Admirals Win 6-1, Sweep The Marlies, Win The Calder Cup

By Ronnie Shuker, The Canadian Press

TORONTO – Tyler Johnson and Mike Kostka each scored twice as the Norfolk Admirals defeated the Toronto Marlies 6-1 on Saturday to capture their first Calder Cup championship.

Richard Panik and Pierre-Cedric Labrie had the other goals for the Admirals, who swept the American Hockey League best-of-seven final.

Norfolk goalie Dustin Tokarski stopped 18 shots for his 12th win of the post-season and Cory Conacher chipped in with four assists. Johnson added two assists to also finish the night with four points.

Mike Zigomanis had the lone goal for Toronto. Ben Scrivens made 27 saves in front of a sell-out crowd of 8,084 at Ricoh Coliseum.

It’s the first championship title for Norfolk in its 12-year franchise history, capping off a remarkable and record-setting season.

In early February, the Admirals sat third in their division and were simply fighting for a playoff spot. But since a loss on Super Bowl Sunday to the Springfield Falcons, the Admirals went 43-3, which included a 28-game winning streak from Feb. 10 until April 20 – a professional hockey league record.

In the playoffs, Norfolk went 15-3, defeating the Manchester Monarchs 3-1, the Connecticut Whale 4-2 and then sweeping the St. John’s IceCaps and the Marlies.

Just as in the first three games of the series, Norfolk scored first in a chippy opening period with 31 minutes in penalties.

Panik, a 2009 second-round pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning, drove to the Marlies net and wristed a weak backhand shot toward the net that deflected off Marlies defenceman Juraj Mikus’s skate and in past Scrivens 6:17 into the game.

Toronto tied it with 16.1 seconds left in the period on a long 5-on-3 power play with Panik given a five-minute major and game misconduct for elbowing.

The Marlies worked it around the perimeter until Joe Colborne found Zigomanis, playing just his second game of the series, alone at the side of the net for an easy tap in.

It was the first goal Tokarski had allowed in 88:36 after shutting out the Marlies 1-0 in Game 3 and just the second power-play goal for Toronto, which went just 2-for-26 on the man advantage in the series.

Norfolk retook the lead 4:26 into the second period on a delayed penalty call. Ondrej Palat dished from the behind the goal line to Game 3 overtime hero Kostka who ripped a shot from the point past a screened Scrivens for his fifth of the playoffs.

The Admirals then made it a 3-1 game at 16:45. After Scrivens made a sensational sliding blocker save on Johnson off a one-timer, Johnson picked up the rebound behind the net and banked it off Scrivens’ back and into the net.

The Admirals took a three-goal lead less than a minute into the third on the power play. Kostka, a hometown player from Etobicoke, Ont., blasted a shot from the top of the circle high past Scrivens.

Johnson, an undrafted free agent signing by Tampa Bay in 2011, got his second of the game at 12:35 with Scrivens pulled for an extra attacker. Labrie then made it 6-1 Norfolk, snapping in a rebound past Scrivens into an open net.

Norfolk Admirals 6 at Toronto Marlies 1 – Status: Final
Saturday, June 9, 2012 – Ricoh Coliseum

Norfolk   1 2 3 – 6
Toronto 1 0 0 – 1

1st Period-1, Norfolk, Panik 5 (Johnson, Conacher), 6:17. 2, Toronto, Zigomanis 4 (Colborne, Lashoff), 19:43 (PP). Penalties-Dupuis Tor (interference), 1:02; Aulie Nor (interference), 3:20; Holzer Tor (interference), 8:49; Mikus Tor (roughing), 12:46; Cote Nor (roughing, roughing), 17:24; Panik Nor (major – elbowing, game misconduct – elbowing), 17:24; Orr Tor (roughing), 17:24; Kostka Nor (high-sticking), 18:40.

2nd Period-3, Norfolk, Kostka 5 (Palat, Conacher), 4:26. 4, Norfolk, Johnson 5 (Killorn, Aulie), 16:45. Penalties-Angelidis Nor (roughing), 9:50; Colborne Tor (holding), 18:02; Zigomanis Tor (slashing), 18:37; Holzer Tor (slashing), 19:25.

3rd Period-5, Norfolk, Kostka 6 (Conacher, Johnson), 0:44 (PP). 6, Norfolk, Johnson 6 (Cote, Conacher), 12:35 (EN). 7, Norfolk, Labrie 5 (Ouellet, Smith), 13:33. Penalties-Lashoff Tor (roughing), 4:39; Mikus Tor (tripping), 7:30; Angelidis Nor (slashing), 9:47.

