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ECHL Norfolk Admirals

Two-Goal Lead Evaporates Early Before Admirals Fall in Overtime

December 30, 2015 - ECHL (ECHL)
Norfolk Admirals News Release


DULUTH, Ga. - The Norfolk Admirals jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first two minutes Wednesday night at Infinite Energy Arena, but fell 4-3 in overtime to the Atlanta Gladiators.

The first goal took just 27 seconds to light the lamp. Norfolk forward Alex Ranger moved the puck to the left point for Nick Pageau who sent one on net from distance that beat Atlanta goalie Matt Ginn. Ginn's bid for a second shutout in a row ended early and the Admirals took a 1-0 lead.

With less than two minutes elapsed, Norfolk doubled its lead to 2-0. Betker tried again but from the opposite side of the zone, and the shot was knocked down in front. Steven Whitney shoved the loose puck through Ginn's legs at 1:56 to give the Admirals a 2-0 advantage.

Atlanta halted Norfolk's momentum by taking advantage of a stick-less Nic Riopel in net for the Admirals. Riopel reached to cover a puck just outside the crease, but Brock Higgs poked it beyond him and across the goal line at 7:03 to cut the lead in half, 2-1.

Ten and a half minutes later the Gladiators reeled in Norfolk to tie the game at 2-2. Tyler Murovich's blast bounced off Riopel's chest and back into the slot. Patrick D'Amico swooped in to smack the second chance top shelf at 17:37 of the opening period.

Ranger tallied a goal of his own and continued the early-strike theme when he jabbed a pass from Alexis Loiseau between Ginn's pads. The Admirals moved back in front 57 seconds into the middle frame for the 3-2 lead.

The Gladiators answered yet again using another power-play goal to knot it up at 3-3. Thomas Frazee went circle to circle with a pass to Garry Nunn, and Nunn finished the slap shot over a sliding Riopel at 17:26 of the second period.

Neither side earned the game-winner in the third, and overtime followed.

At 2:44 of the extra skate, Nunn made a complete circle around the zone and headed for the rear of the net once again before shuffling a pass inside to Derek Nesbitt, the Gladiators' leading scorer. Nesbitt lifted the one-timer top shelf from the shallow slot to clinch a 4-3 overtime win for Atlanta.

Nic Riopel saved 28 of 32 shots for Norfolk in the loss, and Matt Ginn stopped 34 out of 37 attempts in the Atlanta victory.

Three Stars of the Game:

1.1. ATL - 17 Nesbitt

2. 2. ATL - 22 Nunn

3. 3. NOR - 8 Pageau

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