ECHL North Division Finals – Game 5 Recap: Trois-Rivières Lions vs Norfolk Admirals

As Mothers across the U.S. were celebrated, the Trois-Rivières Lions and Norfolk Admirals met for the final time this series in Norfolk. With the series tied at two, this game was a display of the series’ unpredictability. The Lions, who endured a shutout last game, were determined to bounce back—while the Admirals delivered their first shutout of the series and their fourth of the playoffs. With three games under his belt this series, Trois-Rivières’ Luke Cavallin is between the pipes, and the Admirals bring back Thomas Milic.

First Period

Puck drop, and so do the gloves. Admirals’ German Yavash and Lion Morgan Adams-Moisan throw down. Both go to the ice, with Yavash visibly worse for wear, heading down the tunnel first, while Adams-Moisan follows shortly after. The game delay due to blood on the ice wraps up with both receiving five-minute major penalties for fighting. Yavash does not return during the game, and Adams-Moisan comes back wearing a bubble shield, later switching to a half shield. 

Once underway again, the Admirals’ PK special teams have to put in the work due to Darick Louis-Jean’s hooking penalty—only for Lions’ Chris Jandric to follow it up two minutes later with a tripping penalty. Special teams Power Plays for this series are statistically just 0.10% apart, while their Penalty Kill rates differ by two percent, making each one a savage battle. Closing the period, Lions’ Justin Ducharme is called for tripping, putting the Admirals back on the power play. 

During the first period, the accuracy of play deteriorated, and passes failed to connect several times for both teams. This led to a 5–3 shots-on-goal count, with Norfolk taking advantage of the pressure. Physicality intensified as the period went on, with scrums breaking out toward the end—causing the final two minutes to take about ten minutes to complete.

Second Period

The Admirals kick things off with a penalty 1:39 in, as Jack O’Leary is called for holding, giving Trois-Rivières their second power play of the night. Tension was the only thing created by the special teams during the two minutes. The Admirals’ captain, Carson Musser, takes a puck to the head and leaves the ice. He returns a few shifts later, only to take a second hit to the head from the Lions. He receives medical attention on the bench for the hit, but nothing further. No penalty is called, increasing the beef between these teams. Emotions boil over in front of the net, and Lion Justin Ducharme is sent to the penalty box for roughing. Once again, neither team capitalizes on the power play. 

Both teams ramp things up in the last five minutes of the period, with the Lions pressing the Admirals for every inch of ice they’d give, leading shots on goal nine to six. This forced Norfolk to spend more time in defense mode. Thomas Milic, facing heavy traffic and running on fumes, held strong—sending the game into the second intermission still scoreless.

Third Period

Ice conditions delayed the start of the third period. The ice appeared wetter behind Milic, believed to be caused by a performance in the arena the night before. Once the surface was deemed satisfactory, play resumed. Trois-Rivières controlled the first half of the period, outshooting Norfolk 7–2. A heated scrum broke out, resulting in Admiral Grant Hebert being called for holding, while Lion Alex Beaucage took things further and received a slashing penalty. 

The Admirals get the raw end of the deal when Denis Smirnov takes a hit from behind by Vincent Sevigny, sending him into Luke Cavallin and leading to a charging penalty. After successfully killing off the penalty, Norfolk gets back to work, matching Trois-Rivières hit for hit. Given the dynamic performances of both goaltenders, the score remaining at zero isn’t surprising. This leads to players taking chances with risky plays in the latter half of the period. But with risk yielding no reward, the game heads to overtime.

Overtime

Puck drops with both teams ramping up the intensity on the ice. Cavallin, fending off the Admirals’ relentless offense, sees plenty of close-range action, while Milic stays sharp despite seeing less pressure early in overtime. Back-to-back missed icings allow both teams a chance off the draw, but neither is able to convert. The Admirals increase their presence during overtime, outshooting the Lions two to one during several stretches. Physical, hands-on plays escalate as more players make contact without any calls from the referees.

Icing is called with 38.2 seconds left, leading to a faceoff in the Admirals’ defensive zone. A trip down the ice later, and Anthony Beauregard puts it high for Trois-Rivières, sealing the 1–0 win. Luke Cavallin makes 31 saves, while Thomas Milic stops 33.

Three Stars of the Game

Upcoming 

Ice conditions throughout the night caused both teams to miss connections on multiple passes. As the series shifts to Quebec, that shouldn’t be an issue. With the Lions leading the series 3–2, Game Six could be the end of the road for the Admirals. Puck drop is set for 7:00 PM EDT on Tuesday, May 13 EDT, in Trois-Rivières, with a possible Game Seven for 7 PM EDT on Wednesday, May 14. The North Division final is the last series of round two in play, winner of this series will take on the Florida Everblades.