Shots on Goal-Norfolk 12-12-8-32. Toronto 8-7-4-19.
Power Play Opportunities-Norfolk 1 / 8; Toronto 1 / 6.
Goalies-Norfolk, Tokarski 12-2-0 (19 shots-18 saves). Toronto, Scrivens 11-6-0 (31 shots-26 saves).
A-8,084
Referees-Graham Skilliter (48), Terry Koharski (10).
Linesmen-Kiel Murchison (35), Matt MacPherson (83).

Picard And Scrivens Just Need To Settle Things…..

Admirals Over The Marlies 4-2 Before A Sellout Crowd. Norfolk Takes A 2-0 Lead Up To Toronto.

NORFOLK, Va. – Four different Admirals scored goals and Dustin Tokarski stopped 30 of 32 shots as the Norfolk Admirals defeated the Toronto Marlies, 4-2, in front of a sellout crowd at Norfolk Scope Arena on Saturday night. The Game 2 victory gave the Admirals a two-games-to-zero lead in the best-of-seven Calder Cup Finals. The series now shifts to Toronto with Game 3 set for Thursday night at 7:00 p.m. at Ricoh Coliseum.

Richard Panik had a goal and an assist while Mike Angelidis, Keith Aulie and Evan Oberg tallied two assists each. Alexandre Picard, Brandon Segal and Trevor Smith also scored. Dustin Tokarski (10-2) got his second win of the Calder Cup Finals stopping all but two Toronto shots. Ben Scrivens (11-4) lost his second consecutive game, allowing four goals on 32 Norfolk shots. The Scope crowd of 8,661 was the first playoff sellout in AHL Admirals history and just the second playoff sellout since the Admirals began play at Scope in 1989-90.

Photo: John Wright

Panik opened the scoring for Norfolk with his fourth goal of the 2012 Calder Cup Playoffs at 14:38 of the first period. Evan Oberg sent a long pass across the ice to Panik in the low right circle. In anticipation of the oncoming Panik, Scrivens attempted to poke check the puck away. The attempt left the space between his legs open, and Panik backhanded the puck through for a 1-0 lead.

Toronto responded less than four minutes later with a power play goal. In the Toronto offensive zone, Jake Gardiner passed the puck to Joe Colborne who wound up and beat Tokarski with a slapshot from the right circle at 18:20 to tie the game at 1-1.

Norfolk went ahead, 2-1, at 15:17 of the second period after a Picard score. From the left point, Evan Oberg sent a high shot towards Scrivens. Before reaching the net, Mike Angelidis deflected the puck down and into Scrivens, where the Toronto netminder kicked the puck back into play. Picard stuck the rebound past the prone goaltender from the right faceoff circle for his team-leading ninth goal of the playoffs.

Photo: John Wright

Norfolk’s lead doubled midway through the third period on Segal’s fifth goal of the playoffs. Aulie batted the puck out of the air and then sent a pass through the neutral zone to Angelidis, who quickly shuffled the puck to his left to Segal. Segal crossed the blue line and fired a wrist shot past Scrivens’ glove at 8:26.

Smith stretched the home team’s lead to 4-1 with his fifth goal of the playoffs late in the third period. Panik sent a pass from the right corner across the slot. Smith accepted the pass and sent a quick shot through the legs of the goaltender at 15:52.

Juraj Mikus closed out scoring with 43 seconds remaining in regulation on his first goal of the playoffs.

Norfolk was 0-for-4 on the power play while Toronto was 1-for-5.

 

Toronto Marlies 2 at Norfolk Admirals 4 – Status: Final
Saturday, June 2, 2012 – Norfolk Scope

Toronto 1 0 1 – 2
Norfolk  1 1 2 – 4

1st Period-1, Norfolk, Panik 4 (Oberg), 14:38. 2, Toronto, Colborne 2 (Gardiner, Lashoff), 18:20 (PP). Penalties-Segal Nor (goaltender interference), 11:13; Smith Nor (cross-checking), 18:06.

2nd Period-3, Norfolk, Picard 9 (Angelidis, Oberg), 15:17. Penalties-Rosehill Tor (high-sticking), 7:27; Ashton Tor (slashing), 19:34; Picard Nor (goaltender interference), 19:34; Lashoff Tor (hooking), 19:50.

