Kevin Conley scored twice Friday night as the Norfolk Admirals started a two-game series with a 5-2 victory over Trois-Rivières before 5,377 at Scope.
The Admirals scored four goals in the first period and didn’t allow a goal in the last 50-plus minutes as they ended a two-game losing streak. Goalie Isaac Poulter made 27 saves to improve his Admirals record to 13-7.
Norfolk (15-21-2-0) is 8-2 in January and 4-2 on a homestand that will end in a rematch against the Lions (16-19-0-3) at 7:05 Saturday night.
Charles Martin scored just 1:08 into the game, putting the Lions ahead 1-0. But the Admirals’ Jack O’Leary replied 12 seconds later with the tying goal off an assist from Chesapeake native Brandon Osmundson.
Trois-Rivières, a Montreal Canadiens affiliate, went ahead 2-1 with Joel Teasdale’s power-play goal at 9:15 of the first. But Conley struck at 13:34 for a 2-2 tie, and Brady Fleurent put the Admirals ahead for good, 3-2, just 36 seconds later against Lions goalie Vincent Duplessis.
Grant Hebert gave Norfolk an extra boost, scoring to make it 4-2 on a power play just before the first-period buzzer.
There weren’t too many more scoring opportunities before Conley’s goal made it 5-2 with 7:02 left in the final period. He was named the No. 1 star, Hebert the No. 2 star and Justin Young — who assisted both of Conley’s goals — the No. 3 star.
