Admirals Recall Guentzel from ECHL Fort Wayne; Three Others Head to Komets From Norfolk

From The Norfolk Admirals:

NORFOLK – The Norfolk Admirals have recalled defenseman Gabe Guentzel from their ECHL affiliate, the Fort Wayne Komets. In addition, the Admirals have loaned forwards Luca Caputi and Garrett Klotz to the Komets while the Anaheim Ducks, NHL parent club of the Admirals, have reassigned forward Ryan Lasch to the Komets from the Admirals. The announcements were made today by Admirals Assistant General Manager Bob Ferguson.

Guentzel, 6-foot-0, 185-pounds, has appeared in six games with the Admirals this season, recording one assist and six penalty minutes. Guentzel was loaned to Fort Wayne last Thursday and appeared in three games with the Komets, posting one goal and four points. Guentzel netted his first professional goal last Thursday in the Komets’ Thanksgiving Day victory over the Kalamazoo Wings.

Norfolk signed Guentzel to an AHL Standard Player’s Contract on September 21. Last season, the 24-year-old native of Woodbury, Minnesota, appeared in 12 regular season games with the Syracuse Crunch before recording an assist in four Calder Cup Playoff games with Syracuse. An undrafted defenseman, Guentzel joined the Crunch after completing his collegiate career at Colorado College, where he scored 16 goals and 94 points in 156 career games.

Caputi, a 6-foot-2, 210-pound left wing, has appeared in 10 games with the Admirals this season, netting one goal and six points. The 24-year-old native of Toronto, Ontario, split last season in the AHL between the Toronto Marlies and Syracuse Crunch, posting 12 goals and 25 points in 60 games. The fifth-year-pro has appeared in 203 career AHL games between the Admirals, Crunch, Marlies and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, posting 55 goals and 128 points. He has also played 35 career NHL games between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Pittsburgh Penguins, scoring three goals and nine points. Caputi signed an AHL Standard Player’s Contract with Norfolk on September 21. He was Pittsburgh’s fourth-round choice (111th overall) in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.

Klotz, a 6-foot-6, 250-pound left wing, has appeared in two games with the Admirals this season, posting two penalty minutes. He made his Norfolk debut on November 12 at Albany. The 24-year-old native of Regina, Saskatchewan, played in 33 games with the Adirondack Phantoms last season, netting two goals and four points with 26 penalty minutes. The fifth-year pro has appeared in 157 career AHL games between Norfolk, Adirondack and Philadelphia, scoring four goals and 11 points with 191 penalty minutes. An undrafted forward, Klotz signed an AHL Standard Player’s Contract with the Admirals on September 26.

Lasch, a 5-foot-7, 170-pound center, has appeared in 11 games with the Admirals this season, scoring one goal and four points with four penalty minutes. The 25-year-old native of Lake Forest, California, made his North American professional debut with the Admirals following two seasons of professional hockey in Europe. Last season, Lasch won the Finnish Elite League (SM – Liiga) scoring title and led all league players in post-season scoring. In 59 games with Lahti in 2011-12, Lasch netted 24 goals and 62 points. Lasch signed a two-year contract with the Ducks on May 31, 2012. An undrafted forward, Lasch appeared in 161 career games with the St. Cloud State University Huskies from 2006-10.

The Admirals return to Scope on Wednesday in the first meeting of the season with the Hershey Bears. The puck drops at 7:15 p.m. in the second Admirals Value Night of the season, with Family Fun Packs and Student Rush Night tickets available.

This Week In Admirals Hockey – A Look At The Week Ahead

 

People are going to be busy over the next few days with the Thanksgiving holidays. There are Turkeys to prepare, decorations to be put up, and shopping to be done. Lets not forget one other big component of the weekend. The Admirals have a game tonight against the Checkers.I hope to see a good crowd out at Scope tonight as Norfolk tries to get things back in order against a tough Checkers club.

