Admirals Weekly: Dec. 20, 2017

Last Week:

Friday, Dec. 15 vs Orlando, W, 4-2

Saturday, Dec. 16 vs Orlando, L, 7-2

This Week:

Wednesday, Dec. 20 at Orlando, 7:00 pm

Thursday, Dec. 21 at Orlando, 7:00 pm

Saturday, Dec. 23 at Orlando, 7:00 pm

Quick Hits:

The Admirals head to Orlando for a trio of games against the Solar Bears after splitting a pair of games against the same Solar Bears over the weekend. Norfolk returns home Dec. 29 and 30 for a pair of games against the Jacksonville Icemen. Norfolk gained two points in the standings

Week Ahead:

A rare five-game regular season series continues on Wednesday night as the Admirals travel to Orlando. Norfolk and Orlando split the first two games of the series last weekend in Norfolk. The teams will play on Wednesday and Thursday before taking a day off before wrapping the series up on Saturday evening.

Roster Changes:

A pair of Admirals moved up to the AHL this week, and a trio of new faces have joined the team after a busy start to the week for Norfolk.

Defenseman TJ Melancon signed a PTO (Professional Tryout) with the Belleville Senators on Monday morning becoming the latest Admiral to advance to the AHL this season. Melancon, 21, has scored five goals this season, with four of the five coming in the last seven games. The defenseman, currently in his first professional season, has thirteen points (5g, 8a) in 26 games. A native of Oshawa, ON, Melancon is one of four players to appear in each Admirals game this season. Belleville, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Ottawa Senators, is in action Wednesday night in Rochester against the Amerks.

Additionally, forward Thomas Frazee was recalled to the San Antonio Rampage on Tuesday afternoon. Frazee netted five points (1g, 4a) in 10 games with the Admirals since being acquired from Atlanta. In 22 games, the Vancouver native has 20 points to go along with a plus-five rating. The forward played six games with the Rampage last season.

Norfolk made a trade on Sunday afternoon sending defenseman Tim Daly to Jacksonville in exchange for Chase Harrison. Harrison, 21, is in his first professional season after a four-year junior career with the Regina Pats (WHL). The Winnipeg, MB native has skated in 23 games with the Icemen, netting three points, all assists.

The Admirals also signed a pair of players on Tuesday morning. Defenseman Mitch Mueller, who attended training camp with the Admirals and forward Mitch Vandergunst both joined the team ahead of the road trip to Orlando. Mueller, in his second professional season, has skated in 16 games with the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs (SPHL) accumulating nine points and 25 penalty minutes.  Vandergunst, who attended training camp with Wheeling, has a pair of assists this season in nine games, split between Roanoke and Pensacola.

Five Straight is a Bear:

Norfolk and Orlando continue the mid-season five-game series on Wednesday evening in Orlando. The five straight games against the Solar Bears is the most consecutive games against one opponent the Admirals play this season. Apart from the current series Norfolk plays a trio of games against the same opponent on multiple occasions throughout the year. Norfolk and Orlando split the first two games at Scope Arena. Norfolk has already played a pair of opponents (Florida, Manchester) in three straight games.

Multi-Goal Gamers:

Brodie Dupont became the seventh Admiral to record a multi-goal game on Friday night, when the forward scored with less than five seconds remaining in regulation. Saturday was Dupont’s fourth multi-goal game since joining the Admirals last season, and his 11th multi-point game. Dupont joined Trevor Mingoia, Grant Besse, Angelo Miceli, Brady Vail, Joonas Lyytinen, and Darik Angeli as players to score multiple goals in a single game in as Admirals this season.

Schutt's Shorthanded Goals:

Tommy Schutt scored his second short-handed goal of the season on Saturday night, tying him with 12 other active ECHL players for the second most short-handed goals this season. Tulsa’s Conner Bleackley, who is currently playing with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves, leads all ECHL players with three short-handed goals.

Back at Home:

After taking a brief holiday break the Admirals return to Scope for their final two games of the 2017 calendar year. Norfolk hosts Jacksonville in the Icemen’s first visit to the Scope. The Icemen play once more in Norfolk after the two-game set to end 2017.