Saturday night saw the Lions and the Norfolk Admirals meeting in Game 5 of the teams’ best-of-seven series, once again with the action taking place at the Norfolk Scope. Trois-Rivières’ back was against the wall as the team was facing elimination, down three games to one in the North Division semi-final.
The Lions took a 1-0 lead in the first period courtesy of a Chris Jandric end-to-end rush on the power play. It was a good opening 20 minutes of play for Trois-Rivières, who’d have to maintain their discipline over the final two periods if they entertained thoughts of winning the game and extending the series.
Tempers flared in the second period, starting when Jakov Novak – public enemy #1 among the Admirals’ faithful – scored to give the Lions a 2-0 lead. Close to five minutes later the Admirals finally lit the scoreboard when Danny Katic scored to narrow the Lions’ lead to 2-1. The Scope crowd became even more enraged when the Lions’ Jonathan Yantsis accidentally cross-checked Darick Louis-Jean, leading Louis-Jean to be carried off the ice on a stretcher. Norfolk then tied the game at 2-2 thanks to an Austen Keating goal, but only 22 seconds later it was Novak again who found the back of the Norfolk net – much to the crowd’s chagrin – to give the Lions a 3-2 lead after 40 minutes of play.
The Admirals were held scoreless in the third period while the Lions were able to increase their lead when Nicolas Guay made the score 4-2, which turned out to be the final score. Game 6 is Sunday night with puck drop at 7:00 p.m. and the Admirals holding a 3-2 series lead.
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