 

From The Norfolk Admirals:

NORFOLK, Va. – The Norfolk Admirals look to get back to their winning ways as they play the Charlotte Checkers at home on Wednesday before embarking on a brief two-game road swing this weekend.

The Admirals returned to Scope following a four-game road trip last weekend. On Friday night, Patrick Maroon and Nate Guenin gave Norfolk a 2-1 lead, but Springfield’s Cam Atkinson scored twice in the second period and goaltender Curtis McElhinney stopped 36 of 38 Norfolk shots as the Falcons defeated the Admirals, 3-2. The next night, Chris Wagner and Peter Holland scored, but the Eastern Conference-leading Falcons skated away with a 5-2 victory.

The Admirals host the Western Conference-leading Charlotte Checkers in the first game of the GEICO Challenge Cup on Wednesday night at Scope. It is also the first Admirals Value Night of 2012-13, with Family Fun Packs and Student Rush Night tickets available. Norfolk returns to action after Thanksgiving with a pair of road games, visiting Adirondack Friday and Connecticut Saturday.

STANDINGS UPDATE 
At 7-7-0-0 (14 points), the Admirals are fourth in the East Division and tied for eighth in the Eastern Conference.

	Team	GP	W	L	OTL	SL
1	SPR	14	10	2	0	2	22
2	SYR	14	10	2	1	1	22
3	MCH	15	8	6	0	1	17
4	BRI	14	10	4	0	0	20
5	BNG	13	7	4	1	1	16
6	WBS	15	8	7	0	0	16
7	WOR	15	7	6	1	1	16
8	STJ	16	8	8	0	0	16
9	NOR	14	7	7	0	0	14
10	POR	15	6	7	1	1	14
11	CT	14	6	7	1	0	13
12	PRO	14	6	7	0	1	13
13	HER	15	6	8	1	0	13
14	ALB	13	4	5	0	4	12
15	ADK	14	6	8	0	0	12

Eight teams in each conference shall qualify for the 2013 Calder Cup Playoffs. Following the conclusion of each team’s 76-game regular season, the three division winners in each conference will be seeded first through third (in order of regular-season points) and the next five best teams (in order of regular-season points) will be seeded fourth through eighth.

THE ADMIRALS’ WEEK AHEAD
Wed., Nov. 21 … vs. Charlotte Checkers (Carolina Hurricanes) … 7:15 p.m.
Fri., Nov. 23 … at Adirondack Phantoms (Philadelphia Flyers) … 7:00 p.m.
Sat., Nov. 24 … at Connecticut Whale (New York Rangers) … 7:00 p.m.

ADMIRALS’ LOG

• Norfolk has lost two straight and seven of its last ten games (3-7-0-0). After winning their first four home games, the Admirals have posted a 1-3-0-0 record at Scope in their last four home games.
• Good starts are critical to Norfolk’s success this season. The Admirals are 7-2-0-0 when scoring first and 4-1-0-0 when leading after one period this season. They are 0-5-0-0 when surrendering the game’s first goal and are 1-4-0-0 when trailing after one period this season.
• The Admirals’ penalty kill has stopped 16 of the last 18 opponent power plays (88.9%).
• Norfolk has allowed a shorthanded goal in four of its last five games.
• With two wins last weekend, Springfield doubled its franchise’s all-time regulation wins total at Norfolk Scope Arena. Norfolk is now 16-4-0-0-1 when playing the Falcons in Hampton Roads.
• The Admirals combined to score three goals in the first periods of last weekend’s two games against the Falcons. Entering the games, Springfield had allowed only three goals in the first period in their first 12 games.
• Friday’s game against Springfield was the first home of the season in which neither Kyle Palmierior Peter Holland registered at least one point. Palmieri (3g, 8a) and Holland (6g, 4a) now have points in seven of Norfolk’s eight home games this season.
• Holland (7g, 7a) leads Norfolk in both goals and points (14).
• Sami Vatanen (2g, 9a) leads the Admirals in assists and ranks third among AHL rookie defensemen in points. Vatanen also ranks third among all AHL rookies in assists.
• All three games the Admirals play this week are against teams outside of the East Division. Norfolk has played just three games (all against Binghamton) against East Division opposition in their 14 games this season.

