DULUTH, GA – Ty Reichenbach made 38 saves on 41 shots, while Chris Crane added a goal and an assist as the Norfolk Admirals topped the Atlanta Gladiators 4-3 Sunday Afternoon at Infinite Energy Arena. With the win, the Admirals now improve to (14-16-1-2, 31 Points) on the year. The Admirals will return home with four of a possible six points.
Norfolk got on the board first with a goal from Kelly Klima. Klima skated the puck into the Atlanta end and skated around the net. Klima skated into the left circle and fired a tough angle shot and the shot banked off the left post and beat Sean Bonar to give Norfolk an early 1-0 lead.
Norfolk would extend their lead to two goals with a tally from Taylor Cammarata. Crane skated into the Atlanta zone on the left side. Crane fired a pass off to Taylor Cammarata in the slot. Cammarata skated into the left circle and fired off a shot using the defender as a screen and beat Bonar to give Norfolk a 2-0 lead at 10:47 of the first period.
Atlanta answered the Norfolk score with a goal of their own from Nick Bligh. Brett McKenzie played the puck from the middle of the ice after an outlet pass from Jared Ross. McKenzie skated into the Norfolk zone and passed the puck to Bligh in the right circle and Bligh’s wrister beat Reichenbach over the glove to cut the Norfolk lead to 2-1.
Atlanta later tied the game early in the second period on a goal from Jared Ross. Ross skated into the Norfolk zone on the left side. Ross fired a pass to Derek Nesbitt between the circles and Nesbitt fired a pass back door to Ross who’s shot beat the outstretched glove of Reichenbach to tie the game at two.
Norfolk would retake the lead on a goal from T.J. Melancon. Darik Angeli gathered the puck at the red line and skated it into the Atlanta zone. Angeli skated around one defender and just as he was approaching the bottom of the circle, he fired off a back-door pass that was redirected by Melancon past Bonar to give Norfolk the 3-2 lead at 6:28 of the second period.
Norfolk added another goal from Crane, which would eventually become the game winner. Norfolk was able to keep the puck in the Atlanta end after a failed clear. Klima picked off the outlet pass at the middle of the ice and skated between the circles. Klima fed a pass into the left circle to Taylor Cammarata. Cammarata passed the puck to Crane in the slot who shot the puck which was initially saved by Bonar. Crane found his own rebound and knocked it in past a sprawling Bonar to give Norfolk a 4-2 lead.
Atlanta once again cut the Admirals lead back down to one goal, but that’s as close as they would get, with a goal from Donald Oliveri. Nick Bligh gathered the puck in the right corner of the Norfolk zone after a dump in by Zach Malatesta. Bligh passed the puck to Oliveri in the right circle who’s shot beat a screened Reichenbach to cut the Norfolk lead to 4-3 with less than two minutes to go in the second period.
Atlanta would pepper Reichenbach in the third period with 18 shots, but Reichenbach stopped them all to help the Admirals hold off the Atlanta attack and preserve a 4-3 victory.
Reichenbach made 38 saves on 41 shots and picks up his 11th win of the year, while Bonar made 33 saves on 37 shots and takes the loss for Atlanta.
Three Stars
1 Kelly Klima, NOR- (1G,1A)
2 Nick Bligh, ATL- (1G, 2A)
3 Jared Ross, ATL- (1G,1A)
The Admirals will open up the 2019 calendar year with a three-game road set that begins in Reading on Friday. Game time is set for 7 p.m.
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