Admirals Strike First but Fall to Nailers

Norfolk, VA.- The Admirals scored first but six straight goals from Wheeling doomed Norfolk, as they fell to the Nailers 6-2 on Friday night.

Brodie Dupont picked up an assist in the loss, giving the captain points in five of his last six games.

Norfolk jumped out to a fast start on Friday night. Grant Besse and Trevor Mingoia walked in on a two-on-one. Besse sauced a pass over to Mingoia who lasered a shot into the top corner, giving Norfolk an early lead. Wheeling answered back. A cross-ice pass found Reid Gardiner who slapped a one-timer past a sliding Reichenbach, tying the game at 1-1. Five minutes later Wheeling took their first lead.  After a scrum in front the puck squirted out to Cody Wydo. The blueliner sent a shot from the point that found the back of the net. Later in the period it was another shot from the point. Jeff Taylor took a slap shot from the left point that ricocheted it’s way past the Norfolk netminder. After the first twenty minutes of play Norfolk trailed the Nailers 3-1.

After a scoreless second period the Nailers special teams found the board in the third. After Norfolk kept the ECHL’s top power play off the board on their first six chances, Dylan Zink’s wrist shot from the high slot exactly five minutes into the frame gave the Nailers a 4-1 lead. Wheeling would add another before the double-minor to Darik Angeli was over. Garret Meurs set a pass ahead to Derek Army to redirected the puck past Reichenbach, pushing the lead to 5-1. Wheeling would tack on one more goal as Garrett Meurs notched his eighth of the season, pushing the lead to five goals.

Norfolk would get one more before the final buzzer. Domenic Alberga parked right in front of the net, then slammed home a rebound with just under eight minutes left in the game. Alberga’s second of the year cut the Wheeling lead to four.

Ty Reichenbach made 40 saves on 46 shots in the loss, while Sean Maguire recorded 36 saves.

Wheeling finished two-for-seven on the power play. Norfolk was scoreless on three chances.

Norfolk continues its six-game home-stand on Saturday with Eye Love the 80s Night.