Admirals Insider 2.0 - No Love In The South

NORFOLK, VA. - Happy Cyber Monday! Once you're done taking advantage of $11 tickets to all December home games, come back here and have a read.

Done? Okay.

THIS PAST WEEK IN ADMIRALS HOCKEY (November 21 - November 28)

4-1 L @ Atlanta5-4 OTL @ Atlanta5-1 L @ South Carolina

The Admirals had their first "three games in three days" set over the holiday and it didn't pan out as they'd hoped.

Before we get to the glaring takeaway of the Thanksgiving battle, the Admirals jumped out to a 1-0 lead. John Dunbar's third in as many weeks gave the team first blood in the first period, normally a good thing. Unfortunately the Gladiators turned it around and the leagues most high-power offense (84 goals in 22 games) struck for four goals in the final 40 minutes to pick up a 4-1 win.

What many will likely remember more prominently from the game is the loss of defenseman Anthony Calabrese. With 9:03 left in the third period, the rookie blue liner skated back in his own zone to retrieve the puck, looking relatively routine and harmless. Atlanta forward Tyler Murovich was following Calabrese and closing the gap. With #70 just touching the goal line, Murovich decided to shove "Cal" square between the numbers, sending him helplessly into the boards in a very vulnerable position. Ads trainer Koryd Lavimoniere sprung into action but needed the help of arena EMT staff to eventually get Calabrese on a stretcher. On Friday it was announced that Calabrese will miss the remainder of the season with a broken back and a collapsed lung, per his Instagram.

When the team hit the ice on Friday against Atlanta for a rematch, the offense came to play. It's no secret scoring has been an issue for the squad thus far this season and the team was awarded a gift 15 seconds in when defenseman Gabriel Verpaelst earned his first of the season. The Gladiators attempted to clear the puck out of the zone from behind their own net, which round up right on the tape of #27, who deposited it past Matt Ginn. Just like Thursday though, Atlanta's offense perked up and responded with three of their own before the period came to an end. Despite facing the 3-1 deficit, Zach Pochiro stole the show in the second. #14 not only got his first as an Admiral but his second as well, knotting the score back even. However, in the third Eric Neiley, who had two of Atlanta's four on the Thursday, pushed the Gladiators back ahead, 4-3. When it looked like the Admirals were down and out, a late power play, thanks to a Brock Higgs minor, gave the struggling power play a chance to execute, and that is exactly what they did. Jeff DiNallo entered the attacking zone with speed, found Nick MacNeil in the slot, who then buried for just the second PP goal of the season, evening the score at 4-4 with just over two minutes left. Three-on-three sudden death overtime was needed and despite the late charge, Ben Marshall of Atlanta beat Eetu Laurikainen on a two-on-one with under a minute left to give the Glads a weekend sweep.

Saturday was the final battle of the road trip and put a presumably tired bunch against the South Carolina Stingrays, who had had five days since their last tilt and the comfort of playing on home ice. There was no score through 40 minutes but newcomer Brandon Blair took on the big task of attempting to fight notorious ECHL heavyweight Trevor Gillies, thus providing entertainment. Stingrays netminder Parker Milner was stupendous for the divisional rival, stopping all 13 sent his way in the second alone. When the third came around, the Admirals, just like Thurday, drew first blood. Brodie Dupont, who has been a big bright spot since joining the team less than two weeks ago, had tipped an Aaron Harstad shot-pass home to give the Ads a 1-0 lead. The good news is, if you got up to use the restroom or went to grab a snack, odds are you missed South Carolina scoring three times in three minutes. The bad news is, regardless of what you were doing, South Carolina scored three times in three minutes and then tacked on another two before all was said and done. When they got one, they got two and then the floodgates were open and headed towards a 5-1 final.

LOOKING AHEAD (November 29 - December 6)

It's inevitable; three losses means more changes are coming. Over the course of the trip the team lost defensemen Adam Phillips and Anthony Calabrese to injury and were forced to bring in Cody Bradley (an unsigned free agent from Colorado College), Alex Pompeo (signed from SPHL Columbus) and Brandon Blair (signed from SPHL Pensacola). However what changes will be made remains to be seen.

In the mean time, Reading comes to town this Friday and Saturday for the two sides first meetings of the season. Reading enters 9-8-1-1, currently sitting third place in the North Division. The Royals will host the Wheeling Nailers on Wednesday of this week, before coming down to Virginia.

The Royals are a team that is good at coming from behind, as five of their nine wins this season they have found themselves down in. That doesn't spell well for a team that was up 1-0 and gave up at least four unanswered on two separate occasions this weekend.

THIS WEEKEND'S PROMOTIONS:

Friday, December 2 - Ink In The Rink NightDiscounted tickets at the door if you are able to display an appropriately placed tattoo.

Saturday, December 3 - Patriot Cup + Star Wars Night To Benefit AdipsyCome early as USS Abraham Lincoln takes on EOD beginning at 2:30 P.M. on the ice. This is the first time the two sides will take on one another in the officially dubbed Patriot Cup and will be a great way to honor our servicemen and women that love our game.

ADMIRALS LEADERS (SKATERS): Games Played: Aaron Harstad, Nick MacNeil and Josh Brittain (17)Goals: Nick MacNeil (5)Assists: Aaron Harstad, Gabriel Verpaelst and Josh Brittain (6)Points: Nick MacNeil (10)Power Play Goals: Domenic Alberga and Nick MacNeil (1)Shorthanded Goals: Nick MacNeil (1)+/-: Brodie Dupont (1)Penalty Minutes: Gabriel Verpaelst (60)

ADMIRALS LEADERS (GOALIES):Games Played: Eetu Laurikainen (10)Wins: Eetu Laurikainen and Connor Knapp (1)Losses: Eetu Laurikainen (6+3 in extra time)Minutes: Eetu Laurikainen (576)Goals Against Average: Connor Knapp (2.85)Save Percentage: Connor Knapp (.912)

SOMETHING YOU DIDN'T KNOW:

First, let us start by apologizing for last week's. Was rather lacking of substance and short but between the public skate at the mall, opening the kiosk within MacArthur Center and delivering meals to over 20 families in Hampton Roads, last week was a crazy one.

BUT, THIS WEEK WE ARE BACK WITH SOMETHING YOU REALLY DIDN'T KNOW.

The team's third jersey with the beloved anchor logo is officially IN! Equipment beautician David Roper will begin working his magic on them and you can expect to see them on the ice here at some point in the very near future. Certainly we hear all of the remarks regarding the never-ending love for the tradition of that logo and we are glad to begin donning that on the ice soon.

P.S. - Don't forget, the team will be out skating at MacArthur this Wednesday night from 6-7 PM! Come hang out and share a smile.