I can’t say I was disappointed in the way the Admirals play Thursday night. They played well in front of the …..hmmmm….the “Home Crowd” at the Verizon Center. The term “Home Game” should be taken with grain of salt. Norfolk gave up a home game to play at the Verizon Center.The Admirals were officially the home team on paper, but it was apparent that they were indeed the visitors. They wore their road jerseys, set up shop in the visitors locker room, and the crowd was definitely behind the Capitals AHL affiliate, the Hershey Bears. As a Capitals fan I found it very awkward to be walking around in a Admirals jersey. Now it wasn’t bad like walking around Philly in a Caps or Penguin jersey. I had my Caps hat on and got many a comment about my apparent confusion on who to support. I brushed it off as a #LockoutProblem. Overall I enjoyed being back up in D.C., but in the future I hope the Ad’s keep their home game down in Norfolk and have Hershey give up the game as it was truly their crowd.
Now from the Norfolk Admirals:
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Brandon McMillan scored just 10 seconds into the game, but the Norfolk Admirals (9-12-0-0) fell to the Hershey Bears (10-11-1-0), 2-1, in the Washington AHL Showcase, presented by GEICO, on Thursday night in front of 18,506 people at a sold out at Verizon Center in Washington, D.C.
Norfolk netminder Frederik Andersen (6-6-0) stopped 28 of 30 shots in the setback. The Admirals killed all eight Hershey power plays, increasing their streak of opponent power plays killed to 30 over the last four-plus games.
The Admirals will visit the Binghamton Senators on Saturday night before returning to Scope on December 14th and 15th against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.
Norfolk wasted little time starting the scoring in the contest. Rod Pelley won the opening faceoff to Sami Vatanen, who sent it to McMillan entering the attacking zone. McMillan sent a shot from the top of the left circle past Bears goaltender Braden Holtby just 0:10 into the contest for his second goal of the season.
Hershey tied the game at 1-1 midway through the first period. Zach Hamill sent a pass from the right circle to Evan Barlow in the left circle. Barlow sent a wrist shot past Andersen at 13:54 to tie the game at 1-1.
Neither team found the back of the net in the second period, as Holtby turned aside 11 Norfolk shots and Andersen stopped seven Hershey shots.
The Bears took the lead early in the third period. Ryan Potulny sent a slap shot from the right circle past Andersen at 4:26.
The Admirals were unable to get the equalizer past Holtby (8-7-0), who stopped eight Norfolk shots in the third period and 26 of 27 shots in the contest.
Norfolk was 0-for-6 on the power play. Hershey was 0-for-8.
Hershey Bears 2 at Norfolk Admirals 1 – Status: Final
Thursday, December 6, 2012 – Verizon Center
Hershey 1 0 1 – 2
Norfolk 1 0 0 – 1
1st Period-1, Norfolk, McMillan 2 (Vatanen, Pelley), 0:10. 2, Hershey, Barlow 1 (Hamill, DiSalvatore), 13:54. Penalties-Sjogren Her (tripping), 1:30; Brouillette Her (roughing), 3:06; Smith-Pelly Nor (boarding, roughing), 3:06; Pelley Nor (tripping), 6:50; Guentzel Nor (tripping), 9:50; Orlov Her (tripping), 10:56; Berry Her (fighting), 13:56; Kurtz Nor (fighting), 13:56; Schilling Her (interference), 18:23.
2nd Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Lindholm Nor (holding the stick), 1:57; Kundratek Her (roughing), 6:44; Clark Nor (closing hand on puck), 10:38; Taffe Her (tripping), 18:06.
3rd Period-3, Hershey, Potulny 1 (Oleksy, Taffe), 4:26. Penalties-Parent Nor (cross-checking), 1:20; McMillan Nor (cross-checking), 7:50; Schilling Her (holding), 14:23; Vatanen Nor (slashing), 17:17.
Shots on Goal-Hershey 13-7-10-30. Norfolk 8-11-8-27.
Power Play Opportunities-Hershey 0 / 8; Norfolk 0 / 6.
Goalies-Hershey, Holtby 8-7-0 (27 shots-26 saves). Norfolk, Andersen 6-6-0 (30 shots-28 saves).
A-18,506
Referees-Ryan Fraser (14), Tim Mayer (19).
Linesmen-Tom George (61), Scott Pomento (25).
