Admirals Win 2-0, Complete The Weekend Sweep

Long night last night. Very good weekend from the Norfolk Admirals . The Ad’s won an overtime thriller on Friday night with 5-4 victory that included a Patrick Maroon hat trick. Saturday’s game was tighter with both teams going back and forth. This was a low scoring defensive battle. Norfolk produced the only goals of the night and sealed the seep with a 2-0 shutout over the Crunch. The next victory of the night also happened on the ice, but did not result in any points in the standings. The Admirals / PAPCO annual MDA Jersey Auction raised over $60,000 for MDA. Sami Vaatenen’s jersey brought in $5,600.00 with Patrick Maroon brought in the next highest amount at $4,100.00. For this game I will let the Ad’s take care of the game summary below.

From the Norfolk Admirals:

NORFOLK – Frederik Andersen made 41 saves and Norfolk stopped all eight Syracuse power plays as the Admirals (33-29-4-1) shut out the Crunch (39-19-4-5), 2-0, on Saturday night at Norfolk Scope Arena.

The Admirals remain two points back of the Hershey Bears for the eighth and final spot in the Eastern Conference playoff race with nine games remaining in the regular season.

Sami Vatanen and John Mitchell scored for Norfolk while Devante Smith-Pelly and Kyle Wilson each had two assists. Andersen (20-14-1) earned his 20th win of the season and his third shutout. With the win, Norfolk denied Syracuse the chance to clinch a berth in the 2013 Calder Cup Playoffs.

The Admirals will continue their five-game homestand by hosting the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Tuesday night at Scope.

The Crunch out-shot the Admirals, 13-3, in the first period, but Andersen kept the contest scoreless with several big saves.

Norfolk took a 1-0 lead 7:21 into the second period. Smith-Pelly carried the puck into the attacking zone and dropped a pass to Wilson in the right circle. Wilson then sent a pass to Vatanen at the left point. Vatanen sent a wrist shot from the left circle past the outstretched glove of Crunch goaltender Riku Helenius for his eighth goal of the season.

Andersen turned aside 11 shots in the second stanza as the Admirals took a 1-0 lead into the third period.

The lead doubled 4:52 into the third period. Smith-Pelly fired the puck into the attacking zone along the right wing glass. The puck ricocheted off a stanchion in the right corner and bounded into the slot, where Mitchell was able to fire it past an unsuspecting Helenius for his tenth goal of the season.

The Crunch had three third period power plays – including 1:40 worth of a five-on-three advantage. Andersen and the Norfolk penalty killers kept Syracuse at bay, and the netminder turned aside 17 shots in the final frame for the shutout.

Helenius (16-13-0) stopped 25of 27 shots and was saddled with the loss.

Norfolk was 0-for-4 on the power play. Syracuse was 0-for-8 in the game and 0-for-12 on the weekend against Norfolk.

The Admirals will conclude a five-game homestand next week with contests against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Tuesday night before the Binghamton Senators invade Scope on Friday and Saturday nights.

Three Stars: 
1. Frederik Andersen – NOR
2. Devante Smith-Pelly – NOR
3. Nate Guenin – NOR

Syracuse Crunch 0 at Norfolk Admirals 2 – Status: Final
Saturday, March 30, 2013 – Norfolk Scope

Syracuse 0 0 0 – 0
Norfolk     0 1 1 – 2

1st Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Gauthier Syr (fighting), 3:14; Mikkelson Syr (roughing), 3:14; Kurtz Nor (fighting), 3:14; Wagner Nor (interference), 5:28; Sexton Syr (unsportsmanlike conduct), 7:58; Wyman Syr (interference), 7:58; Clark Nor (roughing), 18:23.

2nd Period-1, Norfolk, Vatanen 8 (Wilson, Smith-Pelly), 7:21. Penalties-Wagner Nor (cross-checking), 5:35; served by Jacques Syr (bench minor – too many men), 6:45; Brittain Nor (roughing), 9:42; Maroon Nor (cross-checking), 13:21.

3rd Period-2, Norfolk, Mitchell 10 (Smith-Pelly, Wilson), 4:52. Penalties-Pelley Nor (slashing), 14:38; Hendry Nor (high-sticking), 14:58; McMillan Nor (hooking), 18:54.