3rd Period-4, Norfolk, Segal 5 (Angelidis, Aulie), 8:26. 5, Norfolk, Smith 5 (Panik, Aulie), 15:52. 6, Toronto, Mikus 1 (Ashton, Dupuis), 19:17. Penalties-Rosehill Tor (unsportsmanlike conduct), 3:17; Cote Nor (unsportsmanlike conduct), 3:17; Gardiner Tor (interference), 3:47; Barberio Nor (slashing), 4:54; Mikus Tor (tripping), 5:08; Gudas Nor (tripping), 10:18; Smith Nor (high-sticking), 11:55.

Shots on Goal-Toronto 10-9-13-32. Norfolk 14-10-8-32.
Power Play Opportunities-Toronto 1 / 4; Norfolk 0 / 4.
Goalies-Toronto, Scrivens 11-4-0 (32 shots-28 saves). Norfolk, Tokarski 10-2-0 (32 shots-30 saves).
A-8,661
Referees-Francis Charron (46), Terry Koharski (10).
Linesmen-Matt MacPherson (83), John Grandt (95).

Alex Picard Leads Norfolk Over St. John’s 3-1

NORFOLK, Va. – Alexandre Picard scored twice to take over the scoring lead in the playoffs as the Norfolk Admirals defeated the St. John’s IceCaps, 3-1, in front of an AHL Admirals playoff record crowd of 6,249 at Norfolk Scope Arena. Norfolk takes a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference Finals into Monday’s Game 3 at Mile One Centre in St. John’s, Newfoundland.

Richard Panik also scored. Dustin Tokarski (6-2) stopped 30 of 31 shots and has now turned aside 59 of 61 St. John’s shots in the series. Norfolk’s penalty kill stopped all five IceCaps’ shots.

Like in Game 1, the Admirals struck first in Game 2 – this time just 51 seconds into the contest. Trevor Smith found Richard Panik in the high slot, and Panik sent a quick wrist shot past Pasquale’s blocker. The Admirals were on a three-on-two rush when Smith connected with Panik, putting Norfolk up 1-0.

The second period saw the IceCaps even the score at one goal apiece 1:41 into the period. Garth Murray won a faceoff, sending the puck back to Paul Postma at the left point. Postma sent a shot through traffic that hit Tokarski. John Albert found the rebound and backhanded it into and the net to get St. John’s on the board.

The alternating scoring continued later in the second period when Picard made the score 2-1 in favor of the home team. Brandon Segal started the play when he collected his own deflection in the right circle and passed the puck back to Mike Kostka. The puck came to Kostka at the right point where he would shoot it, sending it off the glove of Pasquale. The rebound went behind the net, ricocheted to Picard on the other side, and with Pasquale still on the other half of the crease, Picard sent it into the cage before Pasquale could dive back to stop it.

In an attempt to tie the game, St. John’s pulled Pasquale for an extra skater with time winding down in regulation. After Jean-Philippe Cote forced a turnover at center ice, Picard took the puck down the right wall and hit the empty net to cement the victory for Norfolk, 3-1. Picard now has an AHL-best eight goals and 14 points in the Calder Cup Playoffs.

Eddie Pasquale (7-6) stopped 35 of 37 shots for the loss.

Both teams were 0-for-5 on the power play.

Game 3 of the series takes place on Monday, May 21st, from Mile One Centre in St. John’s, Newfoundland. The puck drops at 6:00 p.m.

Big Woody’s Bar and Grill will show Game 3, Game 4 and (if needed) Game 5 of the series at their Chesapeake Square Mall location. The Chesapeake Square Mall location of Big Woody’s Bar and Grill is located at 4200 Portsmouth Boulevard in Chesapeake, Virginia.

In addition, A Step In Time Chimney Sweeps is having an Admirals Party for Game 3 only at the Virginia Beach Town Center location of Guadalajara on Monday night, May 21st. Watch the game live at 6:00 p.m. and cheer on your Admirals. In addition, there will be a free buffet, happy hour drink specials, and cornhole with prizes available. The Virginia Beach Town Center location of Guadalajara is located at 4611 Columbus Street in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Game 3 will also be shown on Monday, May 21st, at the Hits at the Park Restaurant during the Norfolk Tides game against the Pawtucket Red Sox. You must have a ticket to the Tides game to be admitted into the ballpark.

All games can be heard at 102.1-FM, 1490-AM and 1021TheGame.com. You can also watch on a pay-per-view basis at AHLLive.com.

