Orlando, FL. – Ty Reichenbach backstopped the Admirals once more, and Darik Angeli played the hero in the shootout as the Admirals topped Orlando 3-2 on Saturday. The victory was the Admirals third straight, and fourth in the five-game series against Orlando.
Christian Horn scored his first goal of the season on his first shift and first shot as an Admiral. Grant Besse ran his point streak to four games with a pair of assists. Ty Reichenbach made 45 saves in the victory.
A new face opened the scoring for the Admirals on Saturday night. Grant Besse made a back-hand feed to Christian Horn, who tapped the puck into a nearly empty net just 1:17 into the first, giving Norfolk the early lead. Four and a half minutes later the Admirals power play struck to double the lead. Michael Young walked down the left wall and took a low wrist shot to the far post. Young’s shot snuck past Cal Heeter’s pad and into the back of the net to put the Admirals up 2-0. With less than four minutes to play in the period Joe Perry got the Solar Bears on the board, and unleashed the barrage of teddy bears from the Solar Bear fans. After the first twenty minutes the Admirals led 2-1.
Orlando knotted the game up at 2-2 at the 13:04 mark of the second period. Shorthanded the Solar Bears turned a turnover at the Norfolk blue line into a two-on-one. Max Novak fed Chris Leblanc back door, who tapped the puck home to tie the game at 2-2.
After a scoreless third period the Admirals and Solar Bears headed to the overtime period. Norfolk began the overtime shorthanded for 1:20 however. After weathering the Solar Bears storm the Admirals came close but were unable to beat Cal Heeter, sending both teams into their second shootout of the season.
After five scoreless rounds former Solar Bear Darik Angeli sealed the deal. The right handed shot slowly walked into the zone before ripping a wrist shot past Heeter to seal the deal. Norfolk moved to 2-0 on the season in shootouts, and claimed their third straight victory.
Ty Reichenbach, making his seventh straight start, made 45 saves on 47 shots in the victory. After a short holiday break the Admirals return to Norfolk to take on the Jacksonville Icemen on Friday, Dec. 29 and 30.
Adirondack Thunder
Allen Americans
Atlanta Gladiators
Bloomington Bison
Cincinnati Cyclones
Florida Everblades
Fort Wayne Komets
Greenville Swamp Rabbits
Idaho Steelheads
Indy Fuel
Iowa Heartlanders
Jacksonville Icemen
Kalamazoo Wings
Kansas City Mavericks
Maine Mariners
Norfolk Admirals
Orlando Solar Bears
Rapid City Rush
Reading Royals
Savannah Ghost Pirates
South Carolina Stingrays
Tahoe Knight Monsters
Toledo Walleye
Trois-Rivières Lions
Tulsa Oilers
Utah Grizzlies
Wheeling Nailers
Wichita Thunder
Worcester Railers