Shots on Goal-Syracuse 13-11-17-41. Norfolk 3-14-10-27.
Power Play Opportunities-Syracuse 0 / 8; Norfolk 0 / 4.
Goalies-Syracuse, Helenius 16-14-0 (27 shots-25 saves). Norfolk, Andersen 20-14-1 (41 shots-41 saves).

A-6,706
Referees-Ryan Fraser (14).
Linesmen-Mark Hamlett (81), Luke Murray (92).

Syracuse Crunched, Admirals Win In OT 5-4

They playoff race is in full swing. Norfolk is sitting 2 points out of a playoff spot, but there are a few more teams with the same situation. Every game for the last few week of the season have to be looked at as “must win” type games. It’s Crunchtime and the Syracuse Crunch are in town for a weekend series with the Admirals.

Friday nights game had everything you could imagine in a typical Admirals game and a few surprises. There was a fight, plenty of goals, a third period meltdown, and an overtime thriller. The Syracuse Crunch came to town looking less like the team that used to be the Calder Cup Admiral squad from last year. They were still a formidable opponent for the Admirals.

Syracuse struck first with a Brett Connolly goal at 3:51 into the first period. Connolly sent a backhanded shot from the left corner that went into the net off of Admirals goalie, Frederik Andersen. The Crunch struck once again at 17:07 of the first. Former Admiral fan favorite, Eric Neilson, deflected a Danick Gauthier wrist shot past Andersen for the 2-0 lead. Neilson’s goal was his first of the season and first as member of the Crunch. The Admirals would finally get on the board in the final seconds of the period. Kyle Bonis would get his first professional point since joining the Admirals from the OHL. Bonis sent the puck behind the net from the right circle. Patrick Maroon scooped up the puck and came up on the left side of the net and sent the puck past Riku Helenius for his nineteenth goal of the season at 19:46 of the first period.

Syracuse came out in the second and appeared to have this game under their control. Norfolk was struggling and could not  get their offense started. It was a back and forth defensive battle for most of the period. The Crunch scored at 18:59 to take the 3-1 lead. Alex Hutchings recovered a rebound from a Jean-Philippe Cote shot. Cote sent a wrist shot in on Andersen and the rebound bounced out to Hutchings who shot it past Andersen

Syracuse took a 4-1 lead just ten seconds into the third period and it looked like another nail in the Admiral coffin. J.T. Brown made a pass from the left circle that was tipped by J.T. Wyman and then on to the stick of Dan Sexton who redirected it past Andersen. The Admirals answered back with a pair of goals less than two minutes apart. McMillan stole the puck from the Crunch in the Admirals defensive zone and skated up towards the Crunch goal. He passed the puck across the crease to a waiting Devante Smith-Pelly who slammed the puck home at 0:50 of the third period. Rod Pelley and Chris Wagner worked together to help cut the Crunch lead to 4-3. Pelley sent a breakout pass to Wagner who would close in on Helenius and sent a backhand shot into the net for his seventh goal of the season. Patrick Maroon closed out the scoring for the third period as he tipped a Nate Guenin shot past Helenius at 8:49 to tie the game a 4 goals each.

Former Admirals captain Mike Angelidis took a slashing penalty late in the third period and started the Overtime period in the penalty box. The Crunch were shorthanded as the Admirals made their way into the offensive zone. Sami Vatanen sent a pass from the left point to Charlie Sarault in the right circle. Sarault, a newly signed Admirals from the OHL,  collected the puck and centered a pass to Patrick Maroon. Maroon would slide the puck past the pads of Riku Helenius for the Admiral 5-1 win at 1:44 of overtime.

Helenius (16-12-0) stopped 25 of 30 shots for Syracuse. Andersen ( 19-14-1) stopped 26 of 30 shots for the Admiral win.  Norfolk was 2-for-6 on the power play. Syracuse was 0-for-4.

Norfolk and Syracuse meet once more tonight at Scope.

