Norfolk, VA (Courtesy of the Norfolk Admirals) – On the cusp of advancing to round two in the Kelly Cup playoffs, the Norfolk Admirals returned to the ice at Norfolk Scope for a rowdy Saturday evening. Norfolk overcame a 2-0 deficit, but could not keep up with the Lions as they scored a 4-2 victory, extending their season to at least tomorrow night.

Yaniv Perets made his fourth consecutive appearance in goal. He finished the night with 18 saves off of 22 shots faced in the Admirals’ defeat.

During the initial twenty minutes of the game, the visiting team gained the upper hand. The Admirals struggled to establish a consistent rhythm, owing to turnovers and a superior forecheck from the Lions, which hindered their ability to score the opening goal. Six minutes into the first period, Trois-Rivières broke the deadlock, stunning the crowd at Scope, as Chris Jandric scored a breakaway goal, beating Perets over his shoulder.

Despite the missed penalty, Perets performed excellently in the crease. Norfolk had several opportunities to equalize on the power play, but they incurred penalties of their own, which deprived them of the man advantage and prevented them from scoring. The Lions outshot Norfolk 13-8 in the first frame, holding on to their one-goal lead.

As the second period began, the Lions extended their lead by adding another goal, courtesy of Jakov Novak, who scored his third goal of the series with a short-side shot that Perets couldn’t stop. Trailing by two goals, the Admirals needed a spark of momentum, and they found it as Danny Katic scored a power-play goal with an impressive backhand shot that found the top of the net, making it 2-1.

The score remained unchanged until the final minutes of the period when Austen Keating scored his second goal of the series, leveling the score at 2-2 with a shot from the slot that brought the crowd to life. However, just 22 seconds later, Novak dealt a decisive blow to Norfolk’s hopes, scoring another goal that Perets couldn’t stop, securing the win for the Lions.

Although Norfolk outshot the Lions 11-4 in the second period, the visitors still held on to their 3-2 lead, leaving the home team disappointed with the result.

During the final 20 minutes of the game, Norfolk made an effort to initiate another comeback. However, the Lions’ defense played remarkably well through the neutral zone passing lanes and blocking an onslaught of shots from the Admirals’ players. Consequently, the lead was kept at bay. Only one goal was scored by the Lions at the hands of Nicolas Guay, who recorded his first playoff goal. This goal sealed the fate of Norfolk, as they were unable to recover from their deficit.

Norfolk leads the series 3-2 through five games.

Sentara Health Three Stars of the Game

1. TR – C. Jandric (1 goal, 1 assist, +1)

2. TR – J. Novak (2 goals, +1)

3. TR – C. Montminy (2 assists, +2)

What’s Next

The Admirals are back at the Scope tomorrow night for a crucial game six with the Lions. The puck drop is slated for 7:05 p.m.