RECAP | Admirals Fall to Everblades in Hard-Fought Battle

Norfolk, VA – Coming off a win on Wednesday, the Norfolk Admirals squared off with the defending champion, Florida Everblades, for the second installment of their three-game set. In an entertaining matchup, it was the Everblades who skated away with the 5-3 win.

Thomas Milic returned in goal for his tenth appearance and delivered 26 saves off of 29 shots faced.

Both teams incurred penalties early in the contest, as they engaged in a high-paced and physical contest on both sides of the ice. The game resembled a strategic chess match until the first goal was scored with five minutes remaining in the period.

Following a rebound from goaltender Milic, Alex Kile successfully converted the loose puck, granting Florida a 1-0 lead. The Admirals had several opportunities to score, but the efforts of Everblades' goaltender Cam Johnson were significant in preventing Norfolk from finding the back of the net.

Shortly thereafter, the Admirals faced another penalty-kill situation. Fortunately, German Yavash managed to equalize the score at 1-1 with a deflection off a shot from Ben Zloty, marking his fourth goal of the season. The score remained tied as the first intermission commenced.

The Everblades intensified their offensive pressure at the start of the second period, which ultimately proved fruitful when Oliver Chau scored through the five-hole of Milic, increasing the score to 2-1. A short time later, Florida extended their lead further, with Tarun Fizer redirecting his shot into the net, bringing the score to 3-1.

After establishing a lead, Norfolk experienced difficulties in creating offensive space and rhythm, as the Everblades effectively stifled their efforts. It was not until eight minutes remained in the period that Filip Fornåå Svensson successfully fired a shot from a tight angle on the right side, scoring his 24th goal of the season and reducing the deficit to 3-2. The score remained unchanged following the conclusion of the second period.

In the third period, the Everblades maintained their lead as the game approached its final stages. Looking to equalize, the Admirals pulled their goaltender late in the contest. Shortly afterward, Isaac Nurse skated quickly toward the empty net and tapped the puck across the red line, extending Florida's lead to 4-2.

With just thirty seconds remaining, Andrei Bakanov narrowed the gap once again with a shot from the slot, bringing the score to 4-3. However, as time wound down, the Everblades secured their victory with another empty-net goal, finalizing the score at 5-3 against the Admirals.

Sentara Health Three Stars of the Game

1. FLA - T. Fizer (1 goal, +1)

2. FLA - O. Chau (1 goal, +2)

3. NOR - F. Fornåå Svensson (1 goal, 1 assist)

What’s Next

These two teams will meet again tomorrow night for a doubleheader at the Scope, featuring "Guns N' Hoses Night" in the Hampton Roads area. Local policemen and firefighters will square off on the ice at 2 p.m., followed by the Admirals facing off against the Everblades for the final time this weekend at 7:05 p.m. "Guns N' Hoses" festivities will kick off at noon.