Three Stars:
1. Patrick Maroon – NOR
2. Brandon McMillan – NOR
3. Chris Wagner – NOR

Bear Hunting….Admirals Bag Some Bears, Win 4-1

Photo: John Wright

Norfolk, VA

The Admirals had a successful weekend against the Bears. Four out of a possible four points and the Bears left Norfolk with nothing. While gaining some ground on the Bears, there is still some work to be done if the Admirals want to squeak into the playoffs. With 18 games left in the season the Admirals find themselves sitting in twelfth place in the AHL’s Eastern Conference with 59 points. I don’t think that there is anyone out there that would think that this years Admirals can pull off a winning streak to finish off the season. It’s not going to happen. Norfolk has a chance, but they are going to have to fight for every point and get some help if they want to make the post season. They got 4 points this weekend, there are 36 more points out there. get into the playoffs and it’s back to 0 points for everyone. Let’s get them points and bring back hockey to the Norfolk Scope in May and June.

From the Norfolk Admirals:

NORFOLK – Patrick Maroon scored twice and Frederik Andersen made 23 saves as the Norfolk Admirals (27-26-4-1) defeated the Hershey Bears (28-23-3-5), 4-1, on Saturday night at Norfolk Scope Arena.

The Admirals, who were eight points out of a playoff spot entering the week, earned five of a possible six points in the standings over three games. Norfolk has now closed to within three points of the eighth and final playoff berth in the Eastern Conference with 18 games remaining in the regular season.

Troy Bodie and Brayden Irwin also scored for Norfolk, while Jordan Hendry notched two assists for the home team. Andersen (15-11-1) improved to 8-1-0 over his last nine games.

The Admirals now embark on a three-game road trip beginning on Wednesday night against the Charlotte Checkers. The return to Scope on March 19th and 20th to host the Adirondack Phantoms.

The Admirals opened scoring 2:25 into the contest on Bodie’s fourth goal of the season. Bears goaltender Dany Sabourin fumbled the puck as he attempted to clear it from the zone. Bodie corralled the puck and swept it into the cage for a 1-0 Norfolk lead.

The lead doubled just 34 seconds into the second stanza on Irwin’s first goal of the season. Josh Brittain worked the puck from the left corner to Jordan Hendry in the left circle. The veteran blueliner sent a low slap shot that Irwin deflected from the low slot. The puck changed directions, eluding Sabourin between the netminder’s legs for a 2-0 lead.

Hershey cut its deficit to one goal just over seven minutes later. Garrett Stafford carried the puck into the Norfolk zone along the right wing. Just before he circled behind the net, he centered the puck into the low slot, where Jon DiSalvatore one-timed the puck past Andersen. The goal at 7:43 of the second period cut the home team’s lead to 2-1.

Norfolk’s penalty kill came up large midway through the second period, killing off a Hershey five-on-three power play for 1:07 with several big saves by Andersen.

The lead increased to 3-1 early in the third period. Maroon carried the puck behind the net from the left wing, circled in front and sent a wraparound shot past Sabourin at 4:34 for his sixteenth goal of the season. Sami Vatanen earned an assist on the play to extend his point/assist streak to seven straight games (1g, 9a).

Maroon sealed the victory with an empty-net goal with 1:20 remaining in regulation.

Sabourin (8-10-3) stopped 15 of 18 shots in the setback.

Norfolk was 1-for-3 on the power play. Hershey was 0-for-6. The Admirals killed the final 17 straight Hershey power plays in the season series to finish 39/41 (95.1%) on the penalty kill against the Bears this season.

Norfolk’s three-game road trip begins Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. against the Charlotte Checkers. The Syracuse Crunch and Binghampton Senators will provide the opposition on March 15-16. The Admirals return to Scope on March 19-20 to face off against the Adirondack Phantoms.

Three Stars:

1. Frederik Andersen – NOR
2. Patrick Maroon – NOR
3. Jordan Hendry – NOR

Hershey Bears 1 at Norfolk Admirals 4 – Status: Final
Saturday, March 9, 2013 – Norfolk Scope

Hershey 0 1 0 – 1
Norfolk   1 1 2 – 4

1st Period-1, Norfolk, Bodie 4 (Guenin, Andersen), 2:25 (PP). Penalties-Orlov Her (delay of game), 0:31; Brittain Nor (high-sticking), 5:45; Pelley Nor (boarding), 12:29.

2nd Period-2, Norfolk, Irwin 1 (Hendry, Brittain), 0:34. 3, Hershey, DiSalvatore 16 (Stafford, Taffe), 7:43. Penalties-Irwin Nor (high-sticking), 8:02; Guenin Nor (cross-checking), 8:55.

