Coralville, Iowa - After an overtime defeat on Friday, the Norfolk Admirals took to the ice at Xtream Arena for a matchup against the Iowa Heartlanders. Thanks to a lone goal from Gehrett Sargis and an outstanding performance by goaltender Ian Shane, the Admirals secured two important points with a 1-0 victory over the Heartlanders.
This marked Shane's third start as goaltender for the Admirals, and he delivered an exceptional performance, making 33 saves on 33 shots faced in the win.
Sargis initiated the scoring six minutes into the contest by executing a backhand shot from the slot, resulting from a pass delivered by Sean Montgomery, establishing a 1-0 lead for the Admirals. This goal marked Sargis's fifth of the season. Throughout the opening twenty minutes, Norfolk demonstrated an impressive forecheck, registering a significant advantage in shots on goal against Iowa.
Shane exhibited composure in his crease as the score remained unchanged after the first period. The Admirals outshot the Heartlanders by a margin of 14 to 5 in this initial frame.
Early in the second period, Norfolk gained a man advantage; however, they were unsuccessful in converting this opportunity, and the score remained unchanged. Both teams experienced challenges due to turnovers throughout the second period. Later, the Admirals faced a penalty situation when Matt Crasa was sent to the box. Nevertheless, Shane's performance was commendable, successfully helping Norfolk kill the penalty without conceding a goal.
After a total of forty minutes of competition, the Admirals maintained their lead, with a score of 1-0. Iowa had more shots in the period, outshooting Norfolk 16-9.
The Admirals held strong in the third period, managing to resist Iowa's late efforts. The standout performance of the night came from Shane, who made several exceptional saves in the final twenty minutes, helping Norfolk secure a much-needed bounce-back victory.
Sentara Health Three Stars of the Game
1. NOR - I. Shane (33 saves off 33 shots faced)
2. IA - K. McClellan (26 saves off 27 shots faced)
3. NOR - G. Sargis (1 goal, +1)
What’s Next
The final regular-season road game for Norfolk this season is tomorrow afternoon as they meet with the Heartlanders for a final time this weekend. Puck is scheduled to drop at 4 p.m. EST.
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