AHL Norfolk Admirals

Conacher's Hat Trick Bounds Norfolk to 28th Straigt Win

Published on April 15, 2012 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Norfolk Admirals News Release


GLEN FALLS, N.Y. - AHL MVP Cory Conacher netted his first career hat trick as the Norfolk Admirals (55-18-1-2) finished off the regular season with a 4-2 victory over the Adirondack Phantoms (37-35-2-2) on Sunday evening at the Glen Falls Civic Venter. Norfolk concludes the regular season with a North American professional hockey record 28-game winning streak.

Conacher broke a 2-2 tie with a pair of goals, including his AHL-leading 39th goal of the season, in the final two minutes of regulation. Brandon Segal notched his 18th goal of the season and added three assists. Norfolk netminder Jaroslav Janus (23-8-2) made 16 saves to extend his personal winning streak to 15 games.

Adirondack 's Ben Holmstrom opened the scoring with a power play goal early in the opening period. While standing in front of the Norfolk net, Holmstrom deflected a Brandon Manning shot over Janus to give the Phantoms the 1-0 lead at 2:19.

Goals by Segal and Conacher put the Admirals ahead by one goal at the end of the second period. With under five minutes remaining in the period, Conacher sent a shot from the right faceoff circle. While skating out in front of the crease, Segal deflected the shot over the left shoulder of Phantoms' goaltender Jason Bacashihua for his 18th goal of the season to knot the game at 1-1 at 15:30.

Less than two minutes later, the Admirals claimed a 2-1 lead Conacher's first goal of the game. From the center slot, Conacher picked up a rebound and sent a backhand over Bacashihua at 17:27.

The Phantoms squared the game at 2-2 with nearly eight minutes remaining in regulation. After a failed clearing attempt by the Admirals, Jason Akeson snapped a shot over the blocker of Janus at 12:15 of the final period.

Conacher's second of the night came with just two minutes remaining in regulation. The AHL Rookie of the Year picked up a loose puck off the stick of a teammate and buried a shot behind Bacashihua to give Norfolk a 3-2 lead with his 38th goal of the season.

After an Adirondack goal was waved off with 18.2 seconds remaining, Conacher capped off the hat trick with an empty net goal with just two seconds remaining as the Admirals skated away with the 4-2 victory.

Bacashihua (8-11-1) finished the night with 23 saves on 26 shots.

Norfolk was 0 for 3 on the power play. Adirondack was 1 for 5.

Norfolk opens the 2012 Calder Cup Playoffs on Friday night with Game One of their best-of-five East Division Quarterfinals series against the Manchester Monarchs. The puck drops from at Norfolk Scope Arena at 7:30 p.m. All of the Admirals' playoff action can be heard on 102.1-FM and 1490-AM The Game, 1021TheGame.com and ahllive.com.

Don't miss a minute of the action by purchasing your 2012-13 season tickets today. Season tickets start at just $350 while 10-Packs are available for as little as $110. 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!

Three Stars:

1. Cory Conacher -

2. Ben Holmstrom - ADK

3. Brandon Segal - NOR

NOTES ... Norfolk finished the 2011-12 regular season with 28 wins in a row, the longest streak for any team in North American professional hockey history ... Norfolk has not lost since Feb. 5 th - a 4-2 defeat in Springfield ... The Admirals have won 26 of 28 games during the winning streak in regulation, one game in overtime and one game in a shootout (Feb. 18 vs. Syracuse) ...Norfolk finishes the regular season with a franchise record 55 wins 113 standings points in 76 games ... Norfolk equaled an AHL record with its 13th straight road win ... Norfolk also broke an AHL record with a standings point in 28 straight games... Conacher scored his team-leading fourth game-winning goal during the Admirals' 28-game winning streak ... Conacher finishes two goals behind the Admirals franchise-leader Troy Brouwer's record of 41 goals in the 2006-07 season ...Conacher and fellow rookie Tyler Johnson finished with a team-high 73 games played this season ... Did not play: Richard Petiot, Radko Gudas, Alexandre Picard, Mike Angelidis, Michel Ouellet and Eric Neilson.

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American Hockey League Stories from April 15, 2012


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