Game Day: Teddy Toss Night at the Scope

Game #26

Admirals (8-16-1-0) vs Solar Bears (10-12-4-0)

Scope Arena

7:00 pm

Last Time Out:

Norfolk scored a pair of power play goals in the first period and a pair of empty net goals in the third as they snapped a three-game skid, topping the Solar Bears 4-2 on Friday night. Brodie Dupont netted a pair of goals both coming in the final minute of a period. The Admirals limited the Solar Bears to two opportunities on the man-advantage, and held them scoreless on both chances, while Norfolk was two-for-three. Ty Reichenbach made his third consecutive start and made 39 saves in the victory.

Head to Head:

Friday’s contest was the first meeting of the season between the teams, giving Norfolk a 1-0 series lead. The teams will play four more times in the next seven days, with the next three after Saturday coming in Orlando.

Max Novak, who scored and added an assist, is the only Solar Bear to record more than a single point in last night. Cal Heeter got the start for the Solar Bears recording 24 saves on 26 shots.

Brodie Dupont led all scorers with two goals in the game. Overall seven different Admirals played their way onto the score sheet on Friday night. Although the Admirals have only played Orlando once, Thomas Frazee faced the Solar Bears twice as a member of the Atlanta Gladiators. In three games against the Solar Bears, Frazee has five points (1g, 4a) including an assist last night.

Teddy Toss Night:

Saturday night is Teddy Toss at the Scope. Fans are invited to bring stuffed animals to the game and throw them onto the ice following the Admirals first goal. All the stuffed animals will be donated to the Salvation Army and Toys for Tots after being collected from the ice. Last season forward Paul Rodrigues scored the Teddy Toss goal, reigning down the Teddy Bears from the Scope seats.

Scouting the Solar Bears:

Orlando’s Joshua Windquist leads the way with 24 points (6g, 18a) despite being held off the scoresheet last night. Defenseman Nolan Valleau is second on the team with 23 points (8g, 15a). Max Novak and JC Campagna are the only other players on the Solar Bears Roster with more than 20 points this season.

Cal Heeter, who started Friday’s contest, has played the bulk of the season seeing time in 18 games while Mackenzie Skapski has started 9 games. Skapski has posted a record of 1-5-2-0 with a 3.86 goals against average and a .886 save percentage. Heeter was a teammate of Norfolk’s Darik Angeli while at Ohio State.

Multiple Power Play Tallies:

A pair of power play goals last night was only the second time this season that the Admirals have scored multiple power play goals in a single game at home. Six times this season the Admirals have scored more than once on the man-advantage, yet four have been away from home. By going two-for-three on the man-advantage last night the Admirals pushed the power play to 11.9% (8-for-67) at home this season. The Admirals now have the ECHL’s 22nd ranked man-advantage at home, while boasting the fifth ranked unit on the road.

Four in Six:

A late empty net goal that ended up as the game-winner last night gave defenseman TJ Melancon his fourth goal in the last six games. Prior to the six game stretch the Admirals defenseman had scored once in his previous 18 games. The Oshawa, ON native is currently fifth on the team in scoring, and leads all Admirals blue liners.