3rd Period-4, Norfolk, Maroon 16 (Hendry, Vatanen), 4:34. 5, Norfolk, Maroon 17 (Wagner), 18:40 (EN). Penalties-Almeida Her (hooking), 0:28; Sexton Nor (interference), 1:17; Brittain Nor (interference), 3:54; DiSalvatore Her (tripping), 4:24.

Shots on Goal-Hershey 7-12-5-24. Norfolk 8-7-4-19.
Power Play Opportunities-Hershey 0 / 6; Norfolk 1 / 3.
Goalies-Hershey, Sabourin 8-10-3 (18 shots-15 saves). Norfolk, Andersen 15-11-1 (24 shots-23 saves).
A-7,316
Referees-Chris Cozzan (18), Jason Rollins (37).
Linesmen-Mark Hamlett (81), Scott Pomento (25).

Full Steam Ahead, Admirals 5 Bears 1

The final stretch of the AHL season is upon us. The Admirals bounce back after an OT loss to the Checkers on Wednesday. Norfolk powered up their offense and set a course for the playoffs with a 5-1 victory over the Bears. There is no guaranteed playoff spot waiting for the Admirals. They are going to have to earn it. Every game won can move them up, every loss will keep them on the bottom.

Game Summary from the Norfolk Admirals:

March 8, 2013

Admirals Out-Gun Bears

NORFOLK – Sami Vatanen and Patrick Maroon each had a goal and two assists and the home team out-shot the visitors, 32-17, as the Norfolk Admirals (26-26-4-1) upended the Hershey Bears (28-22-3-5), 5-1, on Friday night at Norfolk Scope Arena.

Dan Sexton, Josh Brittain and John Mitchell also scored for Norfolk while Hampus Lindholm and John Kurtz notched two assists each. Frederik Andersen (14-11-1) stopped 16 of 17 shots for the win. The Admirals cut their deficit to five points for the eighth and final playoff spot with 19 games remaining in the 2012-13 regular season.

The Admirals will host the Bears again tomorrow night at Scope at 7:15 p.m.

Norfolk took a 1-0 lead midway through the first period on Sexton’s fifth goal of the season. Vatanen stopped a Hershey clearing attempt at the right point. He fed Sexton at the bottom of the left faceoff circle. From one knee, Sexton one-timed the puck past Bears netminder Dany Sabourin at 9:47. Both Sexton and Vatanen extended their point streaks to an Admirals season-high six games on the play.

The home team’s lead doubled with a five-on-three power play goal 6:08 into the second stanza. Maroon sent a pass from the right corner to Vatanen in the opposite circle. Vatanen one-timed the pass beyond the outstretched glove of Sabourin for his fifth goal of the season and a 2-0 Norfolk lead.

Hershey cut into the lead with an unassisted goal less than seven minutes later. Jeff Taffe intercepted a pass in the high slot, skated deeper into the slot and fired a slap shot past Andersen’s glove at 12:49 to cut Norfolk’s lead to 2-1.

However, the Admirals restored their two-goal lead 6:33 into the final frame. Maroon entered the attacking zone along the left wall and sent a shot from near the goal line at the left corner. The puck hit the inside of Sabourin’s left skate and went between his legs and into the net for Maroon’s 15th goal of the season and a 3-1 Norfolk lead.

The Admirals increased the lead to three goals midway through the third period with their second power play goal of the game. Maroon spotted Brittain with a pass from the left corner to the right circle. Brittain one-timed the puck past Sabourin at 11:02 for his ninth goal of the season and a 4-1 lead.

Norfolk closed out scoring with 3:10 remaining in regulation with Mitchell’s seventh goal of the season. Lindholm sent a feed to Kurtz for a shot from in tight that bounced off Sabourin. Mitchell one-timed the rebound into the net for the 5-1 final score.

Sabourin (8-9-3) stopped 27 of 32 shots in defeat.

Norfolk was 2-for-7 on the power play. Hershey was 0-for-4.

