Admirals Shut Out Opponents in Back-to-Back Games
January 27, 2003 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Norfolk Admirals News Release
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. â Norfolk finished last week at 2-0-1-0, including shutout victories in back-to-back games against divisional foes. On Wednesday, January 22, the Blue and Gold skated to a 3-3 draw against the Grand Rapids Griffins. Behind goaltender Craig Andersson, the Admirals blanked the Philadelphia Phantoms 3-0 on Friday, January 24, in a game that featured 162 total penalty minutes. On Saturday, January 25, Steve Passmore stopped all 32 shots by the Bears, as the Blue and Gold outlasted Hershey 1-0.
The Admirals have only one game slated this week, a match up with last year' s Calder Cup Champion Chicago Wolves on Friday, January 31 at Scope. The puck drops at 7:30 p.m.
Norfolk remains in first place in the South Division with 61 points (27-14-4-3), eight points ahead of Hershey (21-16-10-1, 53 points). Wilkes-Barre/Scranton is third (20-21-3-3, 46 points) and Philadelphia sits in fourth place (20-21-1-3, 44 points).
THE WEEK AHEAD
Friday, January 31...Norfolk vs. Chicago Wolves...7:30 p.m.
The Admirals split their four games against the Wolves last season, with each team winning one and losing one on its home pond. Casey Hankinson had 2+4=6 points and Ajay Baines had 1+4=five points in the four-game series. The Atlanta Thrashers' farm club travels to Manitoba for a pair of games this week (January 28 and 29) before coming to Norfolk on Friday. Chicago is fifth in the League in goals for per game (3.29), and its 152 goals scored are second most in the Conference (Houston - 160). The Wolves lead the AHL in power play goals (61) and shorthanded goals (15). Steve Maltais tops the squad in goals (18), assists (30) and points (48), and is tied with Simon Gamache for the team lead in power play tallies (nine). Maltais shares fourth place in scoring among all AHL skaters with Providence's Matt Herr (21+27=48 points). Five of Ben Simon's nine lamplighters are shorthanded goals, tying him for most on the Wolves with Dan Snyder (on recall to Atlanta). Kurtis Foster (8+18=26 points) has the most points of any defenseman on the club, and he is among the League's top-scoring blueliners. Mark Hartigan is third on Chicago with 8+20=28 points, and cracks the top 20 AHL rookie scorers list. Ryan Tobler's 127 PIM are most on the Wolves. Norm Maracle has seen the most time in net, posting an 11-12-2 record, 2.60 goals against average and .914 save percentage in 27 games. Frederic Cassivi has seen action in 13 games, registering a 5-5-1 record, 3.05 GAA and .895 spct.
UPCOMING PROMOTIONS
Friday, January 31 (Chicago Wolves)
* Bobblehead Giveaway - The first 4,000 fans through the gates receive a Tyler Arnason bobblehead, courtesy of TradeStaff & Company.
Wednesday, February 5 (San Antonio Rampage)
* Ladies Night - Ladies can purchase tickets in the Blue or White levels as buy one, get one free at Scope's Box Office. The Admirals will also be handing out a special edition poster to the first 2,500 ladies that evening.
Wednesday, February 12 (San Antonio Rampage)
* Player portrait giveaway featuring Mikhail Yakubov to the first 3,000 fans, courtesy of the Tobacco Use Control Project (TUCP) (Player portrait #5 of eight).
Friday, February 14 (Portland Pirates)
* Couples Night - One lucky couple will win a night's stay at the Ramada Plaza Hotel plus dinner at Gus' Mariner Restaurant in Virginia Beach from the Admirals.
Saturday, February 15 (Portland Pirates)
* Trading Card Giveaway - The first 2,500 fans will receive a 2002-2003 set of Admirals trading cards, courtesy of the Tobacco Use Control Project (TUCP).
TEAM NOTEBOOK
* Norfolk's 113 goals allowed tie them with Houston for the second-fewest goals allowed in the Western Conference (Grand Rapids - 104).
* G Craig Andersson's 3-0 shutout against Philadelphia on January 24 was his third of the season, tying him with several others for fifth among AHL goaltenders in shutouts.
