Sports stats



AHL Norfolk Admirals

Admirals Finish Season with Three Straight Wins

April 13, 2009 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Norfolk Admirals News Release


NORFOLK, Va. - The Norfolk Admirals capped off the 2008-09 season with three straight wins on the road last week.

The week began on Wednesday in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton as Radek Smolenak netted the overtime game-winning goal in a 4-3 decision over the Penguins. Two nights later, Brandon Segal netted a natural hat trick to lead Norfolk past the Binghamton Senators 6-1. The Admirals returned to Wilkes-Barre on Saturday night, as Brandon Buck netted a goal and an assist for his first professional points and Craig Kowalski made 32 saves in a 4-3 win.

EAST DIVISION STANDINGS

Norfolk finished the season with a 33-38-4-5 record for 75 points and a sixth place finish in the American Hockey League's East Division. The F. G. (Teddy) Oke Trophy for the East Division Championship went to the Hershey Bears (49-23-2-6, 106 points) by virtue of their winning head-to-head record with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers (49-23-3-5, 106 points), as both teams tied for the most points and wins in the division. The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (49-25-3-3, 104 points) and Philadelphia Phantoms (43-30-2-5, 93 points) will join the Bears and Sound Tigers in the playoffs. Hershey will square off against intrastate rival Philadelphia and Bridgeport will take on Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in the East Division Semifinals of the Calder Cup Playoffs. The Binghamton Senators (41-30-5-4, 91 points) finished just two points behind the Phantoms for the final playoff berth. The Albany River Rats (33-40-3-4, 73 points) finished seventh in the division.

ADMIRALS' LOG

- Norfolk won three straight road games for the first time this season last week and the first time since January 23 - February 2, 2008.

- With the wins at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton tonight and on Wednesday, the Admirals have won two consecutive games at the Wachovia Arena at Casey Plaza for the first time since November/December, 2001.

- Forward Brandon Buck netted his first professional points with a goal and an assist for first star honors on Saturday in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

- The Admirals sent a franchise-record low 15 shots on goal in their 4-3 victory over Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Saturday.

- Steve Downie returned to the Norfolk lineup on Saturday in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton following the conclusion of his 20-game suspension.

- Goaltender Doug Raeder entered Saturday's game in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton with just over one second remaining to make his professional debut.

- Brandon Segal netted the second natural hat trick in Norfolk history on Friday in Binghamton. The first was recorded by Andy Hilbert on November 30, 2005, versus Binghamton.

- Segal's hat trick was the third for Norfolk this season, joining Steve Downie (12/27 vs. Philadelphia) and Radek Smolenak (1/30 vs. Albany).

- Two of Segal's goals on Friday were unassisted, giving him five unassisted tallies on the season. Only Philadelphia's Jonathan Matsumoto (6) recorded more unassisted goals in the American Hockey League in 2008-09.

- Justin Keller recorded his second three-point-night of the season on Wednesday in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton to snap a five-game pointless drought. Keller assisted on each of Norfolk's final three goals - including the overtime game-winner.

- Norfolk won just two games in the five-minute overtime period this season. Both were against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (11/29 at Scope and 4/8 at the Wachovia Arena).

- Defenseman Geoff Kinrade made his NHL debut with the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday versus Washington.

SEVERAL ADMIRALS SET AHL CAREER HIGHS

The following Admirals met or surpassed major AHL career best statistical marks this season:

- Zenon Konopka: Assists (40), Points (57)

- Blair Jones: Goals (20), Assists (34), Points (54)

- Brandon Segal: Goals (26), Assists (26), Points (52)

- Radek Smolenak: Goals (24), Assists (25), Points (49)

- Justin Keller: Goals (18), Points (37 - ties mark)

- Steve Downie: Goals (9), Assists (24), Points (33)

- Paul Szczechura: Assists (16)

- Bracken Kearns: Goals (12)

- Juraj Simek: Goals (9), Assists (13), Points (22)

- Vladimir Mihalik: Goals (2)

- Kevin Quick: Goals (1), Assists (8), Points (9)

- Brent Henley: Assists (6), Points (6)

- Craig Kowalski: Wins (6 - ties mark), GAA (2.89)

ADMIRALS AMONG THE TOP 20 IN THE AHL:

