ADMIRALS LOOK FOR NUMBER 22 The Admirals and IceCaps meet for the fourth and final time in the regular season tonight. The Admirals are eyeing their 22nd straight victory, while the IceCaps are looking for revenge after a 2-0 defeat on Wednesday night. Norfolk has won two of the first three all-time meetings with the IceCaps. Netminder Dustin Tokarski turned aside all 32 shots he faced for his league-leading 29th victory of the season. The victory was Tokarski’s 10th straight, one behind teammate Jaroslav Janus' franchise record of 11 straight.
Norfolk's pair of goals were both scored on special teams within in a five-minute span in the second period. Ondrej Palat’s eighth goal of the season came via a shorthanded tally. Richard Panik followed that up by netting his 19th of the season on a power play with less than three minutes remaining in the period.
After tonight’s contest, the Admirals will host the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Tuesday night in the final Admirals Value Night of the regular season. Norfolk’s final homestand concludes next Friday and Saturday as the reining Calder Cup Champion Binghamton Senators visit town.
NORFOLK'S WINNING STREAK BY THE NUMBERS The following numbers are for Norfolk during its 21-game winning streak from February 10 to March 28, 2012:
270 saves by Jaroslav Janus
245 saves by Dustin Tokarski
84.6% penalty kill efficiency (77/91)
84 total goals scored
50 goals scored at even strength
+51 goal differential
44 goals scored by rookies
33 total goals allowed
35 points by Tyler Johnson, leading the team
26.9% power play efficiency (28/104)
26 different skaters have appeared in at least one game
24 different skaters have an even or better plus/minus rating
22 different skaters have points
+22 plus/minus rating by Tyler Johnson, leading the team
20 different skaters have goals
17 goals allowed at even strength
15 different skaters have game-winning goals
14 goals scored by Tyler Johnson, leading the team
11 different skaters are rookies
11 consecutive wins by Jaroslav Janus
11 consecutive wins at home
10 consecutive wins by Dustin Tokarski
10 consecutive wins on the road
8 different skaters have appeared in all 21 games
2 different skaters are averaging at least one point per game
1.70 goals-against average by Dustin Tokarski
1.45 goals-against average by Jaroslav Janus
.944 save percentage by Jaroslav Janus
.935 save percentage by Dustin Tokarski
A LOOK AT THE ROAD AHEAD After tonight’s matchup with the IceCaps, the Admirals will have three home games remaining for the 2011-12 regular season. Next Tuesday night, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins come to town for the final regular season matchup between the clubs.
To conclude Norfolk's season-long, seven-game homestand, the Binghamton Senators come to town for the first time since October. Prior to Saturday night's contest, there will be a party on the Norfolk Scope plaza. Saturday night's matchup will also be Fan Appreciation Night. More details will be posted at norfolkadmirals.com in the coming days.
To wrap up the season, Norfolk will play three road games in three nights. On Friday, April 13th, Norfolk will travel to Albany. They will then travel to Binghamton on Saturday night, April 14th, before the regular season finale at Adirondack on Sunday, April 15th.
LABRIE RETURNS FROM TAMPA BAY Just hours before the Admirals and IceCaps faced off on Wednesday night, Norfolk got some good news. Pierre-Cedric Labrie, who leads the AHL in plus/minus with a +30 rating, was on his way back from a stint with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Labrie, 25, has played in 14 games with the Lightning this season, recording two assists and 15 penalty minutes. He collected his first career NHL point (assist) with the Lightning on January 21 at Phoenix. A native of Baie-Comeau, Quebec, Labrie made his NHL debut on January 7 against the Montreal Canadiens.
The 6-foot-2, 218-pound forward has played in 49 games with the Admirals this season, recording 13 goals and 32 points to go along with 98 penalty minutes. He ranks first in the AHL with a plus-30 rating. Labrie has played in 304 career AHL games with Norfolk, the Peoria Rivermen and the Manitoba Moose. In those games, he has registered 38 goals and 98 points to go along with 518 penalty minutes. He has also appeared in 23 career Calder Cup Playoff games, notching two assists and 43 penalty minutes.
Wednesday night’s contest was Labrie’s third game in three nights. On Monday night, Labrie was in the lineup for Tampa Bay as they visited the Philadelphia Flyers. The next night, Labrie and the Lightning traveled to Boston, as they took on the Boston Bruins.