Three Stars: 
1. Sami Vatanen – NOR
2. Patrick Maroon – NOR
3. Hampus Lindholm – NOR

Hershey Bears 1 at Norfolk Admirals 5 – Status: Final
Friday, March 8, 2013 – Norfolk Scope

Hershey 0 1 0 – 1
Norfolk   1 1 3 – 5

1st Period-1, Norfolk, Sexton 5 (Vatanen, Kurtz), 9:47. Penalties-DiSalvatore Her (hooking), 1:13; Vatanen Nor (holding), 5:27; Smith-Pelly Nor (roughing), 19:55.

2nd Period-2, Norfolk, Vatanen 5 (Maroon, Lindholm), 6:08 (PP). 3, Hershey, Taffe 16   12:49. Penalties-Parent Nor (delay of game), 4:03; Schilling Her (interference), 4:24; McNeill Her (interference), 4:45; McNeill Her (tripping), 8:57; Irwin Nor (hooking), 14:26; Carman Her (tripping), 18:11.

3rd Period-4, Norfolk, Maroon 15 (Vatanen, Andersen), 6:33. 5, Norfolk, Brittain 9 (Maroon, Guenin), 11:02 (PP). 6, Norfolk, Mitchell 7 (Kurtz, Lindholm), 16:50. Penalties-Wellar Her (fighting), 1:27; Letourneau-Leblond Nor (fighting), 1:27; Marshall Her (holding), 3:19; Brouillette Her (fighting), 3:30; Smith-Pelly Nor (fighting), 3:30; Taffe Her (unsportsmanlike conduct, diving), 9:39; Kurtz Nor (tripping), 9:39; Kane Her (hooking), 10:48; Smith-Pelly Nor (diving), 10:48.

Shots on Goal-Hershey 5-5-7-17. Norfolk 17-4-11-32.
Power Play Opportunities-Hershey 0 / 4; Norfolk 2 / 7.
Goalies-Hershey, Sabourin 8-9-3 (32 shots-27 saves). Norfolk, Andersen 14-11-1 (17 shots-16 saves).

A-5,626
Referees-Trent Knorr (44).
Linesmen-Mark Hamlett (81), Scott Pomento (25).

New Admirals Lose To The Old Admirals…Or Crunch 4 Admirals 2

Gary Walts, The Post-Standard

Last night was the first meeting of the our current Admirals taking on our old Admirals. The new look Syracuse Crunch are held together by players that wore an Admirals jersey last season. It’s was a bittersweet meeting for the fans. While we enjoy the current version of the Admirals it is hard to let go of the team that skated here last season. Syracuse basically got a championship team gift wrapped and put under the tree this season. A team that many feel should be in Norfolk. Well it is what it is and there is nothing that we, the fans, could do anything about. We move on and embrace the Ducks prospects and skate ahead in search of another Calder Cup. While the outcome of the game was not what we wanted, it was a close game with some fireworks at the end that will make next weeks games a little bit more interesting. Here is the recap from the Norfolk Admirals.

Admirals Fall to Syracuse, 4-2

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Kyle Palmieri and Sami Vatanen netted goals, but the Norfolk Admirals (13-14-1-0) fell to the Syracuse Crunch (19-7-1-3), 4-2, on Friday night from the Onondaga County War Memorial at Oncenter. The game was the first of eight meetings between the clubs in 2012-13.

Norfolk suffered just its third regulation loss in December, falling to 6-3-1-0 in the month. Admirals goaltender Igor Bobkov (6-8-0) stopped 28 of 32 shots. Syracuse netted three power play goals in the contest.

Norfolk plays the second game of its three-game road trip tomorrow night against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

Syracuse took a 2-0 lead after one period on a pair of power play one-timers. Mark Barberio scored on a shot from the right point at 9:42. Alex Killorn then scored on a shot from the slot at 12:12.

Norfolk cut its deficit to one goal 7:19 into the second stanza. Palmieri picked off a pass in the neutral zone and skated in alone on Crunch goaltender Dustin Tokarski. He sent a backhand shot over Tokarski’s right leg for his tenth goal of the season, cutting Syracuse’s lead to 2-1.

Syracuse restored its two-goal lead exactly five minutes into the final frame as Ondrej Palat scored on a rebound to give the home team a 3-1 lead.

Vatanen’s fourth goal of the season came at 10:54 of the third period. Patrick Maroon sent a pass through two sets of legs to the rookie defenseman, who scored to cut the Crunch lead to 3-2.

However, Brett Connolly netted the third Syracuse power play goal of the contest at 16:15 for the 4-2 final score.

