Game Day: Admirals Look for Fourth Straight Victory

Duluth, GA. – The Norfolk Admirals, proud member of the ECHL, aim to continue their three-game win streak on Saturday evening as they take on the Atlanta Gladiators for the second of two times this weekend.

Game #42

Admirals (16-19-5-1) at Gladiators (21-21-1-2)

Infinite Energy Arena

7:05 pm

Last Time Out:

Six unanswered goals, including five in the third period, were the difference maker for the Admirals as they sailed past the Gladiators 7-4 on Friday night. The victory was the Admirals first of the season over the South Division foes. Norfolk scored first before giving up the next four goals. Trailing 4-1 late in the second Darik Angeli started the Norfolk comeback with just under five seconds left in the second period.

In the final frame the Admirals power play drew the team within one just over two minutes into the third period. The Gladiators would hold off the Admirals offense in check until the final five minutes of regulation, when the Admirals would score four more times. On the man-advantage once more late in the period Michael Young knotted the game up with 4:30 to play on a wrist shot from the point. Chase Harrison put the Admirals ahead with just over 1:30 to play in regulation. With the Gladiator goaltender pulled the Admirals would add on two empty net goals, running the score to 7-4 before the final horn.

Ty Reichenbach, claiming his second straight victory, made 31 saves for the Admirals.

Scouting the Gladiators:

Atlanta currently holds onto third place in the South Division by three points over fourth place Orlando, and seven points ahead of the sixth-place Admirals. Friday’s loss to Norfolk snapped a three-game win streak for the Gladiators.

Leading point-getter Lindsay Sparks, who was held scoreless in his first game against Norfolk, has 38 points (9g, 29a) in 38 games for the Gladiators this season. The Glads top goal scorer Phil Lane, who has six points in two games against Norfolk, leads Atlanta with 23 goals this season. Paired with 14 assists, Lane is one point behind Sparks for the team lead in points. Former Admiral Brady Vail, who scored on Friday, is second on the team in goals with 13.

Dan Vladar, who’s played two of the three games against Norfolk has seen 26 games for the Gladiators posting a record of 12-12-1-0. Sean Bonar (13 gp) and Matt Ginn (6 gp) have also seen time for the Glads between the pipes.

Head-to-Head:

Friday was the Admirals first victory over the Gladiators in three attempts this season. Norfolk, 1-1-1-0 against Atlanta this season, plays their final game of the season at Infinite Energy Arena on Saturday evening. The season series will conclude with a pair of games in Norfolk in early March at the Scope. Grant Besse and Phil Lane lead their respective teams in the season series with six points (3g, 3a each).

Firing on All Cylinders:

In the last two games the Admirals have produced two of their top three offensive games of the season, scoring a combined 15 goals. In total ten different Admirals have found the back of the net. Last season the Admirals did not surpass six goals in a single game once. Including the last two games the team has done it three times this season.

The 15 goals in a two-game span is a franchise high dating back to the 2005-06 season when the Admirals were members of the AHL. No team since that time has scored 15 or more goals in a two-game span. The Admirals tallied 14 goals in a two-game span once but never reached 15.

Going for Four:

A win on Saturday night would give the Admirals four-straight wins for the first time this season. The Admirals have won three straight games on three occasions, including the current streak, however the team has yet to surpass the three-game mark. Norfolk also heads into the Saturday contest having recorded a point in each of the last four games. The season-high point streak for the Admirals sits at eight-games (Dec. 20-Jan. 9).