- Games Played: Blair Jones (80, T-2nd)

- Penalty Minutes: Brent Henley (198, 15th), Zenon Konopka (186, 17th)

- Power Play Assists: Zenon Konopka (22, T-18th)

- Shorthanded Assists: Zenon Konopka (2, T-15th)

- Game-Winning Goals: Brandon Bochenski (6, T-10th)

- Insurance Goals: Brandon Bochenski (5, T-2nd)

- Unassisted Goals: Brandon Segal (5, T-2nd), Bracken Kearns (3, T-12th)

- Shots: Blair Jones (271, 3rd), Brandon Bochenski (256, T-5th)

TRANSACTIONS OF THE PAST WEEK

April 8, 2009

ADD D Mike Knight - Signed to Professional Tryout Contract (PTO)

ADD F Andrew Sarauer - Signed to Professional Tryout Contract (PTO)

ADD F Mike Sgroi - Signed to Professional Tryout Contract (PTO)

ADD G Doug Raeder - Signed to Amateur Tryout Contract (ATO)

ADD F Mason Graddock - Signed to Amateur Tryout Contract (ATO)

April 9, 2009

DELETE D Kevin Quick - Recalled from loan by Tampa Bay (NHL)

DELETE D Geoff Kinrade - Released from Amateur Tryout Contract

(note - Kinrade signed a one-game NHL ATO with the Tampa Bay Lightning)

DELETE G Riku Helenius - Reassigned by Tampa Bay (NHL) to Elmira (ECHL) from Norfolk (AHL)

April 10, 2009

ADD D Geoff Kinrade - Signed to Amateur Tryout Contract (ATO)

THIS WEEK IN ADMIRALS HISTORY (APRIL 13 - 20)

April 15, 1992 ... Admirals 4 at Louisville IceHawks 0

- The Admirals post their lone shutout of the 1992 playoffs, a 4-0 blanking of the Louisville IceHawks at Broadbent Arena. The victory gives Hampton Roads a convincing three-games-to-none advantage in the Jack Riley Cup Finals. Mark Bernard, who is later be named the ECHL's playoff MVP, claims the win in goal. Two nights later, the Admirals top the IceHawks again to win their second straight league championship.

April 15, 2001 ... Admirals 4 vs. Cincinnati Mighty Ducks 3 - OT

- Casey Hankinson's breakaway goal at 7:31 of overtime lifts the Admirals to a 4-3 comeback win over the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks at Scope. Norfolk, claiming the first playoff series win in team history, takes the best-of-five West Conference Quarterfinals in four games. Cincinnati storms to a 3-0 lead in the first period, but Norfolk rallies in the second frame behind two goals from Mark Bell and one from Marty Wilford. In overtime, Hankinson grabs the puck in his own zone, races down ice while being hooked from behind and beats Cincinnati goaltender Scott Langkow to end the series. Michel Larocque makes 29 saves in his only start of the series.

April 17, 1998 ... Admirals 2 vs. Roanoke Express 1

- Chad Ackerman and Rob Bonneau light the lamp as the Admirals trim the Roanoke Express 2-1 at Scope to square their best-of-five ECHL Northern Conference Semifinals at two wins each. Sebastien Charpentier makes 27 saves to outduel Roanoke goalie Dave Gagnon for the win in net. Assistant coach Al MacIsaac mans the Admirals' bench while Head Coach John Brophy serves the first game of a three-game suspension. Brophy listens to the game on the radio from his office.

April 20, 2007 ... Admirals 5 at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 2

- Colin Fraser scores the go-ahead goal with 6:21 left and the Admirals score three unanswered goals in the third period and roll to a 5-2 victory in Game One of the East Division Semifinals over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at Wachovia Arena. Fraser, back in the lineup after missing ten games with a hand injury, is joined in the scoring column by Jonas Nordqvist (two goals), Pierre Parenteau, Troy Brower and Carl Corazzini. Dave Bolland adds two assists and Corey Crawford makes 28 saves for the win.

TICKETS

Don't miss a minute of the action by purchasing your 2009-10 season tickets today. Packages are on sale now with special monthly rates available. For more details, please visit norfolkadmirals.com or call (757) 640-1212.

Check out the Norfolk Admirals Statistics



American Hockey League Stories from April 13, 2009


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central