Three Stars:
1. Alexandre Picard – NOR
2. Dustin Tokarski – NOR
3. Eddie Pasquale – STJ

St. John’s IceCaps 1 at Norfolk Admirals 3 – Status: Final
Saturday, May 19, 2012 – Norfolk Scope

St. John’s 0 1 0 – 1
Norfolk      1 1 1 – 3

1st Period-1, Norfolk, Panik 3 (Oberg, Smith), 0:51. Penalties-Kulda Stj (cross-checking), 6:40; O’Dell Stj (slashing), 11:12; Oberg Nor (hooking), 13:25; Smith Nor (interference), 18:02; Gagnon Stj (roughing), 19:07; Palat Nor (roughing), 19:07; Johnson Nor (tripping), 19:31.

2nd Period-2, St. John’s, Albert 3 (Postma, Murray), 1:51. 3, Norfolk, Picard 7 (Kostka, Angelidis), 15:38. Penalties-Kulda Stj (holding), 6:09.

3rd Period-4, Norfolk, Picard 8 (Cote), 19:07 (EN). Penalties-Sawada Stj (boarding), 0:52; Killorn Nor (holding), 6:55; Conacher Nor (holding), 10:16; Meech Stj (interference), 11:17.

Shots on Goal-St. John’s 13-11-7-31. Norfolk 14-17-7-38.
Power Play Opportunities-St. John’s 0 / 5; Norfolk 0 / 5.
Goalies-St. John’s, Pasquale 7-6-0 (37 shots-35 saves). Norfolk, Tokarski 6-2-0 (31 shots-30 saves).
A-6,249
Referees-Francis Charron (46), Terry Koharski (10).
Linesmen-Mathieu Chenier (71), Scott Pomento (25).

2-1 OT Victory Sends The Admirals To The Conference Finals

NORFOLK, Va. – Richard Panik’s goal with 6:59 remaining in overtime lifted the Norfolk Admirals over the Connecticut Whale, 2-1, in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Friday night at Norfolk Scope Arena. The Admirals win the best-of-seven series, four games to two, and advance to the conference finals for the first time in their Calder Cup Playoff history.

Photo: Ross Taylor, The Virginian-PIlot

Panik brought 5,832 fans at Scope to their feet just minutes after returning to the ice from an injury. He was struck in the face by a slapshot midway through the third period and missed the remainder of the third period and the majority of overtime while receiving treatment in the Norfolk locker room.

Tyler Johnson also scored for the Admirals, who outshot the Whale, 46-31, in the contest after being out-shot, 24-12 through the first two periods. Goaltender Jaroslav Janus (3-1) turned aside 30 of 31 shots.

Photo: Ross Taylor, The Virginian Pilot

The Whale got on the board first 14:49 into the first period. After a turnover at the Connecticut blueline, Casey Wellman carried the puck into the Norfolk zone along the left wing and sent a shot off Janus. The rebound came back to Wellman, and he sent it back into a maze of sticks and skates in the crease. Jonathan Audy-Marchessault was credited for the goal after the puck snuck past Janus.

Both goaltenders stood strong in the second period as the teams combined for 18 shots but were held off the scoreboard.

After posting just 12 shots in the opening two periods, Norfolk controlled the play in the third period by posting 18 shots in the frame to just three by Connecticut.

Just past the midway mark of the period, Johnson’s second goal of the playoffs tied the game at 1-1. From along the left boards, Palat intercepted a Whale pass and quickly fed the puck toward the slot. The pass deflected off a Connecticut defender to Johnson in the slot between the hashmarks. Johnson collected the fluttering puck and sent a backhand shot between the legs of Whale goaltender Cameron Talbot at 10:52, setting the stage for overtime.

On his first shift after returning from the injury, Panik split the Connecticut defense in the neutral zone and received a pass from Alex Killorn for a breakaway. Panik deked to the backhand before slipping a forehand shot around Talbot’s right leg and into the back of the net at 13:01 for the game-winner.

Talbot (5-4) finished the night with 44 saves on 46 shots in defeat.

The Admirals open the Eastern Conference finals against the winner of the St. John’s/Wilkes-Barre/Scranton series on Thursday night at Norfolk Scope at 7:15 p.m. A complete schedule is available at norfolkadmirals.com. The series between the IceCaps and Penguins will be decided tomorrow night in St. John’s at 6:00 p.m. EDT.

Connecticut Whale 1 at Norfolk Admirals 2 (OT) – Status: Final OT
Friday, May 11, 2012 – Norfolk Scope

Connecticut 1 0 0 0 – 1
Norfolk          0 0 1 1 – 2

1st Period-1, Connecticut, Audy-Marchessault 4 (Hrivik, Wellman), 14:49. Penalties-Conacher Nor (hooking), 2:58; Bourque Ct (goaltender interference), 6:10; Segal Nor (hooking), 6:33; Killorn Nor (holding the stick), 10:33; Newbury Ct (interference), 16:59.

