NORFOLK, VA- There is good news and bad news coming out of game two of the North Division Semifinal Series for the Wheeling Nailers. The good news is that Wheeling will not have to see Norfolk Scope Arena for the rest of the series. The bad news is that they left the building without a goal. Thomas Milic and the Norfolk Admirals delivered a second consecutive 4-0 result to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.
For the second night in a row, the Nailers held the shots advantage in the opening stanza, but found themselves behind by two on the scoreboard. Norfolk needed just 35 seconds to score the first goal. Colton Young chipped the puck into the air in the high slot, where it bounced off of Darick Louis-Jean and floated in over the left side of the goal line. The Admirals added to their lead with 5:07 to go. Ben Zloty got the puck at the left point from an offensive zone face-off win by his teammates. Zloty proceeded to skate down the boards, then cut to the net, where he sifted a backhander through Sergei Murashov's legs.
Norfolk picked up another goal in the second period to up the margin to three. This was the first special teams goal of the series, as it came on a power play. Hank Crone set up Denis Smirnov for a one-time bullet, which he drove home from the top of the right circle. Wheeling got a big stop to keep the deficit at three, when Murashov used the blocker to deny a shorthanded penalty shot by Brady Fleurent with 4:43 left.
Sean Montgomery added one more to the final total for the Admirals with a breakaway in the third period, as the host squad prevailed, 4-0.
Thomas Milic earned his second shutouts in as many nights for Norfolk, as he denied all 32 shots he faced. Sergei Murashov made 25 saves on 28 shots in the loss for Wheeling.
The Nailers and Admirals will navigate their way to WesBanco Arena for the remainder of the series. Next up is game three on Wednesday, April 23rd at 7:10. That will be followed by game four on Friday, April 25th at 7:10 and game five on Saturday, April 26th at 7:10. Games six and seven (both if necessary) will be on Monday, April 28th and Tuesday, April 29th at 7:10. Tickets for the 2025 Kelly Cup Playoffs are available by calling (304) 234-GOAL or visiting wheelingnailers.com. The Wheeling Nailers, considered one of the top things to do in Wheeling, West Virginia, provide affordable family entertainment for fans throughout the Ohio Valley.
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