The Norfolk Admirals won both home games against the Hershey Bears this weekend, totaling 9 goals and only 2 goals against.
Dan Sexton started off scoring Friday night with his fifth goal of the season, assisted by Sami Vatanen. Sexton gunned the puck from one knee past Hershey’s goaltender Dan Sabourin just under halfway through the first period.
The Admirals kept their momentum in the second period and added another goal just past 6 minutes in. Vatanen scored from a Patrick Maroon feed. Hershey answered back at 12:49 into the same period with an unassisted goal from Jeff Taffe.
The score quickly became 3-1 in the third period as Maroon scored his 15th goal of the season, sneaking one through the legs of Hershey’s Sabourin.
Josh Brittain and John Mitchell finished out scoring for the Admirals Friday night.
Saturday night, the Admirals went on the scoreboard early with a goal by Troy Bodie just 2:25 into the opening period. Hershey’s goaltender Sabourin couldn’t keep the puck under his control in an attempt to clear it and Bodie spotted his chance, quickly sweeping it into the net.
Admirals’ goaltender Frederick Andersen was assisted by a strong defense to hold off any Hershey scoring throughout the rest of the first period.
Just 34 seconds into the second period, Brayden Irwin earned his first goal of the season from a Jordan Hendry shot.
Hershey got one past Andersen at 7:43 into the second. The Admirals came through a five-on-three penalty kill with great success, leading them to a strong third period.
Maroon scored twice in the third period; one an empty-net goal; as Hershey attempted to come back with an extra attacker.
The Admirals were aggressive on the boards; they handled the puck with intense efficiency and showed their hunger for the win with strong defense and rapid firing offense.
Although the last five minutes of the third period was riddled with whistle blows from the linesmen for minor calls, the Admirals were able to carry their victory to the finish without any further scoring from Hershey.
The Admirals will begin a three-game road trip on Wednesday at Charlotte. From there, they will face the Syracuse Crunch on Friday, March 15 and the Binghamton Senators on Saturday.
The Admirals return home for games against the Adirondack Phantoms on March 19 and 20.
For more information about the Norfolk Admirals, please visit their website.
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