About 2 1/2 nightmarish minutes Friday night doomed the Norfolk Admirals to their ninth loss in 10 ECHL games, 8-3 to the Florida Everblades before 3,718 in the opener of a three-game, three-day series at Scope.
The Admirals are 5-11-2-0, on a five-game regulation losing streak and last in the eight-team North Division heading into Saturday night’s 7:05 rematch.
This week, the Admirals acquired goalie Jaxon Castor from the Wheeling Nailers. His debut with Norfolk went well in a scoreless first period in which he made seven saves.
Then the middle period began, and Norfolk fans probably couldn’t believe what they saw. The South Division-leading Everblades (13-5-1-1), St. Louis Blues affiliates who won three consecutive Kelly Cups from 2022-24, turned the game into a rout with lightning speed.
Eventual No. 1 star Kyle Penney broke a scoreless tie 34 seconds into the period, and the proverbial floodgates opened. By the time 2:39 had elapsed, the Everblades led 5-0 — with all of the goals at even strength. Coach Jeff Carr then pulled Castor in favor of Alex Worthington.
The Admirals steadied the situation, with Chesapeake native Brandon Osmundson scoring 12:07 into the period to cut their deficit to 5-1.
Goals by Jack O’Leary and Jaydon Dureau in the third period made the final score more palatable, but the Everblades scored three times off Worthington in a span of 4:21 to win going away, completing the onslaught with Jesse Lansdell’s short-handed goal with 2:30 remaining.
Florida goalie Will Cranley made 20 saves for the victory. Penney had two assists after his opening goal, Jordan Sambrook also had a goal and two assists, and Craig Needham had two goals and an assist.
