Smolenak, Radek

Ads storm out to a 4-0 lead and hold on for the win.

MAN-3
NOR-4

Ryan Munce stopped 35 of 38 shots faced for the win.

First Period
NOR Kearns, (6) (Mihalik, Segal), 2:42 (PP)
NOR Lawrence, (5) (Klinkhammer), 12:36

Second Period
NOR Smolenak, (15) (Bates), 0:41
NOR Kearns, (7) (Schneider, Tyrell), 6:40 (PP)
MCH Purcell, (21) (Milam, Likens), 10:18 (PP)
MCH Cliche, (9) (Kidd, Tukonen), 18:09

Third Period
MCH Meckler, (21) (Milam), 14:40 (PP)

Bracken Kearns, Jamie Bates, and Brandon Segal were named the game's three stars. Bates, 23, was signed to an ATO contract today out of Quinnipiac University. Bates scored 123 points in his 4 year career at Quinnipiac, including 34 points in 34 games this season.

Can we get the rest of the organization's forwards on what Radek Smolenak and Michel Ouellet have been eating the last month or so? Mercy.

Dana Tyrell has 3 assists now in his 5 ATO games with the Admirals. Not bad for a 19 year old.

Chris Lawrence's goal was his first since November 30, 2007. The linebackeresque forward now has 1 goal and 6 points in his last 8 games. Lawrence missed a month and a half in January and February with a shoulder injury.

Tonight's win was Norfolk's 26th of the season, two shy of Springfield's total from last season. The win gave the team their 58th and 59th points of the season, which ties the Falcons' point total from last season.

Box score from TheAHL.com.

Admirals had no answers in the third period.

HER-4
NOR-1

Jonathan Boutin allowed 4 goals on 35 shots for the loss.

First Period
HER Wilson, (24) (Gordon, Bourque), 4:53 (PP)

Second Period
NOR Smolenak, (14) (Kearns), 16:30
HER Joudrey, (10) (Pinizzotto, Robitaille), 17:09

Third Period
HER Wilson, (25) (Lepisto, Gordon), 8:17 (PP)
HER Paiement, (4) , 9:57 (PP)

Radek Smolenak keeps chugging away.

Box score from TheAHL.com.

Unfortunately, injuries on the backline may finally be catching up to Norfolk.

POR-5
NOR-3

Marc Denis allowed 5 goals on 23 shots for the loss before being pulled for Jonathan Boutin who stopped all 4 shots he faced.

First Period
POR Bouck, (7) (St. Jacques, Ebbett), 5:35 (PP)
NOR Henrich, (14) (Keller, Wanvig), 17:11

Second Period
POR King, (26) (Bouck, Festerling), 12:58
POR Birner, (7) (Ferguson), 13:38
NOR Wanvig, (20) (Henrich, Mihalik), 14:44

Third Period
POR St. Jacques, (7) (Miller, Bootland), 1:14
POR Bouck, (8) (Ebbett, Ferguson), 7:05
NOR Keller, (12) (Jones, Lawrence), 17:45

Justin Keller and Adam Henrich each checked in with 1 goal and 1 assist in the game. Kyle Wanvig and Henrich were named the game's second and third stars.

Keller now has 12 goals and 33 points in 60 games with a +5 rating. A season ago in Springfield, Keller played exactly 60 games but only managed 24 points and had a -11 rating. The improvement is obvious.

Prior to this season Henrich had just 13 goals and 38 points in his entire AHL career of three seasons and 102 games. This season Henrich already has 14 goals and 31 points in 40 games, and there is still a chance he will double his career statistical output by the end of the year. Again, the improvement is obvious.

A year ago, as a rookie, Blair Jones had 5 goals and 21 points in 45 games (.467 PPG). This season, Blair Jones has 13 goals and 35 points in 63 games (.556 PPG). Again, the improvement is obvious.

A season ago, as a rookie, Radek Smolenak had just 1 point in 20 games. This season, the big winger has 11 goals and 21 points in 45 games. Again, the improvement is obvious.

Coupled with a strong rookie campaign by Vladimir Mihalik (now a team leading +9 among defensemen), the organization is looking less and less like the disaster the local and national media was making it out to be just a month or two ago. In fact, I dare say, it's difficult to claim that there isn't progress being made in Norfolk, even with the defeat tonight.

Eventually, some of that progress will find its way onto NHL ice.

Box score from TheAHL.com.

Home sweet home.

PHI-2
NOR-4

Marc Denis stopped 42 of 44 shots faced for the win, and is playing really well of late.

First Period
NOR Segal, (6) (Kearns, Smolenak), 6:17
NOR Henrich, (11) (Wanvig, Keller), 13:11 (PP)

Second Period
NOR Jones, (13) , 4:37
PHI Matsumoto, (17) (Laliberte, Gauthier), 8:23 (PP)

Third Period
NOR Smolenak, (10) (Jones, Scalzo), 3:18 (PP)
PHI Laliberte, (3) (Matsumoto, Powe), 14:34

Denis, Blair Jones, and Radek Smolenak were the game's three stars.

Tonight was the Ads' first game back at The Scope after the annual marathon known as the circus road trip. The road trip was modestly successful, considering the team lost 2/3 of its top line to a call up and an injury. Still, there's no doubt that the Admirals are a much better team at home and the team put a really good first period together tonight to jump out to a 2-0 lead and Denis helped make it stick. Denis pulled his save percentage for the AHL season up above .900 tonight, which is a welcome sign.

A night like tonight also gives you a lot of hope that the youngsters on this team are starting to get it. Jones and Smolenak each chipped in 1 goal and 1 assist, Adam Henrich potted a goal, and Justin Keller added a helper. With Junior Lessard in Tampa and Paul Szczechura on the shelf injured it would be easy for the Ads to pack it in right now. But, the kids are stepping up a little here and taking more reponsibility on their shoulders. Good.

Don't look now, but Vladimir Mihalik is sitting on a +7 rating, which is somewhat phenomenal for a guy who plays 20 minutes a night on a team that's 11 games under .500 and has been outscored by 38 goals this season. This young man is going to be a beast in two or three years.

Box score from TheAHL.com.

Maybe the game that gets Marc Denis back to the NHL?

WOR-2
NOR-4

Marc Denis stopped a preposterous 48 of 50 shots faced for the victory.

First Period
NOR Milley, (15) (Jones, Schneider), 7:25
NOR Rosehill, (2) (Mihalik, Milley), 12:22
WOR Setoguchi, (5) (Kaspar, Raduns), 16:49 (PP)
WOR Setoguchi, (6) (Traverse, Cavanagh), 17:39 (SH)

Second Period
NOR Szczechura, (12) (Wanvig, Smolenak), 6:18

Third Period
NOR Wanvig, (17) (Milley, Jones), 19:39 (EN)

Denis was named first star of the game while Norm Milley earned third star of the game honors. There are rumors the Lightning may put Denis through re-entry waivers in the next week or two in the hope another team will take him. And effort like tonight coupled with a great relief appearance last night will go a long way toward making that happen.

Blair Jones now has two multi-point games in a row after a long drought while Radek Smolenak broke his short scoring slump with a helper on the game winning goal.

Don't look now but Vladimir Mihalik, favorite target of the Norfolk fan base, improved his +/- to even on the season with a +3 night and had an assist.

Box score from TheAHL.com.