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After losing seven games, the Norfolk Admirals gave the 5,600 fans in attendance on Friday night a shoot out victory on the strong goaltending performance by Viktor Fasth. [Ed. Note: Fasth was sent down by the Ducks to get some games on North American ice. He is expected to be Jonas Hiller's primary backup. - JN]
Unfortunately on Saturday night, Pink in the Rink Night, the Admirals lost 1-0 in a game with few shots and two poorly run offenses. It was also the first, and very possibly the only, sellout of the season in Norfolk with 8,700 fans witnessing the loss.
On Sunday they traveled down to Charlotte, North Carolina to face the Checkers. Veteran goalie Jeff Deslauriers attended physically but he not at all there mentally letting in six goals. Then again, you could just blame it on our suddenly awful penalty kill, decimated by call ups, they allowed three goals against. [Ed. Note: Hey! Sounds like the Ducks penalty kill... - JN]
Frederik Andersen and Viktor Fasth traded places and hopefully Anaheim finds a dark corner to put Deslauriers into if he can't make something happen in the next three games. The Admirals signed Kent Huskins, who won The Cup with Anaheim and previously played in Norfolk, to a Professional Tryout Contract. That lasted two games as the Detroit Red Wings - suddenly the most desperate team in need of defense in the NHL - picked him up.
With all the players up in Anaheim, the Admirals have been forced to try and overcome some pretty substantial losses in the offensive and defensive ends. They have not come close to recovering yet.
I'd say the most consistent players over that weekend of hockey were Emerson Etem and Dan Sexton. Sexton had 13 shots on goal, earning only one assist. Etem had one goal on 10 total shots.
Wednesday night the Admirals, once again, face on the really good Checkers team but in Norfolk this time. Charlotte lost a few people to Carolina but their team is still firing on all cylinders with awesome play by their goalie Justin Peters. They are No. 1 overall in the league.
On Friday and Saturday the Ads take on the overly-physical Bridgeport Sound Tigers, who are, like usual, full of people who like to fight. Only two teams have more penalty minutes than they do. They are nine points ahead of the Ads and in the eighth and final playoff spot.