Ritola, Jones each score twice in 5-3 victory
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – After squandering two one-goal leads, the Norfolk Admirals used three straight goals to defeat the Charlotte Checkers, 5-2, at Time Warner Cable Arena on Monday.
Three of the Admirals’ five goals came during power-play chances, while Blair Jones’ game-winner in the second period was scored during a two-man advantage. Jones and Mattias Ritola contributed two goals each on the night, and Marc-Antoine Pouliot chipped in with three assists. The winning goaltender was Jaroslav Janus, who made 21 saves on 23 shots to earn his first AHL win of the season.
The Checkers got power-play goals of their own from Chris Terry and Bobby Sanguinetti and Jon Matsumoto assisted on both.
It took less than eight minutes for the Admirals to take their first lead as Ritola’s first of two tallies made the score 1-0 at the 7:54 mark of the first period. With Matsumoto serving a two-minute penalty for hooking, Norfolk’s leading scorer, Pouliot, set up on the right-wing boards and sent a cross-ice pass which Ritola quickly deposited just inside the right post.
Charlotte, however, answered just five minutes later. With Riley Nash camped in front of Janus, Sanguinetti passed to Terry, who scored his team leading 33rd goal of the season with a slap shot from the right-wing circle.
In the second period, Pierre-Cedric Labrie restored Norfolk’s one-goal advantage by picking the upper-right corner with a turn-around wrist shot from the high slot.
Once again, the Admirals’ lead lasted just five minutes. At 13:18 of the second period, Sanguinetti scored Charlotte’s second power-play goal by lofting a wrist shot from the blue line that navigated through a group of bodies in front of the net and into the back of the net.
But, this was the last time the game would be tied as Jones scored the eventual game-winning goal during a five-on-three power play with just over a minute left in the second period.
With the five-on-four portion of their power play carrying over into the third period, the Admirals went ahead, 4-2, when Ritola netted his second goal of the game.
Jones added another marker to make the score 5-2 and the Checkers succumbed to the Admirals, who broke a four-game losing streak with the win.
The Checkers (42-27-2-7) are back in action again Friday, when they begin a two-game, regular-season ending series against the Worcester Sharks at 7 p.m.
Notes:
The Checkers have scored 10 power-play goals in the last five games…Chris Terry has eight goals in the last 11 games…Brett Sutter was stopped by Janus on a penalty shot in the second period, which was Charlotte’s fourth penalty-shot chance of the season…Bobby Goepfert made his Checkers debut and made 10 saves on 10 shots in 12:39.
Norfolk Admirals 5 at Charlotte Checkers 2 – Status: Final
Monday, April 4, 2011 – Time Warner Cable Arena
Norfolk 1 2 2 – 5
Charlotte 1 1 0 – 2
1st Period-1, Norfolk, Ritola 6 (Pouliot, Barberio), 7:54 (PP). 2, Charlotte, Terry 33 (Sanguinetti, Matsumoto), 12:30 (PP). Penalties-Wright Nor (slashing), 2:14; Matsumoto Cha (hooking), 7:20; Jones Nor (high-sticking), 10:43; Matsumoto Cha (tripping), 18:47.
2nd Period-3, Norfolk, Labrie 6 (Wright, Berry), 7:56. 4, Charlotte, Sanguinetti 3 (Graham, Matsumoto), 13:18 (PP). 5, Norfolk, Jones 22 (Pouliot, Milam), 18:49 (PP). Penalties-Pistilli Cha (bench minor – too many men), 9:31; Mihalik Nor (hooking), 13:01; Gudas Nor (holding), 15:49; Boychuk Cha (boarding), 17:32; FitzGerald Cha (boarding), 18:03; Blanchard Cha (high-sticking), 19:20.
3rd Period-6, Norfolk, Ritola 7 (Jones, Pouliot), 0:36 (PP). 7, Norfolk, Jones 23 (Ritola), 7:40. Penalties-Vernace Nor (roughing), 9:00; Boychuk Cha (interference), 13:28; Roy Nor (fighting), 16:54; Sutter Cha (fighting), 16:54.
Shots on Goal-Norfolk 10-12-14-36. Charlotte 11-8-7-26.
Power Play Opportunities-Norfolk 3 / 7; Charlotte 2 / 5.
Goalies-Norfolk, Janus 0-3-1 (26 shots-24 saves). Charlotte, Pogge 21-17-4 (26 shots-21 saves); Goepfert 0-0-0 (10 shots-10 saves).
A-4,796
Referees-Steve Patafie (85), Jason Rollins (37).
