Admirals Power Past Penguins 4-1
January 24, 2014 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Norfolk Admirals News Release
NORFOLK, VA- Devante Smith-Pelly scored twice to help lift the Norfolk Admirals to a 4-1 victory over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in a heated battle Friday night at the Scope.
The Admirals started off on the right foot against the Penguins when winger Devante Smith-Pelly screened Wilkes-Barre/Scranton goalie Jeff Deslauriers during a power play. Defenseman Alex Grant's shot from the left point rised before deflecting off Smith-Pelly's stick and in for Norfolk's first marker at 14:32 of the opening frame.
With the first intermission looming, Norfolk struck again. As the puck cycled around the Penguins' zone, forward John Kurtz moved in on net. Admirals' defenseman Garnet Exelby fired one through the legs of Deslauriers that ricocheted off Kurtz's skate for the second Norfolk goal of the evening. Kurtz's fourth of the season came at 18:04 of the first.
Norfolk 's two-goal lead shrunk on an opportunity for Penguins' forward Zach Sill late in the second period. Sill broke to the net from the right side and redirected a pass from Brian Dumoulin high in the slot to cut the deficit in half at 17:46.
The Admirals' slim lead proved to be enough as Norfolk piled on two more goals in the final frame. On the power play, Max Friberg and Emerson Etem combined with Smith-Pelly in a three-man passing play that finished in the net off Smith-Pelly's one-timer at 13:23. It was his second of the game and team-leading fourteenth of the season.
Norfolk forward Dave Steckel added an empty-netter to put Wilkes-Barre/Scranton away and give the Admirals a 4-1 victory.
John Gibson made 20 saves in a winning effort, his 13th victory of the 2013-14 campaign. Deslauriers takes the loss allowing two goals on eight shots, before being thrown out of the game for being involved in a second period altercation with Gibson. The two exchanged punches before Gibson wrestled down Deslauriers in a brief exchange. Eric Hartzell came in relief for the Penguins and surrendered just one goal on nine shots faced.
The Admirals (22-13-1-6, 51pts) draw closer to the second place Penguins (24-13-1-3, 52pts) in the East Division. Norfolk will remain on home ice tomorrow night to take on the Penguins once again at 7:15 p.m.
Game tickets are now on sale, and are available through the Norfolk Scope Box Office, all Ticketmaster Outlets, charge-by-phone at 1-800-745-3000 and online at ticketmaster.com .
For 10-packs, or discounted group tickets stop by the Admirals' Administrative Offices at Scope, or call (757) 640-1212 Office hours are Monday - Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Fans can also visit us online at www.norfolkadmirals.com.
• Discuss this story on the American Hockey League message board...
American Hockey League Stories from January 24, 2014
- Records fall in 9-3 loss at Charlotte - Oklahoma City Barons
- Heat Fall 1-0 to Comets in OT - Abbotsford Heat
- Big Crowd Sees Admirals Win - Milwaukee Admirals
- Stars Beat Griffins 6-4 to Take over First Place in the Western - Texas Stars
- Rampage Can't Solve Iowa, Fall in Shootout 5-4 - San Antonio Rampage
- Admirals Power Past Penguins 4-1 - Norfolk Admirals
- Stars Outshine Griffins, 6-4 - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Miscues Cost Hogs in Milwaukee - Rockford IceHogs
- Iowa Gets Past San Antonio 5-4 in a Shootout - Iowa Wild
- Marlies Earn 2-0 Victory over Bulldogs - Toronto Marlies
- Penguins Scuttled by Admirals - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Checkers Top Barons in Wild Win - Charlotte Checkers
- Sens Net Five Unanswered to Drop Devils 5-2 - Binghamton Senators
- Crunch Stumble in 4-1 Loss to Hershey - Syracuse Crunch
- Monarchs O'Vercome Sharks - Manchester Monarchs
- Sound Tigers Rally to Beat Pirates in a Shootout - Portland Pirates
- Sound Tigers win in shootout - Bridgeport Islanders
- Hartford beats Springfield - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Marlies Edge Bulldogs 2-0 - Hamilton Bulldogs
- P-Bruins Fall to IceCaps 5-4 - Providence Bruins
- Sharks Point Streak Snapped at Six Games with 2-1 Loss - Worcester Sharks
- Watkins, Wellman Pace Bears to Third Straight Win - Hershey Bears
- Devils Dropped At Binghamton - Albany Devils
- Springfield Win Streak Halted With Road Loss - Springfield Falcons
- IceCaps Edge Bruins 5-4 - St. John's IceCaps
- Amerks Will Return from Road with Busy Community Appearance Schedule - Rochester Americans
- Lightning Reassign Richard Panik to Syracuse - Syracuse Crunch
- Sabres Recall Defenseman Chad Ruhwedel from Amerks - Rochester Americans
- Rampage to Celebrate Five Days of Pink - San Antonio Rampage
- Admirals Bolster Blue Line with Addition of Steve Eminger - Norfolk Admirals
- Rampage Reassign D McFadden to Cincinnati - San Antonio Rampage
- Yancho Joins Front Office Staff - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Popular Promotions Keep Rolling in Battles against Monsters and Wolves - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Heat Acquire Corey Locke - Abbotsford Heat
- Dalton Prout Returned to Springfield - Springfield Falcons
- Pirates Host Sound Tigers to End Home Stand - Portland Pirates
- 2014-2015 Bulldogs Season Tickets on Sale Friday - Hamilton Bulldogs
- Muse, Checkers Blank Barons 4-0 - Oklahoma City Barons
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.
