Norfolk, VA - In the final game of their three-game series, the Norfolk Admirals returned to the ice for the second night of the Teddy Bear Toss weekend. Reading defeated Norfolk 3-2 with a lone goal in the third period, completing the weekend sweep over the Admirals.
Brody Claeys, the recent goaltender acquired from the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs, made his debut for the Admirals on Saturday night. He made 23 saves off of 25 shots in his opening appearance.
Just like the previous night, the Admirals scored the first goal, which brought the teddy bears flying over the boards. Denis Smirnov received a pass from Andrew McLean and wristed his shot past Nolan Maier to put Norfolk ahead 1-0. The Admirals dominated the first 20 minutes, outshooting Reading 13-5 in the period, and held on to a 1-0 lead going into the break.
The second period was a crucial one for Norfolk as they aimed to keep their lead, which was the difference the previous night. Claeys made multiple key saves to keep his squad ahead. With a little over five minutes to play, the Royals scored twice in 33 seconds, giving them the lead. Ryan Chyzowski and Brendan Hoffmann scored the goals for Reading.
With less than two minutes to go, Darick Louis-Jean tied the game at two with the assist from Brandon Osmundson, the Chesapeake native who scored his first point for the Norfolk Admirals. Although the Royals outshot the Admirals 13-9 in the period, it remained tied after 40 minutes of play.
In the final period, a lone goal from Reading made the difference. With 14 minutes left to play, Jake Bricknell shot it past Claeys to put the Royals ahead 3-2. The Admirals tried their best to score the tying goal, but Reading won the game.
With the loss, the Admirals' record falls to 14-9-2-1 on the season, and they remain in second place in the ECHL North Division.
Sentara Health Three Stars of the Game
1. REA - J. Bricknell (1 goal, +2)
2. REA - B. Hoffmann (1 goal, 1 assist, +1)
3. REA - K. Johnson (2 assists, +2)
What’s Next
The Norfolk Admirals will enjoy the holidays with some rest before hitting the road for a three-game road trip. They'll start in Fort Wayne, Indiana with a matchup against the Fort Wayne Komets. Puck drop is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. at the Memorial Coliseum.
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