Admirals lose to Penguins 3-2

The Norfolk Admirals (21-13-1-2) surrendered three first period goals as they fell to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (20-12-1-4), 3-2, on Tuesday night at Norfolk Scope Arena. The Admirals and Penguins are tied for second place in the AHL’s East Division. Norfolk concludes its five-game homestand on Friday and Saturday nights at Scope with contests against the Connecticut Whale.

Michel Ouellet and Radko Gudas scored as the Admirals attempted an unsuccessful comeback. Goaltender Dustin Tokarski stopped 20 of 23 shots.

The Penguins opened an early two-goal lead with a pair of first period goals by Paul Thompson. Thompson gave the visitors a 1-0 lead with a shot from the bottom of the left faceoff circle that went over the glove of Tokarski at 5:09.

Sixteen seconds later, Thompson gave the Penguins a 2-0 lead. He picked up a loose puck from behind the Admirals net and sent a wrap-around shot through the legs of Tokarski at 5:25.

The visitors extended their lead to 3-0 later in the opening period with a power play goal by Ben Street. Street picked up a pass from Geoff Walker in the slot and sent a slap shot over the glove of Tokarski at 16:34.

Norfolk narrowed the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton lead to 3-1 with a goal less than a minute into the second stanza. Philip-Michael Devos fed a pass to Jeff Dimmen at the right point. Dimmen sent a pass to his left to Michel Ouellet, and Ouellet sent a one-timer over the glove of Penguins netminder Brad Thiessen, off the post and into the net just 53 seconds into the period.

Radko Gudas brought the Admirals to within one goal of tying the game midway through the final period. Mark Barberio found a rebound in the high slot and sent a shot into a screen in front of the Penguins net. The shot deflected off Gudas' stick and behind Thiessen at 6:09.

However, that would be all the scoring in the contest as the Admirals failed to convert on a pair of late power plays late in the third period.

Dustin Tokarski (14-9-0) turned aside 20 of 23 shots for the loss while Brad Thiessen (13-10-2) stopped 24 of 26 shots for the victory.

Norfolk was 0 for 5 on the power play while Wilkes-Barre/Scranton was 1 for 5.

The Admirals return to the ice at Norfolk Scope Arena on Friday and Saturday nights against the Connecticut Whale. The puck drops Friday night at 7:30 p.m and on Saturday at 7:15 p.m. as Norfolk closes out a five-game homestand.

Saturday night’s contest against the Whale will be the fifth-annual Pink in the Rink Night to Benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure. This annual event features an Admirals game played on pink ice and seeks to educate and raise awareness about breast cancer while also raising monies for the Tidewater Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure.