MANCHESTER, N.H. – Alex Killorn scored on a rebound 13:27 into overtime as the Norfolk Admirals defeated the Manchester Monarchs, 4-3, on Friday night at the Verizon Wireless Arena. With the win, Norfolk won the best-of-five Eastern Conference Quarterfinals series against Manchester, three games to one, and advanced to the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Connecticut Whale beginning Wednesday night at Norfolk Scope Arena.
Photo: Bruce Taylor - Union Leader
Evan Oberg, Mark Barberio and Trevor Smith also scored for the Admirals, who erased 1-0 and 3-1 deficits for the win. Norfolk netminder Dustin Tokarski (2-0) stopped 22 of 25 shots for the win.
The Monarchs opened scoring just 38 seconds into the contest. A Manchester defenseman caused a turnover in the left corner of the Norfolk zone. Justin Azevedo found the puck in the high slot and sent a slap shot off the crossbar and into the net to give the home team a 1-0 lead.
Norfolk knotted the score at 1-1 midway through the second stanza. Oberg sent a shot from the left point through traffic that glanced off Zatkoff. While the goaltender slowed the puck, he did not stop it, as it trickled between his legs and into the net at 7:18.
However, the Monarchs restored their lead exactly four minutes later on a four-on-four play. Brandon Kozun and Patrick Mullen executed a crossover play at the Norfolk blue line, with Kozun dropping a pass to Mullen in the high slot. Mullen skated a few strides toward the net before sending a shot past Tokarski’s glove at 11:18 for a 2-1 Manchester lead.
The Monarchs doubled their lead just over four minutes later with their first power play goal of the series. Thomas Hickey sent a slap shot from the high slot. Andy Andreoff changed the path of the puck from high to low with a deflection from the center slot, and the shot eluded Tokarski at 15:37 for a 3-1 Manchester lead.
However, that lead evaporated less than two minutes later with a pair of Norfolk goals. Cory Conacher set up the visitors’ second goal when he spotted Barberio in the left circle. The AHL’s Outstanding Defenseman waited for a Manchester defender to commit to a block before shuffling to his left in the faceoff circle and sending a wrist shot top-shelf at 16:58.
The Admirals tied the game at 3-3 just 16 seconds later. Smith entered the attacking zone along the right wing with speed. He sent a shot from the right circle that Zatkoff blocked. However, Smith found his own rebound and backhanded a shot past Zatkoff’s left leg at 17:14 for his second goal of the post-season.
The Admirals out-shot the Monarchs, 10-3, in the third period but could not solve Zatkoff as the game required overtime.
Photo: Bruce Taylor - Union Leader
Norfolk sustained the pressure in the overtime session, out-shooting Manchester, 9-2, before finding the back of the net with their tenth shot of the extra session. Alexandre Picard sent a shot that Zatkoff stopped. However, Killorn found the rebound in the right circle as traffic was encroaching on Zatkoff. He fired a shot over a prone Zatkoff for his first professional playoff goal and the series-clincher at 17:14.
Jeff Zatkoff (1-1) stopped 35 of 39 shots for the loss.
Both teams were 1-for-5 on the power play.
Norfolk Admirals 4 (OT) at Manchester Monarchs 3 – Status: Final OT
Friday, April 27, 2012 – Verizon Wireless Arena
Norfolk 0 3 0 1 – 4
Manchester 1 2 0 0 – 3
1st Period-1, Manchester, Azevedo 1 0:38. Penalties-Ouellet Nor (tripping), 7:49; Angelidis Nor (fighting), 10:42; Clune Mch (fighting), 10:42; Cliche Mch (hooking), 15:55; Conacher Nor (slashing), 17:51.
2nd Period-2, Norfolk, Oberg 1 (Killorn, Picard), 7:18. 3, Manchester, Mullen 1 (Kozun, O’Neill), 11:18. 4, Manchester, Andreoff 2 (Hickey, Vey), 15:37 (PP). 5, Norfolk, Barberio 2 (Conacher, Ouellet), 16:58 (PP). 6, Norfolk, Smith 2 (Gudas), 17:14. Penalties-Azevedo Mch (interference), 2:21; served by Czarnik Mch (bench minor – too many men), 9:27; Smith Nor (interference), 11:03; Picard Nor (hooking), 15:07; Labrie Nor (roughing), 15:55; Cliche Mch (roughing, roughing), 15:55; Palat Nor (interference), 17:37.
3rd Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Cote Nor (fighting), 1:49; Deslauriers Mch (fighting), 1:49; Kolomatis Mch (slashing), 9:37.
OT Period-7, Norfolk, Killorn 1 (Picard, Barberio), 13:27. Penalties-No Penalties
Shots on Goal-Norfolk 8-11-10-10-39. Manchester 10-10-3-2-25.
Power Play Opportunities-Norfolk 1 / 5; Manchester 1 / 5.
Goalies-Norfolk, Tokarski 2-0-0 (25 shots-22 saves). Manchester, Zatkoff 0-2-0 (39 shots-35 saves).
A-6,102
Referees-Francis Charron (46), Jean Hebert (43).
Linesmen-Joe Andrews (32), Landon Bathe (80).
NORFOLK, Va. – The Norfolk Admirals (1-0) used two power play goals and a perfect penalty kill to hold on to a 3-2 victory over the Manchester Monarchs (0-1) in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals on Friday night at Norfolk Scope Arena. The Admirals lead the best-of-five series, one game to none, with Game 2 set for tomorrow night at Scope at 7:15 p.m.
The second period would see two quick power play strikes from the Admirals. Picard made the score 2-0 after a series of passes between he, Smith and Cory Conacher. The AHL’s MVP started the passes from the right faceoff circle when he sent the puck to Smith in the right corner. Smith then passed to a streaking Picard in the slot, who one-timed the puck past Zatkoff at 1:42.
Manchester’s third period surge continued with a goal by Marc-Andre Cliche at 13:57. Thomas Hickey fired a shot from the blue line into traffic. The shot deflected off Cliche and past Janus to bring the Monarchs within one goal.
