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AHL Norfolk Admirals

Admirals Prepare for Hall of Fame Weekend

February 14, 2011 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Norfolk Admirals News Release


NORFOLK, Va. - Last weekend at Scope, the Norfolk Admirals continued their season-long homestand with back-to-back shutout victories against the Syracuse Crunch. The Admirals square off against East Division Rivals as the homestand continues this week with matchups against the Hershey Bears on Tuesday and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Friday and Saturday.

The Admirals began the week on Friday, as goaltender Mike Smith turned aside 29 shots in his Norfolk Scope debut as Norfolk shut out the Syracuse Crunch, 3-0. The following evening, Dustin Tokarski turned aside 19 shots as the Admirals blanked the Crunch, 4-0. It marked the first time in nearly eight years the Admirals posted back-to-back shutouts.

The Admirals will return to the ice on Tuesday night as the Hershey Bears travel to Scope for the first of four meetings between the teams at Scope this season. The game against the Bears will feature another Family Fun Pack Night, presented by SunTrust, and another Student Rush Night. Friday and Saturday nights, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins invade Scope. Friday, Ajay Baines and Steve Poapst will be inducted into the Admirals Hall of Fame. Then Saturday evening, the Admirals Alumni Game takes place at 4:00 p.m. Saturday's game is American Cancer Society Relay for Life Night. This weekend is also Hockey Weekend Across America. For more details, please see below.

EAST DIVISION STANDINGS

With 27 games remaining, the Norfolk Admirals (27-15-8-3, 65 pts.) are currently in fourth place in the East Division. The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (40-15-0-0, 80 pts.) continue to have the top record in the East Division and the American Hockey League. The Hershey Bears (33-16-1-3, 70 pts.) and the Charlotte Checkers (30-18-2-4, 66 pts.) are in second and third place, respectively. Trailing the Admirals in the division are the Binghamton Senators (28-20-3-3, 62 pts.), Syracuse Crunch (18-28-2-4, 42 pts.), Albany Devils (19-29-0-3, 41 pts.) and Adirondack Phantoms (17-30-3-3, 40 pts.).

THE ADMIRALS' WEEK AHEAD

Tues., Feb. 15 ... vs. Hershey Bears (Washington Capitals) ... 7:15 p.m.

Fri., Feb. 18 ... vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (Pittsburgh Penguins) ... 7:30 p.m.

Sat., Feb. 19 ... vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (Pittsburgh Penguins) ...7:15 p.m.

NORFOLK NOTES:

- With 3-0 and 4-0 victories over the Syracuse Crunch on Friday and Saturday nights, respectively, Norfolk recorded back-to-back shutouts for the first time in nearly eight years. Mike Smith turned aside all 29 Crunch shots on Friday night while Dustin Tokarski denied all 19 Syracuse offerings on Saturday.

- The last back-to-back shutouts for Norfolk came March 29-30, 2003, as Michael Leighton shut out the Binghamton Senators on March 29 and the Philadelphia Phantoms on March 30 (both on the road).

- The last time two different goalies led Norfolk to consecutive shutouts was January 24-25, 2003, as Craig Anderson shut out the Phantoms at Scope and Steve Passmore shut out the Bears in Hershey.

- Last weekend's games marked just the second time Norfolk shut out the same opponent in back-to-back games since joining the American Hockey League in 2000. The first time was March 23, 2002, at Scope vs. Philadelphia and March 24, 2002, at Philadelphia.

- Prior to last weekend, Norfolk had never shut out the same opponent in back-to-back home games since joining the AHL.

- With Friday's 3-0 win over Syracuse, Mike Smith recorded his first AHL shutout since February 24, 2006, when he blanked the San Antonio Rampage on 31 shots while playing with the Iowa Stars.

- With a pair of goals last week, Marc-Antoine Pouliot registered his team-leading 45th and 46th points (15G, 31A), surpassing Ryan Craig's team-leading point total from the entire 2009-10 season (23G, 22A, 45PTS).

- Troy Milam scored two power play goals last weekend against the Crunch, giving him ten goals on the season and tying him for the team lead with five power play goals.

- Milam is the tenth different Norfolk player to record ten goals this season. No other AHL team has more double-digit goal scorers.

- Blair Jones has points in ten of his last 14 games (7G, 8A).

- Norfolk is undefeated in regulation at home when scoring the first goal (10-0-1-2), scoring a power play goal (7-0-1-1) or holding a lead after the first period (6-0-2-2).

- Norfolk continues an eight-game homestand this week with games against Hershey on Tuesday night and against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Friday and Saturday nights.

- Tuesday's game is the first of four contests between the Admirals and Bears at Norfolk Scope Arena this season.

ADMIRALS PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Mattias Ritola: 2 GP, 0 G, 4A, 4 PTS.

Mattias Ritola registered four assists in his first two games as an Admiral last week. Ritola notched a pair of assists in his Norfolk debut in Friday night's 3-0 victory over Syracuse. Ritola then assisted on the Admirals' first two goals in a 4-0 victory over the Crunch on Saturday night. Two of his assists came on the power play.

Ritola has now appeared in 213 career AHL games between the Admirals and Grand Rapids Griffins, scoring 41 goals and 69 assists for 110 points. Ritola has recorded two goals and four assists for six points in 24 games with the Tampa Bay Lightning this season (all NHL career highs). He was claimed by the Tampa Bay Lightning on waivers from the Detroit Red Wings on October 6. In 31 career NHL games, Ritola has scored two goals and five assists for seven points.

