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AHL Norfolk Admirals

Admirals Qualify for Postseason; Draw Top-Seeded Manchester

April 23, 2014 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Norfolk Admirals News Release


NORFOLK, Va. - The Admirals made the most of a two-game series versus Hershey at home last week with two straight regulation wins over the Bears. Both teams entered the series tied for eighth for the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with the winner most likely solidifying their postseason membership. Hershey did, however, own the tiebreaker with the Admirals, so a series split would've all but denied Norfolk of playoff hockey.

Five pucks found the net in the first period alone and three of them were off Admiral sticks. Up 3-2 going to the second, Max Friberg scored Norfolk's second power play goal of the evening eight minutes in for a 4-2 lead that held into the third period. Nicolas Deschamps brought the Bears closer with a goal at 6:22 of the final frame, but couldn't get past Admiral netminder Brad Thiessen again. Thiessen saved 19 shots and William Karlsson added an empty-net goal for a 5-3 Norfolk win in the front end of the two-game series last Wednesday.

A determined Admirals' squad hit the ice on Friday night and picked up where they left off with a marker from Emerson Etem just over two minutes into the action. Defenseman Tyson Strachan answered for the Bears later in the opening period for a 1-1 score after 20 minutes. Exactly one minute remained in the second when Dave Steckel cleaned up a rebound in front to regain the lead for Norfolk. Steckel's tenth goal of the season proved to be enough and an empty-netter from Friberg officially stamped the Admirals' pass to the playoffs and a five-game opening round series with the Eastern Conference's top seed, the Manchester Monarchs.

Eastern Conference Quarterfinal Schedule: Norfolk vs. Manchester

The Admirals (40-26-3-7, 90pts.) finish the 2013-14 regular season in third place in the East Division and eighth overall in the Eastern Conference. As a result, they draw the conference's #1 seed, the Manchester Monarchs (48-19-3-6). Due to the distance between the two playoff sites, the Monarchs were allowed the first two games at home to begin the series or the last three of the series at home. The best-of-five first-round quarterfinal series schedule is as follows:

Game 1

Norfolk at Manchester

7:00 p.m.

Game 2

Norfolk at Manchester

7:00 p.m.

Game 3

Manchester at Norfolk

7:15 p.m.

Game 4*

Manchester at Norfolk

7:30 p.m.

Game 5*

Manchester at Norfolk

7:15 p.m.

*If necessary. All times are Eastern and subject to change.

NORFOLK LEADERS

Goals : Devante Smith-Pelly (27)

Assists : Andre Petersson (33)

Points : Andre Petersson (56)

Games : Chris Wagner (76)

PP goals : Devante Smith-Pelly (10)

SH goals : Max Friberg, Devante Smith-Pelly (3)

+/- Rating : Emerson Etem, Garnet Exelby (+14)

PIM : Zack Stortini (299)

GAA : Brad Thiessen (2.26)

Spct : Brad Thiessen (.932)

Wins : John Gibson (21)

Losses : John Gibson (21; 4 SOL)

GPI : John Gibson (45)

Minutes : John Gibson (2586:50)

SEASON SERIES AT A GLANCE:

Norfolk and Manchester played to an even split in four regular season games in 2013-14. The home team won each time the two sides met, twice in Manchester in the middle of November and twice more in Norfolk straddling both February and March. The first game went Manchester's way in a 3-1 win at Verizon Wireless Arena on November 13. The puck actually dropped at 10:00 a.m. on a Wednesday for the Monarchs' Education Day meant to host students from local schools during the day. Manchester outshot the Admirals 16-3 in the first period and sent 17 more to the net in the second, finishing with 42 total shots compared to Norfolk's 24. Matt Beleskey was the lone goal-scorer for the Admirals in his first of three contests in the AHL this season. Brian O'Neill scored twice and Andy Andreoff chipped in with one more to help the Monarchs cruise to their tenth victory of the season.

Game 2 of the season series on November 16 was significantly less one-sided offensively as both sides finished the night with 30 shots on goal. Manchester established a lead early with a goal from Brandon Kozun a minute and 15 seconds in before doubling it later in the first on the power play thanks to Nick Deslauriers. Norfolk cut the lead in half with a power play goal in the second period, but found themselves down two yet again when Kozun tallied during a Monarch penalty kill in the final frame. Antoine Laganiere recorded his first goal of the season less than three minutes after Kozun's shorthander, but the Monarchs hung on the rest of the way for their second straight victory over Norfolk, 3-2.

It was a different story in Games 3 and 4 played at Norfolk Scope Arena. In Game 3 on February 28, a scoreless first period stepped aside for a three-goal second that began with Manchester's Andrew Bodnarchuk opening the scoring near the halfway point of the period. Emerson Etem and Sami Vatanen each got the best of Monarch goaltender Mathias Niederberger to send the Admirals' into the third period with a 2-1 lead. Rickard Rakell widened the gap 58 seconds into the third for Norfolk's second power play goal of the night and his third point of the contest (1g, 2a). Manchester registered their second shorthanded goal against Norfolk this season from the stick of Nick Shore with only 2:31 left in regulation. Much like the Monarchs did in the previous meeting, the Admirals managed to pull out the 3-2 win to begin a weekend in which Norfolk played some of their best hockey of the regular season.

