NORFOLK, Va. — NORFOLK, VA — Following a decisive victory last night, the Norfolk Admirals competed at Norfolk Scope for the final time this weekend against the Cincinnati Cyclones. With two goals from Sanghoon Shin, the Admirals secured a 3-2 victory, thereby sweeping the weekend series and extending their overall winning streak to ten games.
Kristian Stead made his return in goal for his fifth start with the Admirals, delivering an impressive performance by recording 13 saves out of 15 shots faced during the team's victory.
The opening period exhibited an unusual pace characterized by an escalation of hostilities, numerous turnovers, four goals scored, and inconsistent pressure at both ends of the rink. Cincinnati took the lead for the first time in this series through a goal scored by Kyle Bollers. Five minutes later, Justin Young equalized for the Admirals with a power play goal generated from a rebound, marking his third goal of the season.
The Cyclones subsequently regained their advantage when Tristian Ashbrook capitalized on a rebound off Stead's pad to score, bringing the score to 2-1. However, this lead was short-lived, as Shin tied the game once again three minutes later. His launched an initial shot, retrieved his rebound, and successfully deposited the puck into the net for his fourth goal this year.
The score remained 2-2 after the first period, with Norfolk holding a shooting advantage of 8-5.
During the second period, both teams generated multiple opportunities to break the tie; however, the performance of the goaltenders proved to be pivotal, resulting in no changes to the score after 40 minutes of play.
During the third period, a pivotal goal by Shin significantly impacted the outcome, propelling the Admirals to yet another victory. Shin's shot, executed during a power play, was a precise wrist shot that found the back of the net, marking his second goal of the afternoon and his fifth of the season.
As the game progressed towards its conclusion, Stead exhibited exceptional composure, effectively thwarting any desperate attempts from the Cyclones. Consequently, the Admirals secured a 3-2 victory. With this win, the team currently occupies second place in the ECHL North Division, amassing a total of 35 points.
Sentara Health Three Stars of the Game
1. NOR - S. Shin (2 goals, +1)
2. NOR - B. Zloty (2 assists)
3. NOR - C. Golder (2 assists)
What’s Next
Norfolk will return to the ice at the Norfolk Scope this weekend to face their divisional rivals, the Trois-Rivières Lions. The puck will drop for the contest on Friday at 7:05 PM.