SCOPING THE COMPETITION – SCOUTING REPORT FOR UPCOMING HOME GAMES

• The Admirals play the Charlotte Checkers on Wednesday night at Scope in the first of eight meetings this season. Charlotte is the NHL affiliate of the Carolina Hurricanes. This is Game 1 in the battle to win the GEICO Challenge Cup.
• The Checkers (11-3-0-2, 24 points) lead the South Division, Western Conference and overall AHL standings.
• Norfolk is 5-3-0-0 at home this season while Charlotte is 8-2-0-2 on the road. The Checkers began the season on a nine-game road trip (6-2-0-1).
• Charlotte is currently on a five-game point streak (4-0-0-1) and is 7-2-0-1 in its last ten games.
• The Checkers have the AHL’s third-best offense (3.63 goals per game) and fifth-best defense (2.44 goals against per game).
• Charlotte’s offense tends to awaken after the first period. In 16 games this season, Charlotte has just eight first period goals, but has 23 goals in the second period (T-1st in AHL) and 25 goals in the third period (1st in AHL).
• The Checkers are 5-0-0-0 when trailing after the first period and 3-1-0-0 when trailing after the second period. Only Charlotte, Abbotsford (3-1-0-0), Grand Rapids (3-0-0-1) and Syracuse (2-0-0-1) have winning records when trailing after the first period, while Charlotte joins Grand Rapids (3-0-0-0) as the only AHL teams to have a winning record when trailing after two periods.
• Charlotte has the top power play in the AHL (19/72, 26.4%) and the tenth-best penalty kill (10/71, 85.9%).
• Charlotte is the second least-penalized team in the AHL this season, averaging only 13.56 penalty minutes per game (217 PIM in 16 GP).
• Checkers forwards Drayson Bowman and Zach Boychuk are tied for the AHL lead with 10 goals. Four of Boychuk’s goals are game-winners (1st in AHL).
• Charlotte goaltender Dan Ellis ranks third in goals-against average (1.67) and save percentage (.947) in the AHL. His creasemate Justin Peters is tied for third in the AHL in wins (7).
• Among all AHL defensemen, Checkers blueliner Justin Faulk ranks second in points (15) and fourth in assists (12).
• There are no shared alumni between the current Norfolk and Charlotte rosters.
• Norfolk’s games against Charlotte are the only contests against Western Conference opposition this regular season.

NORFOLK LEADERS
Goals: Peter Holland (7)
Assists: Sami Vatanen (9)
Points: Peter Holland, Kyle Palmieri (14)
Games: Several (14)
PP goals: Patrick Maroon, Kyle Palmieri (3)
SH Goals: Troy Bodie, Chris Wagner (1)
+/- Rating: Nate Guenin (+8)
PIM: Troy Bodie (41)
GAA: Frederik Andersen (2.76)
Spct: Frederik Andersen (.915)
Wins: Frederik Andersen (4)
Losses: Igor Bobkov (4)
GPl: Frederik Andersen (9)
Minutes: Frederik Andersen (501)

CHARLOTTE LEADERS
Goals: Drayson Bowman, Zach Boychuk (10)
Assists: Justin Faulk (12)
Points: Zach Boychuk, Justin Faulk (15)
Games: Several (16)
PP goals: Drayson Bowman, Zach Boychuk (4)
SH Goals: Nicolas Blanchard, Chris Terry (1)
+/- Rating: Jerome Samson (+10)
PIM: Nicolas Blanchard (33)
GAA: Dan Ellis (1.67)
Spct: Dan Ellis (.947)
Wins: Justin Peters (7)
Losses: Dan Ellis (2)
GPI: Justin Peters (9)
Minutes: Justin Peters (505)

