RECAP | Timofeyev's Two Goals Lift Admirals Past Mariners

Portland, ME - After a triumphant weekend at the Scope, the Norfolk Admirals traveled to Maine for a three-in-three series against the Maine Mariners. In their first game this season in Portland, the Admirals managed to overcome a 2-0 deficit and scored five goals, resulting in a hard-fought 5-4 victory over the Mariners.

Yaniv Perets made his 24th appearance in between the pipes and delivered a remarkable performance on Friday night. He concluded the game with an impressive 16 saves off of 20 shots and recorded his 11th victory of the season.

During the initial 20 minutes of the game, there was a clear distinction in the period, as both teams were able to find their rhythm. In the first half of the game, the Mariners displayed a superior forecheck. At the halfway point in the period, Tyler Drevitch's shot broke the scoreless tie, leading Maine to a 1-0 lead. Shortly thereafter, just nine seconds later, Alex Kile scored his 25th goal of the season with a shot in front of the crease, capitalizing on a one-timer shot to increase their lead to two goals.

In the latter half of the period, Norfolk shifted the momentum their way, piling on offensive pressure. With five minutes left in the first frame, Mark Liwiski and Brandon Osmundson assisted Danny Katic for his 15th goal of the season. The back-door put-away shot enabled Norfolk to cut into the Mariners' lead. Maine held a 2-1 lead after the first period, despite being outshot 13-8 by the Admirals.

Timofeyev executed a dazzling 'Michigan' move 23 seconds into the second period, tying the game at two and bringing the Admirals bench to their feet. This marked his eighth goal of the season. Just a few minutes later, the Mariners had an opportunity to take the lead on the opposite end of the ice with a two-on-one situation. However, the Admirals' goaltender, Perets, stood firm in his crease and withstood the odd-man rush, keeping the game tied.

Throughout the second period, Norfolk had the upper hand in their forechecking efforts. However, in the closing seconds before the horn, Denis Smirnov gained possession of the puck and passed it up the ice to Timofeyev, who rushed towards the net and scored his second goal of the evening with a shot that beat the Mariners' goalie, Kyle Keyser, five-hole. The Admirals took a 3-2 lead into the intermission, having outshot Maine 16-4 in the period.

In the third period, the Norfolk team managed to increase their lead to 4-2 just five minutes in. Mathieu Roy passed the puck into the slot, where Brady Fleurent was able to score his 7th goal of the season in front of his friends and family, making a successful homecoming back to Maine. Although the Admirals scored four unanswered goals, the Mariners demonstrated their resilience and continued to fight until the end.

At the halfway point in the period, Nathan Noel scored his first goal of the year with a shot from the front that beat Perets, bringing the game within one. The competition remained fierce, with the implications of the next goal being significant. With less than four minutes to play, Carson Golder scored his first goal back as an Admiral after his tenure with the Manitoba Moose, bringing the score to 5-3. This marked his 13th goal of the season.

With a comfortable cushion, Maine added another goal to bring it back to within one as Kile scored his second goal of the night on the man advantage. Norfolk was able to withstand the Mariners' last-ditch effort and held on to win 5-4 in the opening contest of this series.

The Admirals have now increased their record to 26-18-3-1 on the season, with a total of 56 points, placing them comfortably in second place in the ECHL North Division.

Sentara Health Three Stars of the Game

1. NOR - S. Timofeyev (2 goals, 1 assist, +2)

2. NOR - J. McDougall (1 assist, +1)

3. MNE - N. Noel (1 goal)

What’s Next

The Norfolk Admirals are set to play the second game of their weekend series against the Mariners tomorrow evening. The puck drop is scheduled for 6 p.m. from Cool Insurance Arena.