* The Blue and Gold's 3-0 win over the Phantoms was the 100th victory in franchise history. It was the team's 207th regular season contest.
* When the Admirals shut out Hershey 1-0 on January 25, it marked the sixth time this season the team shut out its opponents, placing them third in the League in that category (Portland - 10, Hamilton - 8).
* Norfolk's 1-0 win at Hershey was the club's third win by that count this month (at Philadelphia, January 12; vs. Syracuse, January 15). It was the seventh time since the Admirals joined the AHL in 2000 that they scored the only goal of a contest. Norfolk has defeated the Bears in three of those seven matches.
* D Marty Wilford (9+19=28 points) is tied with Binghamton's Brian Pothier (4+24=28 points) for eighth in scoring among AHL blueliners. He is tied for fourth with several other defensemen in goals scored.
* On January 22, Grand Rapids was not called for any penalties against the Admirals, marking the first time in franchise history an opponent did not receive any PIM. The previous record was four PIM, set several times.
* Norfolk picked up just six PIM vs. Grand Rapids on the 22nd, tying the season mark for fewest PIM by the Admirals (several times) and the total PIM by both teams (six PIM, December 11 vs. Hershey). Two nights later, Norfolk followed that game with its highest PIM total of the year, highest PIM total by an opponent, and highest combined PIM total vs. Philadelphia (Norfolk - 66 PIM, Philadelphia - 96 PIM, 162 total PIM).
ON THE RADIO
All games are broadcast on the Admirals' Flagship Station, WBVA 1450-AM "The Buzz". The games are also cybercast on the World Wide Web at SportsJuice.com. Go to www.SportsJuice.com, or click on the link at www.norfolkadmirals.com. Pre-game broadcasts begin 20 minutes prior to game starting time.
The Admirals Radio Show will air Thursday, January 30 from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m., when Pete Michaud welcomes Casey Hankinson as his special guest as he broadcasts live from the Azalea Inn/Time Out Sports Bar & Grill, 2344 E. Little Creek Road in Norfolk.
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets for all remaining contests on the Admirals' home schedule are available at the Scope Box Office, all TicketMaster outlets, charge-by-phone at (757) 671-8100 and online at www.ticketmaster.com. Family Four Packs and AJ Gator's pre-game party packages are available at Scope's Box Office and all TicketMaster outlets. Flex Vouchers and Group Tickets are available through the Admirals' office. For more information, contact the Admirals at (757) 363-1900 or visit the team's website at www.norfolkadmirals.com.
American Hockey League Stories from January 27, 2003
- Saint John Weekly - Saint John Flames
- Moose Finish Homestand, Then Play in Hamilton Prior to Break - Manitoba Moose
- Sound Tigers Finish Road Trip, Open Homestand - Bridgeport Islanders
- Rochester Hosts Houston in Historic Two-Game Series - Rochester Americans
- Royal Review - Manchester Monarchs
- Griffins Dance Texas Two-Step - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Phantoms Weekly - Adirondack Phantoms
- Let's Play Three - Cleveland Barons
- Bulldogs Leading the Way - Hamilton Bulldogs
- Ouellet, Foster added to All-Star roster - AHL
- On the Road Again - Houston Aeros
- Toby Petersen and the Penguins Join Forces to Fight Diabetes - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Kings Recall Cammalleri from Manchester - Manchester Monarchs
- Geoff Ward Becomes Bulldogs Head Coach - Hamilton Bulldogs
- Ferraro named AHL Player of the Week - AHL
- All-Star Game is AHL's 'Maine' Event - AHL
- Blackhawks Recall Passmore, Assign Leighton - Norfolk Admirals
- Strong Play Helps Crunch Earn Points In Four Straight - Syracuse Crunch
- Bears Announce Updates to Merchandise Website - Hershey Bears
- Pittsburgh Penguins Recall LW Konstantin Koltsov from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Falcons sign Todd Gill - Springfield Falcons
- Payette released from PTO - Manitoba Moose
- Admirals Shut Out Opponents in Back-to-Back Games - Norfolk Admirals
- Bears Entrenched in Second Place - Hershey Bears
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