By Brian Ring
Bridgeport, CT, May 9, 2012 – The Connecticut Whale were defeated by the Norfolk Admirals, 4-0, Wednesday night at the Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport in Game Five of their best-of-seven Eastern Conference Semifinals series.
The Admirals now lead the series, three games to two, with the series switching back to Norfolk for Game Six on Friday night at the Norfolk Scope (7:30).
Alexandre Picard had two of Norfolk’s goals to power the Admirals’ attack, tallying his fifth and sixth goals of the postseason, and Ondrej Palat added a goal and an assist in the effort.
Jaroslav Janus notched the shutout for the Admirals in his first appearance of the series, making 22 saves.
After missing on several close calls, the Admirals finally broke through with the first goal of the game with 4:45 remaining in the opening period. Picard beat Whale goaltender Cam Talbot (31 saves) off a wrap-around chance for his fifth goal of the playoffs, assisted by Pierre-Cedric Labrie.
Picard would strike again 2:43 into the second period, stuffing home a rebound of a Scott Jackson shot past Talbot for his second goal of the game and a 2-0 Norfolk advantage. Palat also assisted on the score.
Palat would extend the lead to 3-0 with 5:54 left in the third period, his second point of the night and third goal of the playoffs. Tyler Johnson and Jean-Philippe Cote each assisted on the goal.
Labrie capped the night’s scoring with his second goal of the series, coming with just over five seconds to play in the final frame.
The series now switches back to Norfolk for Game Six, as the Whale and Admirals face-off again in a must-win for Connecticut on Friday night (7:30 PM, “The Rock” 106.9 WCCC, live video streaming available at www.ahllive.com).
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Norfolk Admirals 4 at Connecticut Whale 0
Wednesday, May 9, 2012 – Webster Bank Arena
Norfolk 1 1 2 – 4
Connecticut 0 0 0 – 0
1st Period-1, Norfolk, Picard 5 (Labrie), 15:15. Penalties-Devos Nor (interference), 2:32; Wellman Ct (tripping), 16:54.
2nd Period-2, Norfolk, Picard 6 (Jackson, Palat), 2:43. Penalties-Janus Nor (tripping), 6:32.
3rd Period-3, Norfolk, Palat 3 (Johnson, Cote), 14:06. 4, Norfolk, Labrie 3 (Angelidis, Segal), 19:54. Penalties-Killorn Nor (hooking), 2:38; Cote Nor (slashing), 9:04; Audy-Marchessault Ct (slashing), 9:56; Picard Nor (roughing), 17:23; Owens Ct (goaltender interference, roughing), 17:23; Conacher Nor (roughing), 19:10; Audy-Marchessault Ct (slashing, misconduct – unsportsmanlike conduct), 19:10.
Shots on Goal-Norfolk 8-15-13-36. Connecticut 6-7-9-22.
Power Play Opportunities-Norfolk 0 / 3; Connecticut 0 / 4.
Goalies-Norfolk, Janus 1-1-0 (22 shots-22 saves). Connecticut, Talbot 5-2-0 (36 shots-32 saves).
A-1,154
Referees-Geno Binda (22), Jon McIsaac (39).
Linesmen-Luke Galvin (2), Kevin Redding (16).
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