PHN photo essay: Norfolk extends winning streak in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton

WILKES-BARRE TOWNSHIP, Pa. – With a pair of third-period goals, including a power-play goal by Carter Ashton, the Norfolk Admirals set a new franchise-record with their ninth-consecutive victory, as they defeated the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, 3-2. The nine-game winning streak is Norfolk’s longest since the team joined the American Hockey League prior to the 2000-01 season. With the victory, the Admirals extend their lead in the East Division to four points over the Penguins and eight points over the third-place Hershey Bears. Norfolk also ties the Oklahoma City Barons for the most points in the AHL with 75. Mark Barberio and Jean-Philippe Cote joined Ashton on the goal sheet, while Dustin Tokarski turned aside 28 shots for his sixth-straight win and his AHL-leading 25th victory of the season. The Penguins broke a scoreless tie with just over seven minutes remaining in the second period. As his team skated with their fourth power play of the night, Ben Street sent a wrist shot from the left faceoff circle. The shot deflected off the glove of Tokarski and behind the Admirals’ netminder to give the Penguins a 1-0 lead at 12:27. The Admirals knotted the game at 1-1 with a power play goal by Mark Barberio. With his team skating on a man advantage, Tyler Johnson slipped a pass to Barberio in the center slot. Before being knocked into the net, Barberio fired a shot over the glove of Penguins netminder Patrick Killeen for his ninth of the season at 17:07. Norfolk took their first lead of the contest on Jean-Philippe Cote’s first tally since joining the Admirals in mid-November. After Johnson won an offensive-zone faceoff back to Cote, the defenseman fired a shot over the glove of Killeen to give the Admirals a 2-1 lead at 4:44 of the third. With just over ten minutes remaining, the Penguins’ Alexandre Picard knotted the game at 2-2. The defenseman picked up a loose puck along the right-side boards and fired a shot over Tokarski at 9:50 of the third. With just 2:04 remaining in regulation, the Admirals took the lead for good on Ashton’s 19th goal of the season. While standing on the left side of the Penguins net, Ashton chipped a loose rebound off of Killeen’s stick and in behind the Penguins netminder to put the Admirals ahead 3-2, at 17:56 of the third. Despite facing a six-on-five Penguins’ attack for the final sixty seconds, the Admirals held on for their ninth victory in a row and their fifth victory in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton this season. Dustin Tokarski (25-11-0) made 28 saves on 30 shots in the victory. Patrick Killeen (0-2-0) turned aside 21 of 24 shots in the loss. The Admirals were 2 for 7 on the power play while the Penguins were 1 for 6. Three Stars: 1. Carter Ashton – NOR 2. Alexandre Picard – WBS 3. Jean-Philippe Cote – NOR NOTES … Norfolk’s nine-game winning streak breaks the old franchise-record of eight games, set twice since the team joined the AHL prior to the 2000-01 season … J.P. Cote’s goal was his first in the AHL since he scored a pair of goals during the 08-09 season when he was a member of the Penguins … Brandon Segal has three goals and one assist in three games since joining the Admirals on Tuesday afternoon … Ashton’s third-period goal was his first goal since Feb. 3rd in Adirondack … The Admirals finished the season undefeated in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (5-0-0-0) and have won six of eight vs. the Penguins this season (6-2-0-0) … The victory was the Admirals 15th one-goal win this season (15-6-1-2) … The Admirals are 13-1-0-0 and 8-1-0-0 when allowing two goals in a game this season … Did not play: Richard Petiot …

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