RECAP | Admirals Score First Victory This Season with Victory Against Mariners

Portland, ME - Following a challenging opening weekend at Norfolk Scope, the Norfolk Admirals traveled to Maine for the first of two divisional games against the Mariners this weekend. In their first road game of the season, Norfolk's impressive four-goal performance in the first period proved decisive, enabling them to secure their first victory with a score of 5-2.

Dante Giannuzzi made his first start in goal for the Admirals and delivered a remarkable performance in his Admirals debut. He concluded the evening with 31 saves from 34 shots faced.

In the opening 20 minutes of the game, the Admirals exhibited a decisive offensive performance against Maine. Within the first eight minutes, Norfolk scored three goals, establishing a significant lead on the road. Following a turnover by the Mariners, Kamerin Nault and Keegan Iverson executed a 2-on-1 breakaway, culminating in Nault assisting Iverson with a last-second one-timer for the inaugural goal of the contest, marking Iverson's first goal of the season.

Subsequently, the Admirals extended their lead by two goals only 17 seconds later when Osmundson redirected a shot from Carson Golder, achieving his first goal of the season. Approximately 91 seconds afterward, Stepan Timofeyev added another goal with a wrist shot from the front, bringing the score to 3-0. In the final moments of the period, Golder delivered a powerful shot into the top corner off an offensive face-off, resulting in a score of 4-0 in favor of Norfolk as the teams proceeded to intermission.

Four minutes into the second period, Norfolk increased their lead to 5-0 when Darick Louis-Jean executed a shot from the point. Near the halfway of the period, Jake Willets scored the first goal for the Mariners on a power play, effectively ending Giannuzzi’s shutout attempt. The score remained 5-1 until the latter part of the period.

With fewer than two minutes remaining, Maine scored again when Patrick Guay capitalized on a loose puck in the crease, reducing the Admirals' lead to 5-2. This score lasted after 40 minutes of play.

With twenty minutes remaining in regulation, the Mariners intensified the competition with a goal from Wyllum Deveaux, resulting in a score of 5-3. Capitalizing on this momentum, Norfolk responded by adding another goal to solidify their advantage.

Nault, who had previously recorded an assist earlier in the game, scored his first goal of the season through a tic-tac-toe play orchestrated by Marko Reifenberger and Graham Sward, extending the lead to 6-3. Despite conceding three goals, Giannuzzi exhibited exceptional performance in the latter stages of the game, ensuring the Admirals victory.

Sentara Health Three Stars of the Game

1. NOR - K. Nault (1 goal, 1 assist, +2)

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

3. MNE - P. Guay (1 goal)

What’s Next

The Norfolk Admirals are back on the ice in Portland tomorrow night for their second contest with the Mariners this weekend. Puck drop from Cross Insurance Arena is at 6:00 p.m.