Norfolk, VA — On the final night of their six-game homestand, the Norfolk Admirals gave the Scope faithful something to cheer about. With Throwback Night energy in the building and a vintage vibe in the air, Norfolk snapped its seven-game skid in convincing fashion, rolling past the Reading Royals 5–1.
The night also marked the Admirals debut of goaltender Christian Propp, who signed with the team earlier in the week. Propp looked calm and composed throughout the night, stopping 19 of 20 shots and giving Norfolk exactly the spark they needed between the pipes.
Norfolk wasted little time feeding off the crowd. Jack O’Leary opened the scoring with his third goal of the season, bursting free on a breakaway and finishing in stride — a moment that immediately lifted the energy inside Scope. The Admirals carried the play through most of the period, and with under five minutes to go, Dawson Barteaux hammered home a clean slapshot to make it 2–0. Norfolk outshot Reading 14–11 and went into the first break fully in control.
The second period offered fewer chances, but Norfolk still found the one they needed. With four minutes left in the frame, Ben Zloty worked a shot through traffic from the blue line for his third of the season, extending the lead to 3–0 and putting the Royals on their heels heading into the final twenty minutes.
The Admirals kept their foot on the gas in the third. Just four minutes in, newly signed forward Quinn Ryan redirected a point shot from David Drake, earning his first goal as an Admiral and stretching the lead to 4–0. Reading spoiled Propp’s shutout bid later in the period with a long-range shot from Ben Meehan, but the Admirals weren’t done.
In the closing seconds, Grant Hebert buried an empty-netter — his fourth of the year — putting the finishing touch on a much-needed 5–1 win and sending the Throwback Night crowd home smiling.
Sentara Three Stars of the Game
1. NOR - J. O'Leary (1 goal, 1 assist, +2)
2. NOR - C. Propp (19 saves off of 20 shots faced)
3. NOR - C. Musser (2 assists, +2)
Next Up
Norfolk now turns the page to a long stretch away from home as they embark on a ten-game road trip that spans the rest of December. The Admirals won’t return to Scope until January 3rd, making this upcoming stretch a crucial test before the new year.
The trip begins tomorrow night in Reading, PA, where the Admirals will meet these same Royals at Santander Arena. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m., and Norfolk will look to build on the momentum from tonight’s Throwback Night victory.
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