The Norfolk Admirals and Wheeling Nailers met in the North Division Semifinals in what was expected to be a tightly contested series. It would be the odd 2-5 format due to arena availability at Norfolk Scope, so the Nailers, despite having home-ice advantage, began this series on the road. Norfolk and Wheeling split the short two-game series during the regular season. The goaltending led the Admirals and turned this into a surprisingly quick five-game series, with Norfolk moving on to their second straight North Division Final. Let’s take a deeper dive into how this series played out.
Results (Norfolk Admirals Win Series 4-1)
Key Players
Grant Hebert (Norfolk)- It was a tough year for Hebert as he was limited to just 24 games. After putting up five goals and 11 assists for 16 points in the regular season. The St. Andrews native found another level in the opening round, putting up a goal and seven assists. If Hebert continues his success into the Division Finals, it would greatly boost Norfolk’s secondary scoring.
Denis Smirnov (Norfolk)—The Admirals struggled on the PP in the opening round, going 3-18 with the man advantage. Two of the PP goals came from the Russian defenseman, who had three goals and an assist in the series.
Chase Pietila (Wheeling)- There’s much to like about the Pittsburgh Penguins fourth-round pick from 2024. He would lead all Nailers defensemen in three games during the Kelly Cup Playoffs with three assists. The younger brother of Logan Pietila also made an impact physically in this series, not being afraid to throw the body around and dropping the gloves with Connor Fedorek in Game 4.
Goaltending
Wheeling Nailers
In a playoff series, you are expected to see a team go with one goalie and ride him unless of a call-up or injury. The Nailers would end up going with three different goalies throughout the five-game series. Sergei Murashov would get the net for the first three games before being called up to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
Jaxon Castor came into the season as the third goalie for Wheeling, got the start for the Nailers on Friday, giving up just one goal on 30 shots to extend the Nailers season. Wheeling got some more help heading into game five as Murashov and Taylor Gautheir were sent to the Nailers after Wilkes-Barre/Scranton was eliminated. Head Coach Derek Army would go to Gauthier in Game 5. Gauthier finished the season with an 18-10-2 record with a 2.06 GAA, .928SV%, and two shutouts. He had the third-best GAA in franchise history for the Nailers.
Norfolk Admirals
Thomas Milic would be the difference maker in the series, giving up just one goal in the first three games. Wheeling would solve Milic in Game 4, scoring four goals on 30 shots. It was a back-to-back for games 4 and 5, and Norfolk would give Milic the night off and go to Domenic DiVincentiis. The 21-year-old goaltender was coming off a 26-save shutout a week prior in the AHL with the Manitoba Moose. DiVincentiis went 15-5 with a 2.97 GAA and .896SV% in 20 games during the regular season. In his first career Kelly Cup Playoff Start, he would make 29 saves to send the Admirals to their second consecutive North Division Final.
ITR 39: Conference Finals – Inside The Rink
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