Riopel, Loiseau Push Admirals to Second Straight Win against Orlando
March 26, 2016 - ECHL (ECHL)
Norfolk Admirals News Release
?NORFOLK, Va. - Alexis Loiseau scored two goals to propel the Norfolk Admirals into their second win in a row over the Orlando Solar Bears Saturday night at Scope Arena, 3-1. Admiral crease guard, Nic Riopel, earned the first star of the night after denying 40 of 41 total Orlando shots to also aid in their victory.
After a scoreless first twenty minutes, Loiseau gave the Admirals life just one minute into the middle frame when he scored his 12th goal of the season. Defensemen Davis Vandane took a shot from the left point that flew wide and hit off the right corner boards. Loiseau was there at the bottom of the right circle to catch the deflected puck and redirect it behind Orlando netminder Ryan Massa, giving Norfolk a 1-0 lead.
The Solar Bears retaliated to make it a tie game when Johnny McInnis wristed one in from the left circle that hit top shelf with help from Erik Bradford. McInnis' equalizer would put the score, 1-1, that would hold through the remainder of the middle frame.
Loiseau fueled the Admirals into a 2-1 lead when he netted his second goal of the night and his 13th of the season at 7:10 of the final frame. Dean Ouellet fed the puck over to Loiseau in the slot, where he made an attempt that was redirected by the stick of an Orlando blueliner. Loiseau quickly collected the loose puck and planted it in the back of the Solar Bears' net to regain the lead.
At 15:37 in the third period, Danick Gauthier headed to the Norfolk cooler to serve a tripping minor. During his sentence, newly acquired forward Robbie Czarnik notched his first goal as an Admiral at 17:12 in the final frame and his short-handed tally gave Norfolk their third goal of the night. Orlando was unable to respond before the end of regulation, locking in a final score of 3-1 and sending the Solar Bears home with two back-to-back losses at Scope this weekend.
Ryan Massa stopped 35 of Norfolk's 38 attempts on net. The Admirals converted on one of their three man-advantages, with the Solar Bears failing to capitalize on four power-play opportunities.
The Admirals hit the road next week for three back-to-back games, with their first stop in New York Friday night to face the Adirondack Thunder for the final time this season at 7:00 p.m.
Three Stars:
1. NOR - 33 Riopel
2. NOR - 22 Loiseau
3. NOR - 21 Whitney
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