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AHL Norfolk Admirals

Harju Nets Hat Trick as Admirals Come from Behind to Beat Phantoms

November 26, 2010 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Norfolk Admirals News Release


GLENS FALLS, N.Y. - Johan Harju netted a hat trick and Tim Marks' first professional goal was the game-winner as the Norfolk Admirals (11-5-3-1) defeated the Adirondack Phantoms (3-16-2-0), 6-3, on Friday night at the Glens Falls Civic Center to drop the puck on a six-game road trip. The trip continues tomorrow night at 7:30 p.m. against the Springfield Falcons.

The Admirals trailed 2-0 and 3-1 before scoring five unanswered goals between the second and third periods. Alex Berry and James Wright also scored for Norfolk while Cedrick Desjardins stopped 25 of 28 shots for his third straight win.

The Phantoms took a 2-0 lead in the first period on a pair of deflected Danny Syvret shots from the left point. Syvret's first goal came only 56 seconds into the game. He then put Adirondack up 2-0 at 7:07 of the opening frame.

Harju cut the Adirondack advantage to 2-1 with his first goal of the game early in the second period. Mike Vernace sent a shot from the right half-wall that Harju deflected through the legs of Phantoms goaltender Nic Riopel at 4:27.

The Phantoms briefly restored their two-goal lead just over three minutes later, as Luke Pither scored from the right half wall at 7:34.

Norfolk began its comeback less than two minutes later with Alex Berry's sixth goal of the season. Harju sent a pass from behind the net toward the right faceoff dot. Berry one-timed the offering past Riopel at 9:30 to cut the visitors' deficit to 3-2.

The Admirals tied the game at 3-3 just less than two minutes later on Harju's second goal of the game. Stefano Giliati fed the puck from the top of the right circle to Harju at the bottom of the left circle. Harju deked across the top of the crease from forehand to backhand before sending a shot past the left leg of Riopel at 11:29.

Norfolk took a 4-3 lead on Tim Marks' first professional goal just over one minute later. Marks won a puck battle near the left faceoff dot and took a stride toward the slot before sending a snap shot over Riopel's right shoulder at 12:34.

Harju completed his hat trick 11:00 into the final frame. Chris Durno intercepted a pass in the high slot of Norfolk zone and sent a long outlet pass to Harju on the Adirondack half of the neutral zone for a breakaway. Harju sent a wrist shot over Riopel's right shoulder for his team-leading eleventh goal of the season.

James Wright closed out scoring with fourteen seconds remaining after he accepted a Paul Szczechura feed in the slot and sent a shot past a prone Riopel for his sixth goal of the season.

Cedrick Desjardins (28 shots, 25 saves) earned his third straight win and his seventh of the season. Nic Riopel (27 shots, 21 saves) took the loss.

Norfolk was 0-1 on the power play. Adirondack was 0-3.

The Admirals will continue their six-game road trip tomorrow night at 7:30 p.m. against the Springfield Falcons. Follow all of the action on 102.1-FM, 1490-AM, 1021TheGame.com and AHLLive.com.

The Admirals return to Scope on Wednesday, December 8, to battle the Syracuse Crunch in another Admirals Value Night, featuring Admirals Family Fun Packs and Student Rush Nights.

Family Fun Packs, presented by SunTrust, include four discounted Red Level Tickets for just $48 plus four free hot dogs, four free popcorns and four free sodas. Fans get all of that for just $48 - that's a savings of $37!

Student Rush Nights provide $8 White Level Tickets (normally $12) for students with a valid current high school or college ID. In addition, when you buy a Student Rush Night Ticket, you get a buy-one, get-one free offer for the next Student Rush Night.

Family Fun Packs are available at the Scope Box Office, all Ticketmaster Outlets, charge-by-phone at 1-800-745-3000 or online at Ticketmaster.com. Student Rush Night Tickets are available ONLY at the Scope Box Office after 2:00 p.m. on the day of the game.

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.

Don't miss a minute of the action by purchasing your 2010-11 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. Johan Harju - NOR

2. Danny Syvret - ADK

3. Tim Marks - NOR

NOTES ... The Admirals have their third-best record at the season's quarter pole since joining the AHL in 2000-01. With 26 points (11-5-3-1) through 20 games, the 2010-11 Admirals trail only the 2006-07 Admirals (31 points, 14-3-2-1) and 2002-03 Admirals (29 points, 13-4-1-2) through 20 games in Norfolk's 11 AHL seasons ... After tonight's four-goal second period, the Admirals have scored four or more goals in a period three times in 2010-11. They did so only once in 80 games in 2009-10 ... The Admirals had 12 different two-goal performances in a game in 2010-11 before Johan Harju netted the first hat trick of the season ... It was the first Admirals hat trick since Justin Keller scored three times on February 10, 2010, at Scope against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins ... The Admirals have had players with two-or-more-goal performances in five straight games (Blair Jones 11/19 at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Alex Berry 11/20 vs. Adirondack, Chris Durno and Harju 11/22 at Charlotte, Pierre-Cedric Labrie 11/24 vs. Charlotte, Harju (3G) 11/26 at Adirondack) ... After going scoreless in his previous five games with Norfolk, Mike Vernace has points in five of his last seven games (3G, 3A). He assisted on Harju's first goal of the game ... Stefano Giliati has points in three of his last four games (1G, 3A) ... Norfolk has surrendered the first goal of the game in 13 of 20 games this season and ten of its last 13 games ... Scratches: Troy Milam, Vladimir Mihalik, Marc-Antoine Pouliot.

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