Milan Bartovic scored twice during a wild second period as Norfolk escaped the Broome County Arena with an 8-6 win over the Binghamton Senators on Wednesday night.
The back-and-forth affair saw the teams combine for nine goals on 42 shots in the middle frame alone.
Binghamton’s Charlie Stephens and Norfolk’s Colin Fraser traded goals in the opening 3:30 of the game, and the 1-1 tie held up until the Senators got goals from Danny Bois and Denis Hamel early in the second.
The Admirals responded quickly, with Bartovic scoring at the 9:31 mark and Anton Babchuk tying the score at 11:16.
Bartovic gave Norfolk its first lead of the night 70 seconds later, converting on a penalty shot attempt against Binghamton’s Billy Thompson.
But the Sens’ power play clicked twice in a span of 43 seconds, with Tomas Malec and Joe Cullen putting Binghamton back up, 5-4.
Norfolk reclaimed the lead for good with four quick strikes, Matt Keith and James Wisniewski closing the second-period scoring and Martin St. Pierre and Ajay Baines finding the net in the first 1:20 of the third.
The Admirals finished with 52 shots to the Senators’ 36 for the night. Babchuk (1g, 2a), St. Pierre (1g, 2a) and Mark Cullen (3a) finished with three points apiece for Norfolk.
Elsewhere on Wednesday:
Stephen Baby picked up a goal and two assists to lead Chicago to a 6-3 win in Cleveland… Nathan Robinson led Providence with two goals and an assist as the Bruins downed Manchester, 4-1… Wade Dubielewicz made 26 saves for Bridgeport in a 2-1 victory over league-leading Wilkes-Barre/Scranton… John Pohl scored twice to lead Toronto past Lowell, 5-2… Defenseman Clay Wilson recorded two goals and an assist and Jimmy Howard made 23 saves as Grand Rapids blanked Milwaukee, 5-0.