Linesmen-Mike Sheehan (90), Alex Stagnone (7).
Related
Mitch Beck
Related posts
Top picks
WOLF PACK PREGAME: ATLANTIC SEMIS VS. BRUINS
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack PROVIDENCE, RI – The Hartford Wolf Pack and Providence Bruins open their second Calder Cup Playoff series in as many years against each other tonight at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence. The puck drop is set for 7:05…
WOLF PACK COMPLETE PAIR OF TRANSACTIONS
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack Bryce McConnell-Barker Reassigned by Rangers, Maxim Barbashev Released from ATO HARTFORD, CT – New York Rangers President and General Manager Chris Drury announced today that the club has reassigned forward Bryce McConnell-Barker to the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack from…
ROAD WARRIORS LOST TO RABBITS; SWAMP RABBTS IMPRESSIVE IN DEFEAT
SOLAR BEARS TAKE SERIES LEAD WITH OVERTIME WIN Orlando puts Greenville on the brink despite Colton Young’s 3-point night, Bobby Russell’s pair of goals By: Mark Binetti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits ORLANDO, Fla. – Despite a high-scoring affair, the Greenville Swamp Rabbits fell to the Orlando…
WOLF PACK TO PLAY BRUINS IN ATLANTIC SEMIS
WOLF PACK TO FACE PROVIDENCE BRUINS IN ATLANTIC DIVISION SEMIFINALS Foes Faceoff For Second Straight Postseason HARTFORD, CT—For the second straight postseason, The Hartford Wolf Pack and Providence Bruins will face off in the Atlantic Division Semifinals. This series will follow a 2-2-1 setup, with the…
WOLF PACK PREGAME: ATLANTIC SEMIS VS. BRUINS
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack PROVIDENCE, RI – The Hartford Wolf Pack and Providence Bruins open their second Calder Cup Playoff series in as many years against each other tonight at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence. The puck drop is set for 7:05…
WOLF PACK COMPLETE PAIR OF TRANSACTIONS
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack Bryce McConnell-Barker Reassigned by Rangers, Maxim Barbashev Released from ATO HARTFORD, CT – New York Rangers President and General Manager Chris Drury announced today that the club has reassigned forward Bryce McConnell-Barker to the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack from…
WOLF PACK TO PLAY BRUINS IN ATLANTIC SEMIS
WOLF PACK TO FACE PROVIDENCE BRUINS IN ATLANTIC DIVISION SEMIFINALS Foes Faceoff For Second Straight Postseason HARTFORD, CT—For the second straight postseason, The Hartford Wolf Pack and Providence Bruins will face off in the Atlantic Division Semifinals. This series will follow a 2-2-1 setup, with the…
GARAND AND WOLF PACK ELIMINATE CHECKERS IN 3
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack CHARLOTTE, NC – Dylan Garand made a playoff career-high 39 saves on Sunday afternoon to help the Hartford Wolf Pack complete their First Round series victory over the Charlotte Checkers. The Wolf Pack used a five-on-five, powerplay, and shorthanded…
ORLANDO ENDS SWAMP RABBITS SEASON
Swamp Rabbits show life late, but Orlando pulls away to win the series BY: Mark Binetti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits GREENVILLE, SC– Jaydon Dureau’s two-goal night spearheaded a 5-1 Orlando Solar Bears win over the Greenville Swamp Rabbits on Tuesday to win the South Division Semifinals…
SWAMP RABBITS ANSWER BACK IN GAME 2
Eberle nets game-winner; three multi-point performers shine in win BY: Mark Binetti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits GREENVILLE, SC—Tanner Eberle broke a deadlock in a wild third period to headline the Greenville Swamp Rabbits’ Game 2 win over the Orlando Solar Bears by a 4-2 score on Monday…
SWAMP RABBITS DROP GAME 1 in OT
Spencer Kersten ends a 72-minute game to steal Game 1 from Greenville By: Mark Binetti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits GREENVILLE, S.C. – Spencer Kersten ended a marathon goalie duel to give the Orlando Solar Bears a lead in the South Division Semifinals, 1-0, over the Greenville…
SWAMP RABBITS SCHEDULE FOR SOUTH DIVISION SEMIFINALS
Swamp Rabbits and Solar Bears begin a best-of-seven series this Sunday in Greenville By: Mark Binetti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits GREENVILLE, S.C. – The Greenville Swamp Rabbits, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings, announced the full schedule for the 2024 Kelly Cup Playoffs…