Riopel Sets Admirals All-Time Save Record, Earns Victory in Elmira
March 16, 2016 - ECHL (ECHL)
Norfolk Admirals News Release
ELMIRA, N.Y. - The Norfolk Admirals concluded their four-game road series with a win against the Elmira Jackals Wednesday night at First Arena, 5-2. Nic Riopel led the way, stopping 54 of 56 shots through regulation and 23 of 25 shots in the third period alone.
Tonight marked the 13th time this season the Admirals have scored the first two goals of the game in the opening period, and the 16th time they have hopped out to a two-goal lead to start the game. Additionally, tonight's matchup pushed Norfolk's record to 17-1-1 when leading after the second period.
Steven Whitney got the ball rolling for Norfolk on a partial breakaway, lifting his 19th goal of the season up and over Elmira netminder, CJ Motte. His nifty backhanded shot at 10:43 in the first put the Admirals up, 1-0.
Norfolk kept the momentum through the rest of the opening frame when Dean Ouellet netted one with just 12 seconds left in the period, upping the score, 2-0. Elmira was unable to respond in the first despite leading the shot count, 19-12, entering the first intermission.
The Admirals did not back down in the middle frame and tallied two more goals, putting the game out of reach for the Jackals with a 4-0 lead. Hampton Roads native, Ryan Salkeld, sank his first professional goal at 9:16 in the second, with Braden Christoffer edging Norfolk into a four-goal advantage by logging the team's first short-handed goal since mid-December at 16:26.
Elmira rallied late and scored at 2:56 in the final period when Allen McPherson gobbled up a net-front rebound and directed it in behind Riopel. Elmira's high-octane third period would register 25 shots on goal and ultimately cut the Admirals' lead in half at 14:21 when Chris Langkow went top shelf on their power play, tightening the gap, 4-2.
That would be all of the offense Elmira could muster, and with the Jackal's goalie pulled for the extra attacker, Salkeld planted his second goal of the night- and of his professional career- at 19:13 in the final frame. His empty-netter would secure Norfolk's 5-2 victory over the Jackals and a 2-2-1 record on their 5-game road trip.
Nic Riopel denied 36 shots before letting in Elmira's first goal of the night, and he blocked an impressive 54 total attempts on net over the entire 60 minutes of regulation, earning him the first star of the game. Riopel's 54 saves set an all-time record for the number of saves over the Admirals' 27 years on the ice during regulation play. The prior record was 49 saves.
Motte intercepted 26 of Norfolk's 30 shots tonight. Elmira capitalized on one of their four man-advantages, with the Admirals going 0-for-1.
The Admirals will be back in Norfolk Friday night to host the Reading Royals for the first of two back-to-back weekend games at 7:30 p.m.
Three Stars:
1. NOR - 33 Riopel
2. ELM - 9 McPherson
3. NOR - 77 Salkeld
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