Admirals Lose Home Finale

The Norfolk Admirals fell to the Philadelphia Phantoms 4-2 on Saturday night at Norfolk Scope Arena in front of 6,050 fans in the final Admirals home game of 2008-09.

Philadelphia (41-29-2-4) took a 1-0 lead just 42 seconds into the first period on the game’s first shot. Jared Ross chipped a pass from the neutral zone wall that sprung Danny Syvret and Boyd Kane on a two-on-one. Syvret sent a pass from the right circle across the slot for a Kane tap-in.

The Phantoms claimed a 2-0 lead toward the middle of the opening frame. Ross collected the rebound of a Matt Clackson shot behind the net and centered to Sean Curry in the slot. Curry sent a wrist shot past Admirals goaltender Riku Helenius at 11:21.

Norfolk (30-37-4-5) cut its deficit in half 2:32 into the second stanza after skating with a six-on-five advantage for more than a minute due to a Philadelphia delayed penalty. Brandon Segal sent a pass from the top of the right circle between a defender’s legs to Blair Jones at the bottom of the circle. Jones sent a backhand pass across the bottom of the slot to Pete Zingoni. Zingoni collected the puck and lifted a shot over the outstretched glove hand of Philadelphia netminder Jean-Sebastien Aubin for his sixth goal of the season.

The Admirals knotted the score at two goals apiece 10:18 into the second stanza while skating on a five-on-three power play. Mike Lundin sent a pass from the top of the right faceoff circle to Blair Jones at the top of the left circle. Jones one-timed the puck past Aubin blocker-side for his 19th goal of the season.

However, Kane gave the visitors the lead for good 5:17 into the final frame with another passing play from Syvret. While skating with a power play, Syvret sent a pass from the left circle across the slot where Kane redirected the puck past the left leg of Helenius.

David Laliberte tacked on an empty-net goal with less than one second remaining for a 4-2 final score.

Riku Helenius (29 shots, 26 saves) took the loss. Jean-Sebastien Aubin (37 shots, 35 saves) picked up the win.

Norfolk was 1-3 on the power play. Philadelphia was also 1-3.

The Admirals will now close out the 2008-09 regular season schedule with a four-game road trip commencing tomorrow evening in Philadelphia. The puck drops in the final all-time contest between the clubs at 5:05 p.m. at the historic Wachovia Spectrum.