NORFOLK, Va. – Goals by Ondrej Palat and Philip-Michael Devos helped to erase a one-goal deficit, as the Norfolk Admirals (49-18-1-2) defeated the St. John’s IceCaps (39-21-5-3), 2-1, on Friday night in front of 7,348 fans at Norfolk Scope Arena. The Admirals’ extended their winning streak to 22 games after completing the two-game sweep of St. John’s.
Norfolk’s longest homestand of the season continues on Tuesday night against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
Jaroslav Janus (20-8-2) extended his Norfolk franchise record winning streak to 12 games by stopping 20 of 21 shots.
St. John’s opened the scoring just 2:11 into the game. The IceCaps took advantage of a four-on-three power play when Aaron Gagnon collected a rebound and snuck it past Janus to give the visitors the 1-0 lead.
Norfolk answered back to knot the game at 1-1 with less than five minutes to go in the second period. Moments after a Norfolk power play expired, Palat passed to Alex Killorn at the right half boards. Killorn’s pass deflected off the skate of Alexandre Picard, who then spun around drawing IceCaps goaltender David Aebischer to one side of his crease. Picard then passed to his right to Palat, who buried a shot into the open net for his ninth goal of the season at 15:42.
Photo: L. Todd Spencer / The Virginian-Pilot
The Admirals took the lead for good midway through the final frame. After Aebischer attempted to cover a loose puck, Pierre-Cedric Labrie was able to knock it loose in the right corner. Labrie then spotted Devos alone in the low slot, and Devos shot the puck past the diving Aebischer to make his sixth goal of the season the game-winner at 10:46.
Despite a St. John’s six-on-five attack for close to two minutes at the end the game, the Admirals held on for the 2-1 victory – their 22nd win in a row overall and their 16th consecutive win in regulation.
Aebischer (14-10-2) stopped 25 of 27 shots in the loss.
Norfolk was 0-for-6 on the power play while stopping two of three St. John’s power play opportunities.
Fight Of The Night: Jeff Dimmen Vs. Carl Klingberg
St. John’s IceCaps 1 at Norfolk Admirals 2 – Status: Final
Friday, March 30, 2012 – Norfolk Scope
St. John’s 1 0 0 – 1
Norfolk 0 1 1 – 2
1st Period-1, St. John’s, Gagnon 13 (Redmond, DeSantis), 2:11 (PP). Penalties-Negrin Stj (hooking), 0:55; Picard Nor (goaltender interference), 1:16; Barberio Nor (slashing), 1:55; Lunden Stj (fighting), 5:22; Neilson Nor (fighting), 5:22; Murray Stj (slashing), 8:13; O’Neill Stj (boarding), 17:00.
2nd Period-2, Norfolk, Palat 9 (Picard, Killorn), 15:42. Penalties-Klingberg Stj (fighting), 9:40; Dimmen Nor (fighting), 9:40; Panik Nor (roughing), 9:55; Gregoire Stj (interference), 13:33; DeSantis Stj (cross-checking, misconduct – abuse of officials), 16:27; Murray Stj (misconduct – abuse of officials), 20:00.
3rd Period-3, Norfolk, Devos 6 (Labrie, Conacher), 10:41. Penalties-Kulda Stj (holding), 2:33; Cormier Stj (fighting), 12:28; Gudas Nor (fighting), 12:28.
Shots on Goal-St. John’s 7-5-9-21. Norfolk 6-11-10-27.
Power Play Opportunities-St. John’s 1 / 3; Norfolk 0 / 6.
Goalies-St. John’s, Aebischer 14-10-2 (27 shots-25 saves). Norfolk, Janus 20-8-2 (21 shots-20 saves).
A-7,348
Referees-Terry Koharski (10).
Linesmen-Scott Pomento (25), Tom George (61).
By Ken Peacock
After a scoreless opening period, the Admirals broke the ice 12:27 into the second stanza on a shorthanded tally by Palat. While the IceCaps were on a power play, Johnson stole the puck in the Norfolk zone near the right point and chipped the puck around a defender to himself in the neutral zone, creating a two-on-one break with Palat. Instead of passing to Palat, Johnson dropped a pass to Mark Barberio in the right circle for a shot that bounced off IceCaps goaltender David Aebischer. Palat found the rebound on top of the goalmouth and backhanded a shot into the net while falling backwards for his eighth goal of the season.
