ORLANDO, FLA – Coming off of a 9-1 loss to South Carolina on Wednesday, the Norfolk Admirals headed further south to take on the Orlando Solar Bears in the first of back-to-back games. Despite entering the contest with a 3-1 record against their hosts, the Admirals (12-33-5-0) just did not have the right stuff as they were shut out 4-0 at the Amway Center on Friday night.
Recently acquired goalie Jake Theut got his first start in an Admirals uniform and played admirably, stopping 11 of 12 Orlando shots he faced in the opening period. The one he did not get was a Johno May shot from the top of the faceoff circle that was redirected by Solar Bears defenseman Alexander Kuqali in front and into the cage for his first tally of the season.
Orlando took control of the contest in the second frame, netting a pair of goals. The first came at the 3:56 mark when during a power play, some nifty tic-tac-toe passing by Taylor Cammarata and Tristin Langan led to a man advantage score by May for his 14th of the season and 10th with the Solar Bears.
The home team extended its lead to 3-0 a little past the midpoint of the stanza when newcomer Zane Schartz jumped on a Norfolk turnover and blasted a shot past Theut for his first tally with Orlando.
The final period was testy as a pair of fights broke out. In between the bouts, second year Solar Bears forward Dylan Fitze split two Admirals defenders by playing the puck between the legs of one defenseman, made a deke to his forehand and quickly went to his backhand to tuck it home for his third of the year and the final score of the contest.
Theut finished the night with 32 saves on 36 shots faced while Orlando netminder Zach Fucale turned away all 34 Norfolk shots to record his second straight shutout in his last two starts – the first coming back on February 5th when he blanked Florida 1-0 in overtime.
The two teams will meet again Saturday night at the Amway Center in Orlando. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m.
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