2nd Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Audy-Marchessault Ct (slashing), 7:42; Wellman Ct (holding the stick), 20:00.

3rd Period-2, Norfolk, Johnson 2 (Palat), 10:52. Penalties-Erixon Ct (holding), 7:52; Deveaux Ct (roughing), 11:32; Picard Nor (roughing), 11:32; Tessier Ct (slashing), 13:52.

OT Period-3, Norfolk, Panik 2 (Killorn, Oberg), 13:01. Penalties-No Penalties

Shots on Goal-Connecticut 13-11-3-4-31. Norfolk 5-7-18-16-46.
Power Play Opportunities-Connecticut 0 / 3; Norfolk 0 / 6.
Goalies-Connecticut, Talbot 5-4-0 (46 shots-44 saves). Norfolk, Janus 3-1-0 (31 shots-30 saves).
A-5,832
Referees-Darcy Burchell (42), Mark Lemelin (41).
Linesmen-Scott Pomento (25), Tom George (61).

 

Admirals Shutout The Whale 4-0, Take 3-2 Series Lead

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – Alexandre Picard scored twice and Jaroslav Janus stopped all 22 shots he faced as the Norfolk Admirals shut out the Connecticut Whale, 4-0, on Wednesday night at Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Connecticut. With the victory, the Admirals now lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference Semifinals series, three-games-to-two.

Ondrej Palat and Pierre-Cedric Labrie also scored for the Admirals in the win. Norfolk out-shot Connecticut, 35-22.

Photo: Richard Messina, Hartford Courant

The Admirals opened scoring 15:15 into the game on Picard’s first goal of the series and fifth of the playoffs overall. The veteran forward took a pass from Labrie and went behind the Connecticut net. He then re-emerged in front and to the left of Whale netminder Cameron Talbot before sending a wraparound shot past the goaltender for a 1-0 Norfolk lead.

Picard doubled the lead early in a dominant second period for the visitors. He found the rebound of a Scott Jackson shot in the slot and sent a shot into the net while falling at 2:43. It was the only one of 15 shots by the Admirals to get past Talbot in the second period, as Norfolk out-shot Connecticut, 15-7, in the stanza.

Photo: Richard Messina, Hartford Courant

Norfolk went ahead, 3-0, late in the third period. Tyler Johnson chased a dump-in behind the Connecticut net and centered the puck to Palat in the slot. Palat’s wrister beat Talbot, blocker-side, for his third goal of the playoffs at 14:06.

Labrie iced the victory with a goal with 5.2 seconds remaining just after a power play had expired.

Norfolk was 0-for-3 on the power play while Connecticut was 0-for-4.

Cameron Talbot (5-3) made 32 saves on 36 shots for the loss.

Photo: Richard Messina, Hartford Courant

Norfolk Admirals 4 at Connecticut Whale 0 – Status: Final
Wednesday, May 9, 2012 – Webster Bank Arena

Norfolk         1 1 2 – 4
Connecticut 0 0 0 – 0

1st Period-1, Norfolk, Picard 5 (Labrie), 15:15. Penalties-Devos Nor (interference), 2:32; Wellman Ct (tripping), 16:54.

2nd Period-2, Norfolk, Picard 6 (Jackson, Palat), 2:43. Penalties-Janus Nor (tripping), 6:32.

3rd Period-3, Norfolk, Palat 3 (Johnson, Cote), 14:06. 4, Norfolk, Labrie 3 (Angelidis, Segal), 19:54. Penalties-Killorn Nor (hooking), 2:38; Cote Nor (slashing), 9:04; Audy-Marchessault Ct (slashing), 9:56; Picard Nor (roughing), 17:43; Owens Ct (goaltender interference, roughing), 17:43; Conacher Nor (roughing), 19:10; Audy-Marchessault Ct (slashing, misconduct – unsportsmanlike conduct), 19:10.

Shots on Goal-Norfolk 8-15-13-36. Connecticut 6-7-9-22.
Power Play Opportunities-Norfolk 0 / 3; Connecticut 0 / 4.
Goalies-Norfolk, Janus 2-1-0 (22 shots-22 saves). Connecticut, Talbot 5-3-0 (36 shots-32 saves).
A-1,154
Referees-Geno Binda (22), Jon McIsaac (39).
Linesmen-Luke Galvin (2), Kevin Redding (16).