Hawkins power play goal gives Walleye second straight victory over Admirals

NORFOLK, VA - In their second of three games this week on Norfolk's home ice, the Walleye pulled off a 3-2 win thanks to a third period power play goal by Hawkins. 

Similar to Wednesday night's game, the penalties got to an early start as Norfolk's Carson Musser received a holding minor just under two minutes in. The Walleye applied the pressure on the opening power play, registering six shots that were all saved by Norfolk netminder Michael Bullion. With the first shot after the expiration of the man advantage, Conlan Keenan netted his second goal of the season to put the Walleye up 1-0 at 4:26. Ryan Lowney and Mitchell Heard were credited with the assists. The Admirals were quick to tie it up as Brett Ouderkirk scored an unassisted goal just under four minutes later. 

The first Toledo penalty went to Thomas Ebbing at the 14:54 mark for cross-checking. Mathieu registered the lone Norfolk shot on the power play, but John Lethemon got the save. Shots were even at eleven after the opening period. 

Mitchell Heard got the first penalty of the second on an interference call nearly three minutes in. The mighty Toledo penalty kill unit allowed zero Norfolk shots over the next two minutes. Callum Fryer got his turn in the box next for a cross-checking penalty, but the Admirals secured the penalty kill. At 9:12, Danny Katic backhanded the puck past Lethemon into the Walleye net. Before the puck passed the goal line, the net had already been knocked off its moorings by Lethemon, but the play was kept a goal after review. 

The next penalty went to Norfolk's Elijah Vilio at the 14:00 mark for interference. The Admirals secured their third penalty kill of the game, but Toledo went on to tie it up on an equal strength goal from Kameron Kielly just 17 seconds after the power play expired. The assists were awarded to Joseph Nardi and Donovan Sebrango. The Walleye more than doubled Norfolk's shots in the second, topping them 13-5. 

Griffin Lunn received the first penalty of the final period on a tripping call just under four minutes in. Brandon Hawkins, with the assistance of Kirill Tyutyayev and Thomas Ebbing, netted a top shelf goal 43 seconds into the power play to make it 3-2. The Admirals got their third chance on the man advantage with a hooking call against Cole Fraser at 6:12. Norfolk went on a streak of eight consecutive shots over the next eight minutes, but Toledo kept them scoreless. Michael Bullion headed for the Admirals bench with 1:50 on the clock, but the extra man wasn't enough to keep Norfolk in the game. 

After three periods, Toledo led in shots by a count of 30 to 28. Kameron Kielly's second period equalizer marked his first in a Walleye sweater. With one assist apiece, Mitchell Heard, Donovan Sebrango, and Thomas Ebbing earned themselves two-game point streaks. Joseph Nardi also added another point to his rookie record and extended his three-game point streak to four with an assist. John Lethemon's 26-save win moved his record to 3-1-1 on the year. 

Three Stars Sponsored by Local 245:

1) TOL - B. Hawkins (1G)

2) TOL - C. Keenan (1G)

3) NOR - B. Ouderkirk (1G)

Up Next:

The Walleye will close out the series in Norfolk tomorrow at 6:05 p.m.