The Norfolk Admirals and Wheeling Nailers met for Game 2 of the North Division Semifinals on Thursday Night. Norfolk took Game 1 of the series on Wednesday. It would be similar to the start of Game 1, as Darick-Louis Jean would pick up the game’s first goal. Jordan Martel would get a breakaway again, which would all come in the game’s opening minute. Wheeling got a chance to get themselves back in the game, as Dennis Smirnov took a tripping penalty 1:13. Once again, the Nailers would come up empty on the man advantage. Norfolk doubled their lead with just over five minutes to go, as off a faceoff win, Ben Zloty walked in from the point and beat Sergei Murashov. Norfolk’s first three goals came from their defensemen. The Nailers outshot the Admirals 11-8 in the first.
In the second, the physicality continued to increase as the Nailers looked to swing the momentum anyway they could, but it wouldn’t play in their favor. In Game 1, the two teams wouldn’t be able to score with the man advantage, but after eight unsuccessful PPs by both teams, the Admirals would cash in for the first PP goal of the series as Hank Crone fed Smirnov for a one-timer to make it a 3-0 game. Brady Fleurent would get a short-handed breakaway but would be slashed on his way to the net. It would be the first penalty shot of the 2025 Kelly Cup Playoffs. Murashov would come up big with the save on Fleurent to keep it a 3-0 game.
The Norfolk Admirals added another goal in the third as Sean Montgomery scored to make it a 4-0 game. Wheeling pulled Murashov with 4:28 to go for the extra attacker to try and get some sort of momentum heading into Game 3. Norfolk and Wheeling continued the physicality as 38 penalty minutes were handed out in the final 3:43 of the third period. There were also three 10-minute Misconducts thrown in there as well. Thomas Milic stopped all 33 shots he had for his second straight shutout. The series will now shift to Wheeling, with all five possible games to be played at WesBanco Arena. Game 3 is scheduled for Wednesday Night in Wheeling with puck drop at 7:10 EST.
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