Trois-Rivières, Quebec – After dispatching the Wheeling Nailers in five games in the opening round, the Norfolk Admirals opened the North Division Finals against the Trois-Rivières Lions — a reprise of last year’s division semifinal showdown. In a tightly contested Game 1, the Admirals came up just short, falling 1-0 as the Lions took a 1-0 series lead.
Thomas Milic continued his stellar postseason run in goal, stopping 34 of 35 shots in his fifth consecutive playoff start.
Goaltending was exceptional during the opening twenty minutes, with both Milic and Lions goalie Hunter Jones making impressive saves. Norfolk had several high-quality scoring chances from to Hank Crone, Bryce Brodzinski, and Brandon Osmundson, but the game remained scoreless halfway through the period.
Norfolk successfully killed off two penalties in the latter part of the period, while the Lions also defended against a penalty of their own, keeping the score tied. At the end of the first period, the Admirals outshot the Lions 16-11, but the score was still 0-0.
The first goal of the series was scored five minutes into the second period when the Lions took the lead with from Xavier Cormier. In the period, the Admirals' forechecking was noticeably less effective, managing only two shots on goal while the Lions fired off 13 shots.
Milic performed exceptionally well, making crucial saves in his crease to prevent further scoring. By the end of the second period, the score was 1-0 in favor of Trois-Rivières.
The Admirals came into the third period with one thing in mind: tying the game at least. They had an early chance from Filip Fornåå Svensson as his breakaway chance was stopped by Jones.
Following a kneeing penalty called on Darick Louis-Jean, Milic made his biggest save of the postseason near the halfway mark of the period with a stellar pad save off the shot from Nicolas Guay in the slot, wide open, that kept the game at 1-0.
As time wound down, the Admirals did all they could, pressing on the forecheck and trying to find an equalizer, but their efforts would come up short as Jones stood tall in his crease to secure a Lions win.
Sentara Health Three Stars of the Game
1. TR - H. Jones (27 save shutout)
2. TR - X. Cormier (1 goal, +1)
3. TR - J. Novak (1 assist, +1)
What’s Next
Game 2 between the Admirals and Lions is set for Sunday afternoon at the Colisée Vidéotron, with puck drop scheduled for 3 p.m.
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