ADIRONDACK LEADERS
Goals: Brayden Schenn (8)
Assists: Brayden Schenn (9)
Points: Brayden Schenn (17)
Games: Several (14)
PP goals: Brayden Schenn (3)
SH Goals: Sean Couturier, Brayden Schenn (1)
+/- Rating: Oliver Lauridsen (+5)
PIM: Marc-Andre Bourdon (55)
GAA: Scott Munroe (2.57)
Spct: Scott Munroe (.924)
Wins: Cal Heeter, Scott Munroe (3)
Losses: Cal Heeter, Scott Munroe (4)
GPI: Scott Munroe (8)
Minutes: Scott Munroe (443)

CONNECTICUT LEADERS
Goals: Several (5)
Assists: Kris Newbury (9)
Points: Kris Newbury (14)
Games: Several (14)
PP goals: Matt Gilroy, Kris Newbury (3)
SH Goals: Kyle Jean, Kris Newbury (1)
+/- Rating: Sam Klassen (+3)
PIM: Kris Newbury (48)
GAA: Cameron Talbot (2.30)
Spct: Cameron Talbot (.931)
Wins: Cameron Talbot (5)
Losses: Cameron Talbot (4)
GPI: Cameron Talbot (9)
Minutes: Cameron Talbot (495)

Admirals Sign Defenseman Ryan Parent to PTO

Source: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images North Americ

From the Norfolk Admirals:

NORFOLK – The Norfolk Admirals have signed defenseman Ryan Parent (“PAIR-ehnt”) to an American Hockey League Professional Tryout Contract (PTO), Admirals Assistant General Manager Bob Ferguson announced today.

Parent, a 6-foot-2, 205-pound defenseman, is a sixth-year professional with over 100 games of NHL experience. Last season, he appeared in 22 games with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves, posting one goal and six points with 31 penalty minutes and a plus-6 rating. He then recorded an assist in five Calder Cup Playoff games. Parent also represented Canada at the 2011 Spengler Cup tournament in Davos, Switzerland.

A former first-round draft pick, Parent has appeared in 106 career NHL games between the Philadelphia Flyers and Vancouver Canucks, registering one goal and seven points with 36 penalty minutes. He has also skated in 27 career Stanley Cup Playoff games, helping the Flyers advance to the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals. The Nashville Predators selected Parent in the first round (18th overall) of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.

Parent, a 25-year-old from Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, has appeared in 135 career AHL games between the Philadelphia Phantoms, Manitoba Moose and Chicago Wolves, netting four goals and 18 points with 151 penalty minutes and a plus-10 rating. He has also played 15 career Calder Cup Playoff games, helping the Milwaukee Admirals advance to the 2006 Calder Cup Finals.

Prior to turning professional, Parent played 227 games with the OHL’s Guelph Storm, notching 10 goals and 56 points in his junior career. He also helped Team Canada to gold medals at the 2006 and 2007 IIHF World Junior Championships.

Kennedy and Schaus Assigned To The Fort Wayne

The Norfolk Admirals Assistant General Manager Bob Ferguson announced two player reassignments today. Forward Matt Kennedy was reassigned by the Anaheim Ducks. Defenseman Nick Schaus was loaned to the Komets by the Admirals.

Neither player appeared in any of the games over the last weekend against the Sharks. Schaus appeared in both of the Admirals preseason games and recorded one assist. Kennedy did not appear in any of the preseason games.

The Admirals are back in action with a pair of games against Brandon Segal and the Connecticut Whale this weekend at Scope. The puck drops at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and on Saturday night at 7:15 p.m. I hope to see you there!

Admirals Come Out of Shark Week with Two Wins

Photo: John Wright

 

Game Summary from the Admirals:

Photo: John Wright

NORFOLK – Patrick Maroon scored twice in regulation before Kyle Palmieri and Peter Holland converted in the shootout as the Norfolk Admirals (2-0-0-0) defeated the Worcester Sharks (1-1-0-0), 4-3, on Saturday night at Norfolk Scope Arena.

