Portland, ME (Courtesy of the Norfolk Admirals) – Following their grueling victory against Maine last night, the Norfolk Admirals returned to the ice for game two of their three-game series. Despite facing a 2-0 deficit for the second night in a row, the Admirals were able to mount a comeback and secure a 4-2 victory, with Carson Golder scoring two goals during a three-goal third period.
Oskari Salminen, who was recently reassigned from the Manitoba Moose, made his debut for Norfolk and recorded his first ECHL victory as well as his fifth win of the season overall.
During the initial 20 minutes of the game, the Admirals displayed a strong forecheck and maintained a good pace on the ice. However, the game remained scoreless until the halfway point of the period when Maine managed to take the lead. Salminen made an initial save off a shot, but Curtis Hall managed to capitalize on the rebound and scored his 8th goal of the season.
Subsequently, the momentum on the ice shifted in favor of the home team as they increased their offensive pressure. As the period progressed, hostilities began to pick up, but Maine managed to maintain their lead of 1-0 as Norfolk outshot them 13-7 in the period.
At the beginning of the second period, the Admirals started strongly and created a few chances. However, the game remained intense, and Mark Liwiski was involved in multiple post-whistle altercations. Seven minutes into the period, Maine extended their lead to 2-0 with a goal from Zach Malatesta, who sniped his shot over the shoulder of Salminen.
As the second period progressed, Thomas Caron fired the puck up the ice from his defensive zone to Danny Katic, who managed to beat Brad Arvanitis through the five-hole to cut into the Mariners lead. Salminen made multiple crucial saves to keep the margin at one goal, and both teams put up 11 shots on goal in the period. However, Maine maintained their 2-1 advantage after 40 minutes.
At the onset of the third period, the Admirals encountered an unnerving moment when Katic collided with a Mariner. Consequently, he was escorted back to the locker room and remained off the ice for the remainder of the game. Shortly after, Keaton Jameson won the offensive face-off, enabling Carson Golder to gain possession of the puck and score the tying goal five-hole on Arvanitis.
Consequently, the Admirals displayed a vigorous forecheck in the period, fueled by the new momentum. They eventually scored the go-ahead goal, with five minutes remaining, when Stepan Timofeyev scored his 10th goal of the season from a one-timer snipe, off a nice dish pass from Golder. This silenced Cool Insurance Arena.
The Mariners, in an attempt to tie the game with the man advantage, eventually emptied their net. However, Golder’s decisive turnover, puck carry, and an empty-net goal, brought his total goals on the year to 15, ultimately striking the dagger into Maine. As the final horn sounded, Norfolk emerged victorious, having scored three third-period goals, securing the 4-2 win.
The Admirals have now increased their record to 27-18-3-1 on the season, with a total of 58 points, as they sit in second place in the ECHL North Division.
Sentara Health Three Stars of the Game
1. NOR – C. Golder (2 goals, 1 assist, +3)
2. MNE – Z. Malatesta (1 goal)
3. NOR – S. Timofeyev (1 goal)
What’s Next
The Norfolk Admirals conclude their three-in-three series with the Mariners tomorrow afternoon with puck drop at 3 p.m. in search of a weekend sweep.