Norfolk, VA — In front of 6,500 fans inside Norfolk Scope, the Norfolk Admirals closed out the weekend against the Wheeling Nailers in style. With four goals in the third period, the Admirals pulled away for a 6–3 victory, securing their sixth consecutive win. Chase Yoder led the offensive charge with a goal and three assists, while goaltender Isaac Poulter continued his strong play between the pipes, earning his sixth straight win in net.
Between the pipes, Isaac Poulter made his 17th appearance of the season and backstopped the win for Norfolk, stopping 21 of 24 shots faced.
The teams exchanged goals in the opening period. Wheeling struck first at the 3:53 mark, but Norfolk responded on the power play at 10:03. Kristóf Papp danced through the defense and fired a shot that was turned aside by Maxim Pavlenko, but the rebound landed on the stick of Chase Yoder, who snapped it into the top-right corner to tie the game.
Norfolk grabbed its first lead early in the second period. At 3:44, David Drake carried the puck into the left circle and slid a pass into the slot, where Jack Jaunich redirected it past the goaltender to give the Admirals a 2–1 advantage.
The third period turned into an offensive showcase. Wheeling evened the score just 37 seconds into the frame, but the Admirals answered quickly. Grant Hebert restored the lead with a one-timer from the slot off a centering pass from Brady Fleurent. After the Nailers tied the game again on a power-play goal, Norfolk delivered another immediate response, as Fleurent slipped a power-play shot through Pavlenko’s legs following a setup from Yoder.
Brandon Osmundson broke the game open by finishing a two-on-one rush with Jack O’Leary, snapping a shot under the crossbar to give Norfolk its first multi-goal lead of the night. Osmundson then put the finishing touch on the victory, tapping in a loose puck from the right circle to seal the 6–3 win and extend the Admirals’ winning streak to six games.
Sentara Three Stars of the Game
1. NOR - C. Yoder (1 goal, 3 assists, +2)
2. NOR - B. Fleurent (1 goal, 2 assists, +1)
3. NOR - B. Osmundson (2 goals, +2)
Next Up
Norfolk continues its homestand with a three-in-three series as the Worcester Railers come to town. Game one of the series is set for Friday night, with puck drop scheduled for 7:05 p.m. inside Norfolk Scope.
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