THIS WEEK ON THE ADMIRALS HOUR RADIO SHOW

Tune in to the Admirals Hour on Tuesday afternoons at 4:00 p.m. on the home of the Admirals - "The Game" 102.1-FM, 1490-AM and 1021TheGame.com. "The Voice of the Admirals" Pete Michaud and "The Original Admiral" Dennis McEwen will be joined by Admirals Hall of Famer Rod Taylor live from Scope and Class of 2011 Admirals Hall of Fame Inductee Ajay Baines via telephone.

FAMILY FUN PACK NIGHT PRESENTED BY SUNTRUST

Family Fun Packs, Presented by SunTrust, include four Red Level tickets, four hot dogs, four popcorns and four sodas for only $48. This great deal is offered for all Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday night home games and may be purchased at the Scope Box Office, any Ticketmaster Outlet, charge-by-phone at 1-800-754-3000 or online at Ticketmaster.com (you can click on a date below to purchase a Family Fun Pack for that night). Please note that on the day of the game, Family Fun Packs may only be purchased at the Scope Box Office.

STUDENT RUSH NIGHT

Tuesday night's matchup against the Bears will feature another Student Rush Night at Scope. Student Rush Nights include all Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday night home games. All students have to do is show their valid, current student ID at the Scope Box Office after 2:00 p.m. on the day of the game and receive a White Level ticket for just $8 (normally $12). High School and College IDs are accepted. This offer is not available anywhere other than the Scope Box Office.

HALL OF FAME INDUCTION NIGHT & ALUMNI GAME

Prior to the game against the Penguins on Friday night, former Admirals forward Ajay Baines and defenseman Steve Poapst will be inducted into the Admirals Hall of Fame on Friday, February 18th, prior to the Admirals game against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Baines and Poapst will become the ninth and tenth members of the Admirals Hall of Fame during a pre-game, on-ice induction ceremony prior to the game.

The Admirals Alumni Game will take place on Saturday afternoon, February 19, at 4 p.m., prior to the Admirals' game against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Confirmed as participating in the game so far are Chad Ackerman, Ajay Baines (first time), Mike Brown (first time), David Buckley, Brenden Curley, Aaron Downey (first time), Mike Flanagan (first time), Victor Gervais, Mike Larkin (first time), Chris Lukey, Dennis McEwen, Tom Menicci (first time), Chris Phelps (first time), Jason Saal (first time), Travis Smith, Kelly Sorensen and Rod Taylor.

AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY RELAY FOR LIFE NIGHT

Join us for American Cancer Society Relay For Life Night at Scope as the Admirals take on the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Saturday, February 19. Special discounted fundraising tickets are available with proceeds going back to the American Cancer Society. For more information or to purchase your vouchers, contact your Relay For Life team leader or the American Cancer Society at (757) 493-7940. The top two selling teams will compete in an intermission broomball game.

NORFOLK LEADERS

Goals: Johan Harju (18)

Assists: Marc-Antoine Pouliot (31)

Points: Marc-Antoine Pouliot (46)

Games: Mike Angelidis, Paul Szczechura, James Wright (53)

PP goals: Troy Milam, Paul Szczechura (5)

SH goals: James Wright (2)

+/- Rating: Mike Angelidis (+21)

PIM: Mike Angelidis (122)

GAA: Mike Smith (1.70)

Spct: Mike Smith (0.937)

Wins: Cedrick Desjardins (14)

Losses: Dustin Tokarski (14)

GPI: Dustin Tokarski (28)

Minutes: Dustin Tokarski (1669)

HERSHEY LEADERS

Goals: Brian Willsie (23)

Assists: Keith Aucoin (39)

Points: Keith Aucoin (53)

Games: Brian Willsie (52)

PP goals: Brian Willsie (14)

SH goals: Jay Beagle (4)

+/- Rating: Brian Willsie (+24)

PIM: Steve Pinizzotto (98)

GAA: Braden Holtby (1.73)

Spct: Braden Holtby (0.939)

Wins: Dany Sabourin (14)

Losses: Dany Sabourin (9)

GPI: Dany Sabourin (23)

Minutes: Dany Sabourin (1299)

WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON LEADERS

Goals: Nick Johnson (20)

Assists: Dustin Jeffrey (28)

Points: Dustin Jeffrey (45)

Games: Zach Sill (55)

PP goals: Nick Johnson (10)

SH goals: Dustin Jeffrey (6)

+/- Rating: Robert Bortuzzo (+22)

PIM: Jesse Boulerice (100)

GAA: Brad Thiessen (1.87)

Spct: Brad Thiessen (0.925)

Wins: Brad Thiessen (22)

Losses: John Curry (10)

GPI: John Curry, Brad Thiessen (29)

Minutes: John Curry (1654)

TRANSACTIONS

February 9, 2011

ADD C Mattias Ritola - Loaned from Tampa Bay (NHL)

February 10, 2011

DELETE LW Johan Harju - Recalled from loan by Tampa Bay (NHL)

TICKETS

Individual tickets for all regular season games start at just $12. Tickets are available now at the Scope Box Office, all Ticketmaster Outlets, charge-by-phone at 1-800-745-3000 and online at ticketmaster.com.

Season tickets for the 2011-12 season are now available! Low monthly payments available for a limited time only. Stop by the Admirals' Administrative Offices at Scope, call (757) 640-1212 weekdays from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. or visit norfolkadmirals.com anytime for more details or to purchase your tickets!

ON THE RADIO/INTERNET

All eighty regular season games will air live on "The Game" 102.1-FM, 1490-AM and online at 1021TheGame.com. AHL Live will also carry online video of every Admirals game on a pay-per-view or season pass basis. Fans can log in to watch, listen or get more information about AHL Live's online audio and video features at ahllive.com.

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