Norfolk, VA. – Grant Besse played the hero as the Admirals topped the Stingrays 3-2 in overtime in front of 4,167 people on Saturday night.
Patrick D’Amico notched a goal and an assist in the victory as seven different Admirals found the scoresheet. The victory gave the Admirals their first victory over the Stingrays this season. It was also the eighth time in the last 11 games that the Admirals have gone past regulation.
Patrick D’Amico got the Admirals on the board early on Saturday night. D’Amico picked up a puck out of the skates of Thomas Frazee on the left dot, cut towards the center of the ice and lifted a backhand that found its way through the legs of Adam Carlson, giving the Admirals the lead 1:12 into the game. Late in the first period South Carolina answered back to send the game into the first period knotted up at 1-1. Kelly Zajac, waiting in the high slot, collected the rebound of a Paul Geiger shot, sending it past Murray. South Carolina outshot Norfolk 15-8 in the first period.
South Carolina took a lead in the second when Hampus Gustafsson snapped a shot past Jamie Murray to the blocker side. The Stingray forward took a pass from Marcus Perrier before sliding towards the middle of the ice and beating Murray. South Carolina led 2-1 after the second.
Trailing in the third for the second straight night the Admirals would once again tie the game at 2-2. On the man-advantage Patrick D’Amico cut towards the front of the net and dropped the puck between his legs for Alex Pompeo. Pompeo wasted no time wristing a shot quickly past Carlson, tying the game at 2-2. The goal was Norfolk’s first power play goal of the season against the Stingrays. As the third period ended the game was still tied, sending the teams to overtime for the third consecutive game.
Looking for revenge in the extra period the Admirals found it off the stick of Grant Besse. Besse took a shot from the right dot that bounced up and over Carlson before rolling to the back of the net, ending the game with 23.8 seconds left in overtime. The goal snapped a four-game winless draught against the Stingrays, and gave the Admirals three out of a possible four points against the Stingrays on the weekend.
In the Norfolk net Jamie Murray made 28 saves on 30 shots in the victory.
Norfolk hits the road for a five-game road trip starting in Greenville before heading to Atlanta and North Charleston.
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