Ads Push Point Streak to Eight-Games, Fall 5-4 in OT

Charleston, SC – The Admirals pushed their point-streak to eight games, however Frankie Simonelii netted a hat trick as the Admirals fell to the Stingrays 5-4 in OT on Tuesday night.

Brodie Dupont netted an assist pushing his point streak to six-games. Grant Besse and Thomas Frazee each added a goal and an assist for the Admirals in the loss.

South Carolina scored first taking a 1-0 lead on Kelly Zajac’s fifth goal of the season, before Norfolk got on the board. Trailing 1-0 Thomas Frazee gathered in his own rebound and sent his second shot past Adam Carlson to tie the game at 1-1. Less than two minutes later the Admirals took the lead for the first time. Grant Besse sprinted down the left wing into the offensive zone before sending a cross-ice pass to Christian Horn. Horn wasted no time, taking the pass and tapping it into the nearly empty cage putting Norfolk up 2-1. There was only one penalty called in the opening period, but the Stingrays capitalized on it, allowing them to tie the game at 2-2. Taylor Cammarata sent a cross-ice pass that found Franki Simonelli on the back door where the former Admiral tied the game at 2-2 with his fifth of the season. The first period ended with the score tied 2-2 despite the Admirals being outshot 21-8.

Norfolk retook the lead just over a minute into the second period. Grant Besse beat the defenseman wide once more before snapping a shot that snuck between Calrson and the post, giving the Admirals a 3-2 lead. The third Admirals goal ended Carlson’s night after the goaltender surrendered three goals on nine shots. Quickly after that Patrick D’Amico doubled the lead. The forward pulled up and sent a shot that bounced off two Stingrays before finding its way to the back of the net, giving Norfolk a 4-2 lead. South Carolina cut the lead back to one goal just past the midway point of the period. Joe Devin took a turnover at the Norfolk blue line back the other way, putting a shot past Reichenbach. The score would sit 4-3 after two periods of play.

In the third period it was the former Admiral Simonelli who drew the game even at 4-4. With the game still tied 4-4 after sixty minutes of play the Admirals and Stingrays headed to overtime. Just 0:22 into the overtime frame Simonelli capped off a hat trick, tapping a pass from Steven Whitney past Reichenbach, ending the game at 5-4.

Norfolk picked up a point in the extra period, extending the point streak to eight-games. Norfolk went scoreless on the man-advantage ending their seven-game streak with a power play goal.

Reichenbach made 34 saves on 39 shots in the overtime loss. Parker Milner made 18 saves on 19 shots in relief, claiming the victory.

Norfolk is back in action tomorrow night as the Admirals head to Atlanta to take on the Gladiators.