AHL Norfolk Admirals

Cullen's Hat Trick Leads Admirals Past B-Sens

Published on January 21, 2006 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Norfolk Admirals News Release


Mark Cullen had a hat trick and chipped in two assists as Norfolk defeated the Senators 6-2 on Saturday night in Binghamton.

Norfolk got out to a fast start with three goals in the first period. With the Admirals on the man-advantage, Martin St. Pierre got the puck to Cullen near the face-off dot to the left of Binghamton netminder Kelly Guard. Cullen sent a quick snap shot that beat the glove of Guard and dented the top corner of the twine at 5:27. Cullen set up the second Admirals goal about two and a half minutes later when he sent a shot from inside the face-off circle to the right of Guard toward the opposite side post. Carl Corazzini got his stick on the shot to deflect it past Guard for an even-strength tally at 7:57. Norfolk picked up its second power play goal under three minutes later with another deflection. Shawn Thornton sent a high wrister from the point that was redirected beneath the pads of Guard and into the cage by Colin Fraser at 10:32. The Admirals fired 18 pucks on net in the opening frame and Corey Crawford stopped all eight Binghamton shots as Norfolk took a 3-0 lead to the locker room at the first intermission.

The Senators closed to within two goals of tying the game under two minutes into the second stanza. Denis Hamel scored a power play goal after deking past an Admirals' defender and firing a snap shot from the high slot that beat Crawford at 1:49. However, Norfolk restored its three-goal lead three minutes later. Eric Meloche skated from the neutral zone into the attack zone along the boards to the left of Guard. He unleashed a slap shot that was slowed, but not stopped, by Guard as it tricked through five-hole at 4:50. Cullen picked up his second goal of the night under ten minutes later on another power play. Cullen received the puck from Nathan Barrett in the low slot and sent a hard wrist shot past Guard's glove at 13:48. Norfolk out-shot Binghamton 16-10 in the middle frame and led 5-1 after 40 minutes.

Brennan Evans briefly brought Binghamton to within three goals of Norfolk with a goal at 7:54. But Cullen's third goal of the night put an end to any comeback hopes. Cullen skated into the high slot and sent a wrister that glanced off the bottom of the crossbar and over the goal line at 10:10. It was Cullen's second hat trick of the season, and the goal rounded out scoring as Norfolk defeated Binghamton 6-2.

Corey Crawford made 25 saves on 27 shots en route to the victory. Kelly Guard stopped 38 of 44 Admirals' shots and got the loss.

Check out the Norfolk Admirals Statistics

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American Hockey League Stories from January 21, 2006


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