Admirals Unbeaten Streak Ends in Physical Affair at Jacksonville
February 3, 2019 - ECHL (ECHL)
Norfolk Admirals News Release
Norfolk Admirals right wing Ben Duffy (right) looks for an opening vs. the Norfolk Admirals
(Norfolk Admirals, Credit: Paul Jensen Photography)
JACKSONVILLE, FLA - Wacey Rabbit and Cam Maclise each recorded hat tricks as the Jacksonville Icemen topped the Norfolk Admirals 8-5 in a wild game Saturday Night at the Veterans Memorial Arena. The two teams combined for 13 goals and 105 penalty minutes. The loss ended a four-game unbeaten streak for Norfolk.
The Admirals raced out front first with a goal from Matt McMorrow. Eric Roy gathered the puck at center ice. Roy passed the puck to Matt McMorrow skating into the Jacksonville zone on the left side. McMorrow teed off a sap-shot from the circle that beat goaltender Mikhail Berdin over the left shoulder to give Norfolk the early 1-0 lead.
The Icemen tied the game on a goal from Wacey Rabbit. Cody Fowlie received an outlet pass, which led Rabbit and him on a two-on-one. Fowlie fed a pass to the right circle for Rabbit, who one-timed the shot past Madsen on the glove side to tie the game at one.
Jacksonville took the lead on a goal from Cam McLise. Matt Ustaski played the puck from along the wall to in the slot for McLise. McLise who was one-on-one with Madsen, shot the puck over the glove of Madsen to give the Icemen a 2-1 lead.
The Icemen would add another goal from Wacey Rabbit. An Admirals defender lost his footing which led to a rush the other way for Jacksonville. Fowlie passed the puck from the right circle to the left circle on a two-on-one. Rabbit's shot beat the outstretched stick of Madsen to make the lead 3-1.
Norfolk would cut into the Jacksonville lead with a tally from Kelly Klima. Jacksonville turned the puck over in the neutral zone which led to a two-on-zero for Norfolk. Connor Hurley deked with a head fake which caused Berdin to go low for the save. Hurley passed the puck over to Klima who was able to roof it over Berdin to cut the Jacksonville lead to 3-2.
Jacksonville extended their lead back to two goals with a third goal from Wacey Rabbit. Jacksonville was able to keep the puck in the Norfolk zone and get a long period of sustained pressure zone time. Jacksonville played the puck from behind the Norfolk net. A Norfolk defender poke-checked the puck away but was poked right to Rabbit. Rabbit fired a wrister that beat Madsen over the glove to make the Jacksonville lead two goals at 8:00 of the second period.
Jacksonville extended its lead with a goal from Cody Fowlie. Wacey Rabbit got the puck in the right circle. Rabbit fired a pass over to Fowlie who one-timed a shot past Madsen to give Jacksonville a 5-2 lead at 9:33 of the second period.
Norfolk answered less than five minutes later with a goal from Luke Nogard on a delayed penalty. Nogard found the puck behind the net and skated in front of the net where he beat Berdin between the legs to cut Jacksonville's lead to 5-3 at 15:11 of the second period.
The Icemen would reclaim a three-goal edge again. Norfolk dumped the puck into Jacksonville end to make a line change. Berdin fed a pass from his own goal to David Broll skating in on the left side. Broll fed a pass to McLise who was able to put a backhander over the outstretched glove of Madsen to give them a 6-3 lead at 16:41 of the second period.
Norfolk struck right back with a goal from Ben Duffy. Kelly Klima played a pass out of his own end to neutral-ice for Hurley. Hurley fed a pass between two defenders which broke Duffy in on a breakaway. Duffy deked from his forehand to his backhand and beat Berdin glove-side to cut the Jacksonville lead to 6-4 at 17:26 of the second period.
Thirteen seconds later, the Admirals struck once more. Berdin failed to clear the puck out of his own zone, and Chase Harrison held it in the Icemen zone at the left point. Harrison unloaded a slap-shot which was blocked but fell to the feet of Nogard. Nogard spun and fired a shot on goal which was saved by Berdin. The rebound came right to the stick of Wood, where he was able to put it past the stick of a diving Berdin to cut the Icemen lead to 6-5 at 17:39 of the second period.
Jacksonville would add a power-play goal with less than three minutes to go in the third period. Wacey Rabbit passed the puck across the ice to Justin Woods in the right circle. Woods shot the puck right under the bar past Reichenbach to give the Icemen a 7-5 lead.
Jacksonville added an empty-bet goal to put the score at its final of 8-5.
Merrick Madsen made 29 saves on 35 shots, while Ty Reichenbach made stopped eight of nine shots in relief. Mikhail Berdin made 21 saves on 26 shots and gets his 16th win of the year.
BOX SCORE / GAMESHEET
Despite the loss, Norfolk still only sits five points out of the fourth and final playoff spot behind Orlando in the South Division. The Admirals will now return home for a six-game home stand that begins Wednesday against the Reading Royals. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m.
Upcoming Home Games & Promotions
Wednesday, February 6, vs. Reading, 7:00 p.m.
Friday, February 8, vs. Reading, 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, February 9, vs. Atlanta, 7:00 p.m. Star Wars Night Star Wars Cos-play characters will be on hand and there will be a postgame skate with the Admirals players!
Admirals Ticket Information
Single Game Tickets may be purchased at the Scope Box Office, or online at
Ticketmaster.com
Discounted Group Tickets: Bring your group of 10 or more to a game at a discounted price! Group tickets are available for all home games. Fundraising opportunities are also available.
2018-19 Ticket Packages are Currently on Sale! The Admirals offer flexible partial plans that will best fit your schedule and budget!
For more information regarding ticket options, or Norfolk Admirals Hockey, visit NorfolkAdmirals.com or call the Admirals office at (757) 640-1212!
Images from this story
 Norfolk Admirals right wing Ben Duffy (right) looks for an opening vs. the Norfolk Admirals (Paul Jensen Photography) |
ECHL Stories from February 3, 2019
- Royals Find Winning Solution in 6-1 Rout of Monarchs - Reading Royals
- Monarchs Fall, 6-1, on Super Bowl Sunday - Manchester Monarchs
- ECHL Transactions - February 3 - ECHL
- Thunder Defeat Grizzlies 5-4 in OT - Utah Grizzlies
- Royals Set for Sunday Rematch vs. Manchester - Reading Royals
- Americans Earn a Point in Overtime Loss - Allen Americans
- Thunder Rallies for OT Win vs. Utah - Wichita Thunder
- Admirals Unbeaten Streak Ends in Physical Affair at Jacksonville - Norfolk Admirals
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.