Tokarski (12-5-3) stopped 16 of 18 shots in the win.

Norfolk was 0-for-2 on the power play. Syracuse was 3-for-4.

The Admirals and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins face off at 7:05 p.m. tomorrow night from the Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre Township, Pennsylvania. Tune in to 102.1-FM, 1490-AM, 1021TheGame.com or AHLLive.com.

After completing their three-game road trip, the Admirals return to Norfolk Scope Arena next Friday and Saturday nights to host the Syracuse Crunch. The first 2,012 fans through the gates next Friday will receive an Admirals Calder Cup replica trophy, courtesy of John’s Tax Service, JPM Financial Services and WTKR NewsChannel3.

Three Stars: 
1. Tyler Johnson – SYR
2. Ondrej Palat – SYR
3. Kyle Palmieri – NOR

NOTES … This game marked the first time the Admirals faced Syracuse with the Crunch as the top affiliate of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning. Norfolk and Tampa Bay were affiliated from the 2007-08 – 2011-12 seasons … Fourteen of Syracuse’s 20 players in the lineup in tonight’s game played for the Admirals in 2011-12 … This was also the first time the Crunch faced Norfolk with the Admirals as the top affiliate of the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks. Syracuse and Anaheim were affiliated from 2010-11 – 2011-12 … Thirteen of Norfolk’s 20 players in the lineup in tonight’s game played for the Crunch in 2011-12 … Did not play: Ryan Lasch, Luca Caputi, John Mitchell, Matt Smaby, Nick Schaus, Frederik Andersen. 

Norfolk Admirals 2 at Syracuse Crunch 4 – Status: Final
Friday, December 28, 2012 – Onondaga County War Memorial at Oncenter

Norfolk     0 1 1 – 2
Syracuse 2 0 2 – 4

1st Period-1, Syracuse, Barberio 6 (Connolly, Johnson), 9:42 (PP). 2, Syracuse, Killorn 11 (Namestnikov, Oberg), 12:12 (PP). Penalties-served by Brown Syr (bench minor – too many men), 4:02; Vatanen Nor (hooking), 8:17; Maroon Nor (unsportsmanlike conduct, fighting), 10:48; Angelidis Syr (fighting), 10:48; Namestnikov Syr (tripping), 12:39.

2nd Period-3, Norfolk, Palmieri 10   7:19. Penalties-Wagner Nor (hooking), 18:16.

3rd Period-4, Syracuse, Palat 4 (Taormina, Johnson), 5:00. 5, Norfolk, Vatanen 4 (Maroon, Wagner), 10:54. 6, Syracuse, Johnson 19 (Panik, Palat), 16:15 (PP). Penalties-Rosehill Nor (hooking), 15:46; Hendry Nor (fighting), 20:00; Maroon Nor (roughing, roughing, major – spearing, game misconduct – spearing), 20:00; Angelidis Syr (fighting, misconduct – continuing altercation), 20:00; Aulie Syr (roughing, roughing), 20:00; Gudas Syr (roughing), 20:00.

Shots on Goal-Norfolk 8-7-3-18. Syracuse 9-12-11-32.
Power Play Opportunities-Norfolk 0 / 2; Syracuse 3 / 4.
Goalies-Norfolk, Bobkov 6-8-0 (32 shots-28 saves). Syracuse, Tokarski 12-5-3 (18 shots-16 saves).

A-5,776
Referees-Chris Ciamaga (24).
Linesmen-John Everett (82), Joe DeMizio (3).

 

Pre-Thanksgiving Massacre – Checkers Over Admirals 5-2

Twas the night before Thanksgiving and all thru the Scope the Admirals were getting their clocks cleaned  with their on-ice performance looking like a bad joke. Kinda rough, but it was the truth. The Charlotte Checkers came to town and put on a demonstration of team play and a full 60 minutes of hockey.

From the Norfolk Admirals:

NORFOLK – Peter Holland scored his team-leading eighth goal of the season, but the Norfolk Admirals (7-8-0-0) were upended by the Charlotte Checkers (12-3-0-2), 5-2, on Wednesday night at Norfolk Scope Arena. The Admirals now embark on a quick two-game road trip in Adirondack on Friday and Connecticut on Saturday.

