Andre Petersson scored a power-play goal 13:10 into overtime as the Norfolk Admirals kept their season alive with a 3-2 win over the St. John’s IceCaps in Game 5 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series at Norfolk Scope on Tuesday night.
The IceCaps still lead the series, 3-2, and will host Game 6 and, if necessary, Game 7.
St. John’s took a 1-0 lead at 6:23 of the first period, scoring the game’s first goal for the eighth time in nine outings this postseason. Eric O’Dell took a pass from Kyle MacKinnon, created some room and snapped a shot past Brad Thiessen for his fourth goal of the series.
Norfolk had a potential tying goal erased when they were whistled for having too many men on the ice, but just 10 seconds after the bench minor expired Max Friberg took a shot that caught Michael Hutchinson up high, bounced over the netminder’s head and trickled in to make it 1-1.
Shea Theodore, Anaheim’s first-round pick in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, gave the Admirals a 2-1 lead with his first professional goal, backhanding a shot past Hutchinson 48 seconds into the third period.
O’Dell forced overtime with his second goal of the night and fifth in the last three games, taking a Kael Mouillierat feed from behind the net and one-timing it past Thiessen with 2:58 left in regulation.
Petersson netted the winning goal on a drive from the center point with the Admirals working on a man advantage in overtime.
Thiessen turned aside 36 of 38 shots for Norfolk, improving to 9-2 in 11 career AHL playoff starts when facing elimination.
Hutchinson finished with 34 saves, including 13 in overtime.
Eastern Conference Semifinals – Series “I” (best-of-7)
4-St. John’s IceCaps vs. 8-Norfolk Admirals | Series Snapshot
Game 1 – Tue., May 6 – Norfolk 3, ST. JOHN’S 1
Game 2 – Wed., May 7 – ST. JOHN’S 2, Norfolk 1
Game 3 – Sat., May 10 – St. John’s 5, NORFOLK 3
Game 4 – Mon., May 12 – St. John’s 5, NORFOLK 1
Game 5 – Tue., May 13 – NORFOLK 3, St. John’s 2 (OT)
Game 6 – Fri., May 16 – Norfolk at St. John’s, 6:00
*Game 7 – Sat., May 17 – Norfolk at St. John’s, 6:00
*if necessary… All times Eastern
