Norfolk, VA — With a thorough victory on Wednesday, the Norfolk Admirals returned to Norfolk Scope for the first of two contests against the South Carolina Stingrays. Led by two goals from Filip Fornåå Svensson and a shutout performance from Thomas Milic lifted the Admirals past the Stingrays 3-0.
Milic made his second appearance in goal after he delivered a stellar performance in his return to the Scope. He registered 22 saves off of 22 shots faced in the Admirals' win.
The Admirals commenced the contest by establishing an effective and rhythmic forecheck. Eight minutes into the game, Fornåå Svensson, continuing his impressive scoring streak, netted the opening goal with a tap-in, bringing the score to 1-0. This goal marked his 16th of the season.
Following the goal, the tempo of the game diminished as the teams appeared to engage in a back-and-forth chess match during the first period. After 20 minutes of play, Norfolk retained its one-goal lead, having outshot the Stingrays by a margin of 8 to 4.
The competitive nature of the game persisted throughout the second period, with both teams exhibiting strong defensive play and intensifying their efforts in the neutral zone. It was not until five minutes remained in the period that the Admirals increased their lead to 2-0.
Fornåå Svensson scored again, this time with a wrist shot from the right-wing circle, which represented his 17th goal of the season. Milic performed admirably, achieving a shutout by making 11 saves on 11 shots faced, allowing Norfolk to maintain a 2-0 advantage after 40 minutes of play.
Norfolk exhibited a commendable performance throughout the final 20 minutes of the match, successfully maintaining a two-goal advantage. The Admirals, however, did not register a shot until after the halfway point of the period, as the Stingrays demonstrated superior forechecking capabilities.
As time progressed, Norfolk extended their lead by scoring an additional goal.
Brady Fleurent recorded his 19th goal of the season with an empty-net tally, increasing the score to 3-0 and securing the Admirals' first shutout victory of the season.
