Game Day: Admirals and Thunder Face Off for Second Time This Season

Game #23

Admirals (7-14-1-0) at Thunder (11-9-1-1)

Cool Insuring Arena

7:00 pm

Last Time Out:

The Admirals struck first but Manchester got three unanswered goals to finish the game as the Monarchs topped the Admirals 5-2 on Friday night. After dropping behind 2-1 Norfolk was able to tie the game back up at 2-2 early in the second period, but Manchester retook the lead with less than a minute to play in the period. The Monarchs capped off the three unanswered goals in the third with a pair in the opening and closing two minutes of play.

Kenton Helgesen and TJ Melancon both scored their third goals of the season for the Admirals in the loss.  Jamie Murray made 38 saves on 43 shots.

Head to Head:

Saturday will be only the second meeting of the season between Adirondack and Norfolk. The Thunder took the previous meeting 3-2 on November 16 in Norfolk. Since returning to the ECHL the Thunder have controlled the series in Glens Falls winning eight of 11 games played at Cool Insuring Arena. On the other hand, the Admirals have won five of eight matchups in Norfolk.

Brodie Dupont and Michael Young scored the Admirals goals in the previous meeting, while former Admiral Paul Rodrigues is the only member of the Thunder still with the team who scored against Norfolk. Another former Admiral, Nick Riopel, got the win in net for Adirondack allowing a pair of goals, while Jamie Murray took the loss. No player from either side recorded multiple points in the game.

Finding His Stride:

An assist in the first period last night gave forward Darik Angeli nine points (3g, 6a) in his last six games with the Admirals. The forward started the season with the Rapid City Rush netting three goals in five games and has tallied 13 points (6g, 7a) in 12 games since joining Norfolk. Angeli’s 16 points in 17 games this season has the forward on pace for his best professional season after netting 27 points last season, and 16 in his rookie season.

Fitting In:

Newcomers Don Olivieri and Max Cook picked up assists last night giving both players points in back to back games. Cook, who made his ECHL debut last weekend in Jacksonville, has three points (1g, 2a) in his first three games with the Admirals. Olivieri, who’s skated in four games with the Admirals, has points in three consecutive games. Since being held off the score sheet in his Admirals debut the defenseman has notched a point in each game he’s played.

Light on the Penalties:

Heading into Saturday’s game Adirondack and Norfolk are two of the least penalized teams in the ECHL. The Thunder (12.27 pim/gm) are the third least penalized team, while Norfolk (12.36 pim/gm) are the fifth least penalized team. This season teams are averaging 16.02 penalty minutes per game. Norfolk and Adirondack have received the fifth and sixth fewest minor penalties this season as well.

In the first meeting the teams combined for 24 penalty minutes (NOR-9, ADK-15).

Upcoming:

Norfolk heads back to Manchester to wrap up a three-in-three tomorrow afternoon against the Monarchs. The Admirals will then return home for the first of five games against the Orlando Solar Bears.