John Mitchell also scored for the Admirals, while Devante Smith-Pelly recorded two pivotal assists in the second period. Igor Bobkov made 42 saves through regulation and overtime before stopping four of five shooters in the shootout to earn the victory in his Norfolk debut.

The Admirals wasted little time taking the lead in the game with a power play. With traffic stationed in front of Worcester goaltender Harry Sateri, Palmieri one-timed the puck from the high slot. Maroon tipped the shot past Sateri and into the net at 1:11 for his first goal of the season.

However, the Sharks controlled the remainder of the first period, out-shooting Norfolk, 15-7. Worcester utilized traffic of its own to tie the contest at 1-1 just over two minutes after Maroon’s goal. James Livingston had a shot from in tight that Bobkov kicked aside. The puck squirted out to Frazer McLaren, who fed it to Yanni Gourde in the low slot. Gourde shot it past Bobkov’s right shoulder at 3:23.

The Sharks took the lead late in the first period shortly after a Worcester power play had expired. Matt Irwin sent a shot that Bobkov stopped. However, the rebound stayed near the crease, and James Sheppard poked it into the net at 19:36.

The Admirals came out of the gates firing in the second stanza, sending 14 shots on Sateri versus Worcester’s nine shots on Bobkov. Maroon tied the game at 2-2 midway through the period with his second goal of the contest. After Chris Wagner forced a turnover on the left half wall, Smith-Pelly sent a shot towards Sateri that glanced off the goaltender’s stick. The puck wound up on Maroon’s blade, and the AHL’s third-leading scorer last season wasted little time shoveling the puck under Sateri at 6:21.

The Admirals took the lead just over two minutes later off a strong passing play. Brandon McMillan entered the attacking zone and found Smith-Pelly in the left circle. Smith-Pelly then threaded a pass beyond the reach of a defender in the slot to Mitchell in the right circle. Mitchell one-timed the puck past Sateri at 8:31 for his second goal of the season and a 3-2 Norfolk lead.

The Sharks dominated the third period, out-shooting Norfolk, 19-5. Matt Tennyson tied the game at 3-3 with 3:56 remaining in regulation. After taking a feed from Bracken Kearns at the right point, Tennyson sent a slap shot through traffic and past Bobkov at 16:04.

After a scoreless overtime, Palmieri and Sheppard exchanged goals in the first round. Holland then scored in the top of the second round, and neither team scored again thereafter. Norfolk won the shootout, 2-1, giving them the 4-3 victory in the game.

Harry Sateri (25 saves, 28 shots) took the shootout setback after stopping three of five shooters in the shootout.

Norfolk was 1-for-5 on the power play. Worcester was 0-for-5 with the man advantage.

Next up for the Admirals is a pair of games against the Connecticut Whale next weekend at Norfolk Scope Arena. The puck drops on Friday night at 7:30 p.m. and on Saturday night at 7:15 p.m.

Worcester Sharks 3 at Norfolk Admirals 4 (SO) – Status: Final SO
Saturday, October 13, 2012 – Norfolk Scope

Worcester 2 0 1 0 – 3
Norfolk      1 2 0 0 – 4

1st Period-1, Norfolk, Maroon 1 (Palmieri, Holland), 1:11 (PP). 2, Worcester, Gourde 1 (McLaren, Livingston), 3:23. 3, Worcester, Sheppard 1 (Irwin, Hamilton), 19:36. Penalties-Kearns Wor (charging, fighting), 0:26; Mitchell Nor (fighting), 0:26; Vatanen Nor (slashing), 3:56; Acolatse Wor (roughing), 9:04; Kennedy Wor (slashing), 13:22; Mashinter Wor (roughing), 13:22; Guenin Nor (roughing), 13:22; Etem Nor (goaltender interference), 13:33; Maroon Nor (high-sticking), 17:29.

