaying a great deal of patience at the blue line and eventually firing the puck through a ton of traffic and past Jackals netminder John Muse. Nick MacNeil and Adam Phillips were credited with assists on the tally for the Admirals.
Just moments after Krieg knotted the game up at one, fellow Mike, Mike Seidel used his speed to break away from a batch of Jackal defenders and beat Muse top shelf. Seidel's feed came from Aaron Harstad, who picked up his first assist of the season on the play. The goal came just 1:30 after Krieg's and the Admirals found themselves with a lead for the first time this season.
The lead only lasted a few moments though as Paul Greiger would release one into the back of the net after a beautiful pass from Rankin at the top of the circles to even the game up at two. Greiger was just reassigned to the Jackals earlier in the afternoon from the Rochester Americans, making his ECHL debut for the Buffalo Sabres affiliate. Along with Rankin, the first goal scorer of the evening, Tyson Fawcett was given an assist on Elmira's second goal of the night.
As the third period transpired, largely at a 2-2 game, the tie was broken with just 5:22 to go courtesy of Daultan Leveille. Standing in between the circles, the Elmira alternate captain deflected a waist-high shot past Connor Knapp, giving the home side a 3-2 lead with not much time left. Casey Thrush and Davis Vandane received helpers on the goal, the eventual game-winner.
Rod Aldoff elected to pull his netminder for the final minute and a half of play, however to no success. The Admirals won the shots battle 40-26, however suffered the loss in their first road contest of the year.
The two sides will meet again tomorrow night at 7:05 in Elmira in the series finale. You can watch the game on ECHL.TV or listen on 102.1 FM The Tide.
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