pilotonline
In front of 4,011 fans at Scope on Friday night, Brandon Osmundson, a Chesapeake native, delivered the game-winning goal from the slot in overtime, propelling the Norfolk Admirals to a 3-2 triumph over the Greensboro Gargoyles. The victory marked the opening game of a three-day, two-city ECHL series between the two clubs.
The Gargoyles (1-2-2-0) will have a chance for revenge when they face the Admirals (3-3-0-1) again at Scope on Saturday night at 7:05. Following that matchup, both teams will head to North Carolina for a Sunday afternoon contest at Greensboro's historic coliseum.
Goaltender Collin Delia, a 32-year-old California native with NHL experience for the Chicago Blackhawks and Vancouver Canucks, turned aside 30 shots to secure his first win as an Admiral.
Norfolk was looking to rebound after being swept in a three-game series at Scope by the Trois-Rivières Lions last weekend, where the Admirals' only standings point came from an overtime loss in the middle game.
Justin Young opened the scoring 5:22 into the first period, giving the Admirals a 1-0 lead. However, the Gargoyles, affiliated with the Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes, responded with two second-period goals. Markus Oden found the net at 7:36, and Thomas Freel followed at 9:30 to put Greensboro ahead 2-1.
Michael Citara evened the score for Norfolk 6:03 into the third period, setting the stage for Osmundson's heroics. Just 2:36 into overtime, Osmundson netted his fourth goal of the season, with assists going to Young and Ryan Gagnon on the play.
Key Analysis
The Admirals' victory snapped a three-game losing streak and provided a much-needed boost after a tough homestand. Delia's strong performance in net, coupled with timely scoring from Young, Citara, and Osmundson, showcased the team's resilience. The series now shifts to Greensboro, where the Gargoyles will look to capitalize on home ice and even the series.
Originally reported by pilotonline.