Goaltender Milic made his second consecutive playoff start and maintained his high level of play, recording 33 saves on 33 shots faced.
Just 35 seconds into the game, the Admirals took the lead with the opening goal scored by Darick Louis-Jean. This marked his second consecutive game with a goal, which resulted from an unusual bounce near the front of the net, establishing a score of 1-0 in favor of Norfolk. This goal also represented Louis-Jean’s second tally of the postseason.
With five minutes remaining in the first period, Ben Zloty recorded his inaugural goal of the postseason, extending the Admirals’ lead to 2-0. This goal was facilitated by an offensive faceoff, during which Zloty maneuvered from the left point to the net uncontested, successfully scoring between the five-hole. The Admirals maintained a two-goal advantage after the first period.
The Admirals continued their scoring in the second period, adding another goal eight minutes in. This goal resulted from a power play situation, during which Denis Smirnov executed a one-timer from Hank Crone, marking his first goal of the postseason. With a 3-0 lead, the Admirals sustained their competitive play while frustrations escalated on the Wheeling side.
The score stayed the same after two periods of action as the Admirals eyed to close things out in the third period.
The score remained unchanged until the final five minutes of the game, when Sean Montgomery scored his first goal of the postseason with a breakaway finish, increasing the lead to 4-0 for the Admirals. Norfolk’s defense continued to excel as the game drew to a close. As the final seconds ticked away, the fans stood in jubilation, celebrating another playoff victory.
Norfolk holds a 2-0 series lead over Wheeling.
Sentara Health Three Stars of the Game
1. NOR – T. Milic (33 save shutout)
2. NOR – B. Zloty (1 goal, 1 assist, +1)
3. NOR – B. Fleurent (2 assists, +2)
