This past weekend, the top-two teams in the ECHL’s North Division went head-to-head as the Norfolk Admirals welcomed the Wheeling Nailers to Norfolk Scope. The Nailers and Admirals have been two of the hottest teams in the league.
Norfolk Admirals vs. Wheeling Nailers 01/03/2025
In the first of only two meetings between the Admirals and Nailers, the Nailers took it by a 5-4 final. Domenic DiVincentiis took just his third loss of the season, stopping 27 of the 32 shots he faced. Sergei Murashov won his 14th game of the season, stopping 31 of the 35 shots he faced.
The Admirals got out to a hot start on Friday night. Carson Golder got things started at 8:18 of the first period. Despite falling behind, the Nailers did not lose any momentum and could tally two goals of their own. The first came halfway into the first period as Jack Beck knotted the game at one. Dilan Peters gave the Nailers the lead just 32 seconds later. They would take the 2-1 lead into the locker room. Norfolk held a 12-11 shot advantage through one period of play.
Norfolk struggled to get going in the middle frame. They were held to just six shots, while Wheeling tallied 14, converting on two of those shots. Gabe Klassen tallied his first of two for the game at 12:33 of the second period. With less than two minutes to go, Atley Calvert extended the Nailers’ lead to 4-1.
Knowing the challenge ahead of them, the Admirals came out for the third period hard. Just 2:47 in, Josh McDougall brought the game back to within two, but Klassen responded at 5:02 to regain the Nailers’ three-goal lead. At 14:57, Golder collected his second goal of the game to make it a 5-3 game. Exactly a minute later; Sean Montgomery made it a 5-4 game with just under four minutes to go. Despite tallying 17 shots in the third period and keeping the Nailers to just seven shots, the Admirals fell short and were denied by the outstanding play of Murashov.
Norfolk Admirals vs. Wheeling Nailers 01/04/2025
Looking to seek revenge, the Admirals showed no mercy on the North Division’s top team, embarrassing them by a 9-3 final. Allowing five goals on eight shots, Taylor Gauthier picked up the loss. Murashov came on in relief, allowing three goals on 19 shots. DiVincetiis was phenomenal in net for the Admirals, stopping 32 of 35 shots.
In an ECHL record-tying six-goal first period, Stepan Timofeyev got things started just 1:44 into the opening frame. At 3:35, Darick Louis-Jean made it a 2-0 game. After a break from the goal-scoring, Pavel Padakin made it 3-0, followed by three more goals in the span of two minutes and one second. Brady Fleurent started that streak of goals at 11:43, followed by Denis Smirnov and 12:21, and Justin Young at 13:44.
The Admirals went on to make it seven straight goals with the second period’s opening goal. Fleurent tallied his second of the game at 5:36, but the Nailers finally found the back of the net just 18 seconds later. Brandon Osmundson found a way to join the fun at 15:18 to make it an 8-1 game. Playing a bit contently, the Admirals allowed the Nailers to get two late goals to make it an 8-3 game. Sam Houde and Matt Koopman were the goal scorers.
The Admirals survived an onslaught of shots from the Nailers in the third period. Timofeyev collected his second of the game at 3:52 to make it a 9-3 game. DiVincentiis was spectacular in the final frame, keeping the Nailers off the board.
What’s Next?
The Admirals head to Portland, Maine, this weekend (Jan. 11-12) for a pair of games with the Maine Mariners. The Nailers head to Fishers, Indiana, for a meeting with the Indy Fuel on Jan. 8 and 10.
ITR 32: The Final Countdown – Inside The Rink
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