After floundering for most of the season, the Norfolk Admirals have found new life.
Especially Chase Yoder.
Coming into Friday night’s game with three goals in 18 ECHL games this season, the 23-year-old Texas native netted four as the Admirals achieved a 6-1 rout of the Adirondack Thunder before 4,382 in Glens Falls, New York. A six-game winning streak ended for Adirondack (17-9-3-1), the second-place team in the North Division.
The Admirals (10-19-2-0) have escaped last place in the eight-team North and will carry a three-game winning streak into a rematch at 7 Saturday night at Harding Mazzotti Arena.
Thunder goalie Justin Brodeur, whose Hall of Fame father, Martin, is in the front office of Adirondack’s parent club, the NHL’s New Jersey Devils, made 29 saves but took the loss.
Isaac Poulter made 25 saves for the victory and was the night’s No. 2 star, behind Yoder. Kristóf Papp, the No. 3 star, had a goal and an assist.
Grant Hebert gave Norfolk the lead 17:24 into the game. Yoder scored his first goal 4:14 into the second period, and Papp followed at 6:37 for a 3-0 lead.
Adirondack made it 3-1 when Justin Taylor netted a power-play goal at 12:14 of the second.
The third period belonged to Yoder, a five-year Providence College player and 2020 Pittsburgh Penguins draftee who would’ve achieved a hat trick in less than 11 minutes even if he hadn’t scored in the first period. He beat Brodeur at 2:42, 5:27 and 13:01, the last on a power play.
Jack O’Leary, Ben Zloty and David Drake had two assists apiece.
