1/15- WBS Penguins 4 Norfolk 2
By: Phil Schoener
Updated: January 16, 2013
NORFOLK, Va. - Riley Holzapfel and Alex Grant each had a goal and two assists as the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins won their third straight with a 4-2 victory over the Norfolk Admirals at the Norfolk Scope.
With the game in a 1-1 deadlock going into the third period, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton went ahead for the first time in the match on Paul Thompson's team-leading 12th goal of the season. As his linemates crashed toward the Admirals' net, Thompson took a shot at the 4:49 mark that pinballed off of traffic in front and slipped past goalie Viktor Fasth.
A man-advantage allowed Norfolk to tie things up with just over five minutes left in regulation when Josh Brittain beat Brad Thiessen over the shoulder with a shot from the far circle.
A minute later, the Penguins were given their own chance to respond on the own power play. Grant blasted a slapshot from the blueline that found the back of the net for his first tally of the season and a 3-2 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton edge.
Norfolk would have one last chance to tie the game, skating 6-on-4 with a power play and their net empty, but Brian Gibbons blocked a shot and fired the loose puck home to seal the win for the Penguins.
The Admirals drew first blood at 6:56 of the first as Nick Schaus fired a wrist shot from the wing that eluded the glove of Thiessen.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton was awarded a two-man advantage early in the second and capitalized at 3:07 to even the score. Brian Dumoulin set up Grant at the point for a one-timer that Holzapfel tipped by Fasth for his 10th goal of the year.
Thiessen made 11 saves on just 13 shots to gather his fourth win in five starts. Fasth, appearing in his first game in North America, stopped 25-of-28 for Norfolk
