RECAP | Admirals Win Third Straight Game, Take Down Maine, 4-3

Norfolk, VA — To commence the holiday weekend, the Norfolk Admirals and Maine Mariners engaged at Norfolk Scope on the eve of Thanksgiving. This contest marked the first of three scheduled encounters between the two teams during the week. Norfolk extended their winning streak to three games by securing a victory against the Mariners, finishing with a score of 4-3. 

Dom DiVincentiis made his third start for the Admirals and continued to demonstrate proficiency in-goal. He concluded the game with a total of 17 saves from 20 shots faced, contributing to the team's success.

Just 51 seconds into the game, Pavel Padakin recorded his first goal as a member of the Admirals, capitalizing on a deflection from Josh McDougall's shot, which resulted in a 1-0 lead for Norfolk. Following this initial goal, the Admirals intensified their offensive efforts and established their distinctive style of play. The score remained at 1-0 until the final five minutes of play, when the Mariners managed to equalize.

The equalizing goal resulted from an unexpected puck bounce off an Admirals player's leg following a shot by Jimmy Lambert, which subsequently found its way into the back of the net, bringing the score to 1-1. DiVincentiis appeared unaware of the puck's location, as the deflection caught everyone on the ice by surprise.

In the closing minute of the first period, Carson Musser and Denis Smirnov connected on a one-timer, with Smirnov scoring his fifth goal of the season from Musser's assist. Consequently, Norfolk maintained a 2-1 lead after the first 20 minutes of action.

Throughout the second period, the Admirals continued to apply pressure and maintained their style of play. The Mariners came close to tying the game at two due to critical turnovers committed by Norfolk's defense; however, DiVincentiis's performance thwarted any attempts at an equalizer, and the score remained 2-1.

The second period featured a reduction in shot attempts compared to the first, with the Mariners having a slight advantage in shots (6-5), yet the score remained unchanged at the conclusion of the second period.

In the third period, the pace of the game accelerated as both teams found the back of the net multiple times. Ben Zloty initiated the scoring seven minutes into the period by capitalizing on a rebound from Smirnov's initial shot, extending the lead to 3-1. Five minutes later, Brooklyn Kalmikov narrowed the deficit to one goal with a shot that eluded DiVincentiis's shoulder.

No further goals were recorded until the final two minutes of the game, when Brandon Osmundson scored an empty-net goal, marking his fifth goal of the season. The Mariners responded with another goal from Xander Lamppa, bringing the score to 4-3. Notably, Norfolk successfully defended against the Mariners' attempts in the closing seconds, securing their third consecutive victory.

Sentara Health Three Stars of the Game

1. NOR - D. Smirnov (1 goal, 1 assist, +1)

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

3. MNE - B. Kalmikov (1 goal, 2 assists)

What’s Next

The Admirals will return to the ice at Norfolk Scope for the Black Friday hockey game, marking the second installment of their series against the Mariners. The puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.