AHL Norfolk Admirals

Bergeron's Overtime Heroics Help Admirals Break Winless Skid

Published on February 4, 2011 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Norfolk Admirals News Release


NORFOLK, Va. - Marc-Andre Bergeron's second power play goal was the overtime game-winner as the Norfolk Admirals (25-14-8-3) topped the Binghamton Senators (24-20-3-3), 4-3, on Friday night at Norfolk Scope Arena. The same two teams will meet tomorrow night at Scope at 7:15 p.m.

Norfolk's victory snapped a six-game winless skid dating back to January 22 (0-4-1-1). Johan Harju and Stefano Giliati also scored for the Admirals and Marc-Antoine Pouliot registered three assists. Goaltender Dustin Tokarski stopped 25 of 28 shots for his eleventh win of 2010-11.

After a scoreless opening period, Norfolk drew first blood with a five-on-three power play goal 7:22 into the second stanza. Blair Jones won a faceoff and passed the puck to Mike Vernace in the high slot. Vernace fed Bergeron in the right circle, and Bergeron scored his first goal of the season with a one-timer that sailed past the left shoulder of Senators goaltender Mike Brodeur.

Binghamton tied the game at 1-1 just under three minutes later. Corey Locke centered the puck from the left circle into the slot. Bobby Butler one-timed the puck past the left leg of Tokarski at 10:13.

The Admirals re-claimed the lead at 16:56 of the second period with Harju's team-leading eighteenth goal of the season. Giliati centered a pass from the left corner across the slot that deflected off a Senators' defenseman. In one motion, Harju stretched to corral the loose puck at the right edge of the slot near the hashmark and sent a wrist shot over the glove of Brodeur for a 2-1 Norfolk lead.

The Admirals' lead doubled just over two minutes later on Giliati's sixth goal of the season. Pouliot skated the puck from the neutral zone into the attacking zone along the right wing. He swooped around the net with one hand on his stick and his other fending off a Binghamton defender. As he emerged on the opposite side of the net, he centered the puck into the slot, and Giliati one-timed the pass over the left shoulder of Brodeur at 18:55.

Binghamton scored twice in the third period to tie the game and force overtime. They used a power play tally 7:59 into the frame to cut their deficit to one goal. Jim O'Brien sent a pass from the left circle to Patrick Wiercioch in the right circle. Wiercioch one-timed the puck through the legs of Tokarski to cut Norfolk's lead to 3-2.

The Senators tied the game at 3-3 with only 1:05 remaining in regulation. Kaspars Daugavins sent a shot from the left point that glanced off an Admirals defender in the mid-slot and skittered past the right leg of Tokarski.

Just 1:36 into overtime, Wiercioch was whistled for hooking, giving the Admirals a power play. Bergeron ended the game with a slap shot from the high slot through traffic 3:03 into the extra session.

Dustin Tokarski (28 shots, 25 saves) earned the victory. Mike Brodeur (33 shots, 29 saves) took the loss.

Norfolk was 2-5 on the power play. Binghamton was 1-4.

The same two teams will meet tomorrow night at Scope at 7:15 p.m. Join the Admirals at Scope for an encore performance of the national anthem by Elizabeth Hughes tomorrow night. One dollar of each ticket purchased for the game will be donated to Elizabeth's school, the Hebrew Academy of Tidewater.

Eight-year-old Elizabeth and Admirals fans inspired people across the country with a display of unity and composure on January 7 at Scope. Halfway through a beautiful rendition of the national anthem, Elizabeth's microphone malfunctioned and her voice was no longer carried through the Scope sound system. Without hesitation, Elizabeth maintained her poise and continued to sing as nearly 5,000 Admirals fans at Scope joined her in rousing fashion.

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.

Take advantage of great savings on Admirals tickets with our 10-Packs and group tickets. 10-Packs are available for as little as $110 and allow you to pick the games you want. Group tickets start at $10 for groups of 25 or more people. 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!

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American Hockey League Stories from February 4, 2011


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