2nd Period-4, Norfolk, Maroon 2 (Smith-Pelly, Wagner), 6:21. 5, Norfolk, Mitchell 2 (Smith-Pelly, McMillan), 8:31. Penalties-Sheppard Wor (hooking), 1:35; Oleksuk Wor (holding), 4:08; Irwin Wor (unsportsmanlike conduct), 9:55; Rosehill Nor (unsportsmanlike conduct), 9:55; Wagner Nor (elbowing), 9:55.

3rd Period-6, Worcester, Tennyson 1 (Kearns, Irwin), 16:04. Penalties-Holland Nor (slashing), 16:52.

OT Period- No Scoring.Penalties-No Penalties

Shootout – Worcester 1 (Sheppard G, Stalberg NG, Oleksuk NG, Matsumoto NG, Kennedy NG), Norfolk 2 (Palmieri G, Holland G, Maroon NG, Lasch NG, Vatanen NG).

Shots on Goal-Worcester 15-9-19-2-0-45. Norfolk 7-14-5-2-1-29.
Power Play Opportunities-Worcester 0 / 5; Norfolk 1 / 5.
Goalies-Worcester, Sateri 0-0-1 (28 shots-25 saves). Norfolk, Bobkov 1-0-0 (45 shots-42 saves).

A-4,049
Referees-Geno Binda (22).
Linesmen-Tom George (61), Scott Pomento (25).

Admirals Announce Opening Night Roster

NORFOLK – Twenty-six players will be on the roster tonight as the Norfolk Admirals open the 2012-13 regular season with a contest against the Worcester Sharks at Norfolk Scope Arena.

Prior to releasing the roster, the Anaheim Ducks reassigned goaltender Marco Cousineau and forward Josh Brittain to the ECHL’s Fort Wayne Komets. Additionally, forward Kenndal McArdle was released from his training camp tryout.

Norfolk’s opening night roster consists of 16 forwards, eight defensemen and two goaltenders. Defenseman Nate Guenin will serve as the team’s captain this season.

Goaltenders:
#30 Frederik Andersen
#35 Igor Bobkov

Defensemen:
#2 Mat Clark
#4 Hampus Lindholm
#5 Nate Guenin
#6 Jordan Hendry
#9 Sami Vatanen
#10 Gabe Guentzel
#25 Matt Smaby
#28 Nick Schaus

Forwards:
#11 Ryan Lasch
#12 John Kurtz
#14 Garrett Klotz
#15 Brandon McMillan
#17 Luca Caputi
#18 Chris Wagner
#19 Patrick Maroon
#20 Troy Bodie
#21 Kyle Palmieri
#22 Peter Holland
#24 John Mitchell
#26 Emerson Etem
#27 Matt Kennedy
#34 Devante Smith-Pelly
#38 Jay Rosehill
#39 Corey Elkins

The puck drops this weekend on the 2012-13 regular season at Norfolk Scope Arena as the Admirals face off in a pair of games against the Worcester Sharks. The puck drops for tonight’s contest at 7:30 p.m. and will drop for tomorrow’s match at 7:15 p.m. Fans will receive a 2012-13 Admirals magnetic schedule, courtesy of Michael and Son, both nights while supplies last.

Tonight’s game is the first Military Appreciation Night at Norfolk Scope. Red Level tickets (normally $19 on game nights) will be available for just $11 at the Norfolk Scope Box Office for all active or retired military, their dependants and reservists with valid military identification.

On Saturday, the Admirals will hold their first post-game skate of the season where fans can skate at Scope with their favorite Admirals following the game. A limited number of skates will be available or fans may bring their own skates.

Individual tickets are on sale now at the Scope Box Office, all Ticketmaster Outlets, charge-by-phone at 1-800-745-3000 and online at ticketmaster.com. Don’t miss a minute of Admirals action by purchasing your season tickets today. Stop by the Admirals’ Administrative Offices at Scope, call (757) 640-1212 weekdays from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. or visit norfolkadmirals.com anytime.