Norfolk rolled to a comfortable 4-1 decision in the teams' last meeting of the regular season schedule on March 1. Laganiere capped a three-man connection from Devante Smith-Pelly and Dave Steckel for the Admirals' initial lead at 2:07 of the first period. Hunter Bishop brought Manchester even in the middle of the period and the 1-1 tie remained until the latter half of the second. Norfolk went on to score the last three goals of the game (Steckel, Wagner, Eminger) in the final 6:58 of the second period and cruised in the third to finish the season series even with Manchester at two wins a piece. Smith-Pelly led all scorers with three points (3a) in the last regular season tangle between the Admirals and Monarchs.

PLAYOFF PREVIEW

The Admirals earned their way into the playoffs with two straight wins in their last three games of the season against division opponent Hershey, who battled Norfolk for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference throughout the month of April. Quite conversely, Manchester sat atop the conference for what seemed like the entire regular season. The Monarchs coast into the postseason on a six-game unbeaten streak with five wins in their last six games and the Admirals have taken points in five of their past six as well, including four wins.

Norfolk will be without second-leading scorer, Emerson Etem, leading goal-scorer, Devante Smith-Pelly, and another highly-touted prospect, Rickard Rakell this weekend when the series gets underway on Friday in Manchester. Fortunately for the Admirals, goaltender John Gibson and defenseman Sami Vatanen have returned from Anaheim in the NHL, and are now on the Norfolk playoff roster. Gibson, 20, enjoyed a spectacular start to his NHL career, posting a shutout in his league debut before winning the next two games as well. Vatanen, 22, won a bronze medal with Finland at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics and has seven points in eight games with Norfolk this season.

Home and road records for Norfolk are almost identical and could be something the Admirals take pride in on their way to New Hampshire this weekend. Their ability to not only compete away from home, but to be consistent enough to win games in hostile environments is certainly useful in this quarterfinal opening round matchup against a Manchester squad who has effectively defended home ice all season. The Monarchs have only lost seven games at home in regulation and exactly half of Norfolk's 40 regular season wins have come outside the Scope.

MANCHESTER LEADERS

Goals: Brian O'Neill (26)

Assists: Jordan Weal (47)

Points: Jordan Weal (70)

Games: Jordan Weal (76)

PP goals: Jordan Weal (10)

SH goals: Andy Andreoff, Brian O'Neill (2)

+/- Rating: Andrew Bodnarchuk (+43)

PIM: Andy Andreoff (133)

GAA: Martin Jones (2.13)

Spct: Martin Jones (.928)

Wins: Jean-Francois Berube (28)

Losses: Jean-Francois Berube (19; 2 SOL)

GPI: Jean-Francois Berube (48)

Minutes: Jean-Francois Berube (2789:38)

ADMIRALS' SPOTLIGHT

- Defenseman Mark Fistric was recalled by Anaheim on Sunday to join the Admirals' NHL parent club in the middle of an opening round Stanley Cup Playoff series versus the Dallas Stars. Fistric played only two games with Norfolk during his long-term conditioning loan to the Admirals. He skated in both games last week against Hershey and finished his brief stint in Hampton Roads with a plus-2 rating.

- Winger Emerson Etem returns to the NHL having played 50 games this season in the AHL, finishing the regular schedule with more than a point per-game (1.08). He is tied for first in plus/minus (14) and second on the team in points (54), goals (24), and assists (30). Etem already played 29 games with the Ducks this season and has seven goals and 11 points. The Long Beach, California native last played with Anaheim on March 20 at San Jose.

THE ADMIRALS' WEEK AHEAD

Fri., Apr. 25 ... Game 1 at Manchester, 7:00 p.m.

Sat., Apr. 26 ... Game 2 at Manchester, 7:00 p.m.

ADMIRALS' LOG

- Dave Steckel scored the 100th professional goal of his 10-year career last Friday in the playoff-berth clinching win over Hershey. He had 10 goals during the 2013-14 regular season.

- Emerson Etem extended his point streak to seven games with a goal versus Hershey on April 18. He has 10 points in eight games in the month of April as well as a three-game goal streak included in his monthly total of seven goals.

**Upcoming Home Games, Events, & Promotions**

Wednesday, April 30 vs. Manchester, 7:15 p.m.

Friday, May 2 vs. Manchester, 7:30 p.m. (if necessary)

Saturday, May 3 vs. Manchester, 7:15 p.m. (if necessary)

GAME TICKETS

Individual playoff tickets are on sale now at the Scope Box Office, all Ticketmaster Outlets, charge-by-phone at 1-800-745-3000 and online at www.ticketmaster.com

For any questions regarding playoff ticketing, 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.

ON THE RADIO / INTERNET

The "Admirals Hour" radio show airs every Tuesday from 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. on 1490 AM The Game. Tune-in for an inside look into Admirals hockey featuring Admirals players, coaches, and staff.

All regular season games air live on 1490-AM The Game and on 1650 AM. Listen online at http://tunein.com/radio/WHKT-1650-s29343/

Fans can watch the games online at AHL Live on a pay-per-view, or season pass basis at http://ahl.neulion.com/ahl/

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