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ECHL Norfolk Admirals

Two Third-Period Goals Sink Admirals in Reading

March 6, 2016 - ECHL (ECHL)
Norfolk Admirals News Release


Norfolk, Va. - Two quick third-period goals from the Royals proved to be too much for Norfolk to overcome, keeping the Royals a perfect 5-0 in the season series against the Admirals.

Norfolk goaltender, Nic Riopel, in his first game after signing an AHL contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning, single-handedly kept Norfolk in the game with a series of flashy glove saves. After one period of play, Riopel and the Admirals successfully evaded two back-to-back Reading power plays, keeping the game scoreless heading into the first intermission.

On just their fifth official shot of the game, Norfolk newcomers proved to be important additions. Davis Vandane, in his second game with the Admirals, took a faceoff win from Salkeld, who was on the ice in his Admirals debut, and slapped it home from the blue line past Reading netminder, Martin Ouellette, at 3:20 of the second period for a 1-0 lead.

Late in the second, Royals forward Jesper Pettersson sat for slashing. At the end of the power play, a Norfolk turnover in the Reading zone landed on Robbie Czarnik's stick, who passed it to Pettersson just exiting the penalty box. He carried it unobstructed into the Norfolk zone and lifted a backhander past Riopel at 16:52. His goal would close out the second period, ending it tied 1-1.

It was clear the Royals had no interest in continuing their recent losing streak, and they badly outshot Norfolk 24 to 6 through two periods. Scoring just 1:39 apart early in the third period, Reading maintained their offensive momentum and carried it through the halfway point of the final frame, which included killing off a 1:53 5-on-3 Norfolk power play.

At 1:54 of the third period, Nikita Kashirsky cleanly won the faceoff and sent it to Kevin Young at the top of the left circle. He deked around an Admirals player and moved into the open high slot where his wrister would sneak past a screened Riopel. Then, at 3:33, Royals defenceman Kevin Young would return returned the favor. His faceoff win was sent to Joey Sides, whose slapper from the right point would sail past net-front traffic and into the net. His goal increased Reading's lead to 3-1, and it turned out to be the eventual game winner.

Tripling their total from each of the first two periods, Norfolk would register their game-high nine shots on goal in the third. A valiant late-period effort would see them come within one goal as Norfolk forward, Braden Christoffer, would connect with linemate Greg Chase to tighten the lead, 3-2, at 11:05.

With a little more than 6 minutes left, Norfolk would be called for too many men on the ice, which stifled the building momentum. In an unprecedented turn of events, Norfolk would be called for a third too many men on the ice penalty with just 36 seconds remaining in regulation. The combination of a stingy Royal defense and a late-period penalty kill sealed Norfolk's fate, and regulation would end in Reading's favor, 3-2.

Both teams were perfect on the penalty kill and Riopel stopped 33 of 36 shots. Reading halted a three-game losing streak, and Norfolk fell to 9-18-2-0 on the road this season. The Admirals head home for a few days of practice before loading up for a 3-games-in-3-nights series starting in Kalamazoo, MI, including stops in Toledo, OH and Wheeling, WV.

Three Stars:

1. REA - #9 Joey Sides

2. REA - # 26 Nikita Kashirsky

3. NOR - #33 Nic Riopel

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ECHL Stories from March 6, 2016


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