Sami Vatanen also scored for the Admirals, while goaltender Igor Bobkov (3-5-0) stopped 26 of 31 shots. Norfolk fell below .500 for the first time since January 30, 2010, ending a stretch of 202 consecutive regular season games played at or above .500.

The Checkers took a 1-0 lead on their first shot of the contest early in the first period. Zach Boychuk intercepted a Norfolk pass along the left half wall and threaded a feed to Jeremy Welsh in the right circle. Welsh one-timed the puck past Bobkov, glove-side, at 3:58.

Norfolk tied the game at 1-1 less than five minutes later. Ryan Parent sent a spinaround, behind-the-back pass from the right circle to Holland in the high slot. Holland then sent a wrist shot through a screen and past Charlotte goaltender Dan Ellis at 8:25.

Charlotte took a two-goal lead into the first intermission with a pair of goals just 16 seconds apart midway through the first period. The Checkers went ahead, 2-1, at 14:14 with an even strength goal from Sean Dolan. Nicolas Blanchard sent a shot from the left point that Dolan deflected past Bobkov.

The visitors’ lead doubled to two goals on Drayson Bowman’s AHL-leading 11th goal of the season. While on the power play, Bobby Sanguinetti sent a shot from the right point that Bobkov stopped. However, Bowman was waiting on the doorstep and sent the rebound into the net with a backhand shot at 14:30.

Charlotte’s lead increased to 4-1 on a Riley Nash deflection at 14:25 of the second period. Sanguinetti sent a shot from the right point. While stationed in the slot near the right hashmarks, Nash deflected the shot with the puck bouncing off the ice and bounding into the upper portion of the net.

The Admirals came back with a goal of their own just under two minutes later. After Ellis attempted to play the puck in the left corner, Brandon McMillan took it away from him and chipped the puck to Troy Bodie in the left circle. Bodie then fed it across the slot to Vatanen in the right circle for a shot that Ellis stopped. But Vatanen found the rebound and stashed it around Ellis’s outstretched glove and into the net for his third goal of the season. The tally at 15:58 made the score 4-2 in favor of the Checkers.

Charlotte’s Chris Terry re-established a three-goal lead for the visitors before the second period ended. He chipped the puck around an Admirals defenseman at the left point when entering the Norfolk zone, doing so on a quick-developing two-on-one. He snapped a shot from the left circle that went between Bobkov’s legs at 18:57, giving the Checkers a 5-2 lead at the second intermission.

Despite 18 shots by the Admirals and 16 shots by Charlotte, neither team found the back of the net in the third period.

Norfolk was 0-for-2 on the power play. Charlotte was 1-for-4.

Charlotte Checkers 5 at Norfolk Admirals 2 – Status: Final
Wednesday, November 21, 2012 – Norfolk Scope

Charlotte 3 2 0 – 5
Norfolk    1 1 0 – 2

1st Period-1, Charlotte, Welsh 4 (Boychuk), 3:58. 2, Norfolk, Holland 8 (Parent, Maroon), 8:25. 3, Charlotte, Dolan 2 (Blanchard, Soryal), 14:14. 4, Charlotte, Bowman 11 (Sanguinetti, Terry), 14:30 (PP). Penalties-Caputi Nor (interference), 8:42; Clark Nor (high-sticking), 14:24; Soryal Cha (fighting), 16:27; Rosehill Nor (fighting), 16:27; Faulk Cha (interference), 16:53.

2nd Period-5, Charlotte, Nash 3 (Sanguinetti, Jordan), 14:25. 6, Norfolk, Vatanen 3 (Bodie, McMillan), 15:58. 7, Charlotte, Terry 8 (Jordan), 18:57. Penalties-Palmieri Nor (interference), 5:02; Rissanen Cha (roughing), 16:30.

3rd Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Vatanen Nor (slashing), 18:29.

Shots on Goal-Charlotte 9-6-16-31. Norfolk 12-9-18-39.
Power Play Opportunities-Charlotte 1 / 4; Norfolk 0 / 2.
Goalies-Charlotte, Ellis 5-2-2 (39 shots-37 saves). Norfolk, Bobkov 3-5-0 (31 shots-26 saves).
A-4,597
Referees-Chris Cozzan (18), Jason Rollins (37).
Linesmen-Tom George (61), Mark Hamlett (81)