RECAP | Stead Records First ECHL Shutout In Admirals Victory Over Worcester

Worcester, MA- The three-game series between the Norfolk Admirals and the Worcester Railers culminated on Sunday afternoon with a 3-0 shutout victory for the Admirals, following two closely contested games on Friday and Saturday. This win is a welcome relief for the Admirals, who had suffered seven consecutive losses.

Kristian Stead put on an impressive performance in his second appearance in the cage. He managed to keep a clean sheet by recording 25 saves off of 25 shots, marking his first shutout since March 2022. Stead's stellar performance was instrumental in securing this much-needed victory.

During the opening five minutes of the game, the Admirals exhibited a strong forecheck, gaining momentum early on. This led to a power play opportunity after a hooking penalty on Worcester. Brandon Osmundson scored his third goal of the season as the penalty was concluding. The successful goal ended Norfolk’s 29 power play attempts without a score.

Norfolk found themselves short-handed after Denis Smirnov was penalized for slashing. Nevertheless, they were able to withstand the pressure and maintain their offensive momentum. As the period drew to a close, Norfolk mounted an aggressive assault on the opposing team's goal, outshooting Worcester 14-4, but to no avail. The score remained 1-0 at the end of the first period.

The second period was characterized by numerous scoring opportunities on both ends of the ice. Norfolk continued their offensive onslaught in the middle frame. Two minutes into the period, Danny Katic intercepted a pass in Worcester's zone and delivered a beautiful pass to Denis Smirnov, who was waiting to score his fifth goal of the season, thus extending the Norfolk lead to two goals.

Stead had an outstanding period, making several crucial saves and keeping his shutout bid alive. The Admirals maintained their two-goal lead going into the second intermission.

Upon entering the third period, the pace of the game slowed down considerably. The Admirals managed to maintain their lead throughout the final 20 minutes of play. Stead continued to impress with a series of crucial saves in the third period. In the waning moments of the game, Andrew McLean gained possession of the puck and shot it into the empty net, bringing the score to 3-0. This victory marked the first for Norfolk since December 30th and put an end to their losing streak.

Sentara Health Three Stars of the Game

1. NOR - K. Stead (25 saves off of 25 shots)

2. NOR - B. Osmundson (1 goal, +1)

3. NOR - D. Smirnov 1 goal, +1)

What’s Next

The Norfolk Admirals return to Norfolk Scope this weekend to begin a four-game series against the Newfoundland Growlers. The first game of the series is set to take place on Friday night with the puck drop scheduled for 7:05 p.m.