 P-BRUINS POINT STREAK SNAPPED AT FIVE GAMES
Rookie Cunningham Scores First Professional Goal
Providence, RI - The Providence Bruins fell to the Norfolk Admirals 4-2 on Friday evening at the Dunkin' Donuts Center. The P-Bruins had goals from Craig Cunningham and Stefan Chaput. The P-Bruins opened up their second annual Pink in the Rink Friday evening with face paced hockey and crisp passes to connect for opportunities in front of Admirals goaltender Dustin Tokarski. Norfolk's defense proved to be too much for Providence as an Admirals' blue liner caused a turnover in the neutral zone, allowing for a shot on Anton Khudobin and Admirals' rookie Carter Ashton to score his eighth goal of the season to take a 1-0 lead at 4:30 of the first. Providence continued to press the Admirals defense and throw shots at Tokarski, but they were unable to find the back of the net. Norfolk added another goal with 30 seconds remaining in the first frame to send the P-Bruins into the first intermission trailing 2-0. Norfolk took a 3-0 lead early in the second frame when Dana Tyrell capitalized on an odd bounce behind Providence's net. The P-Bruins' young guns continued to pressure the Norfolk defense with the trio of Cunningham, Tyler Randell and Calle Ridderwall creating give-and-go opportunities low in the Admiral's zone. After a shorthanded breakaway opportunity from Jamie Arniel was deflected wide, rookie Cunningham collected his first professional goal at 17:21. Kirk MacDonald deflected Matt Bartkowski's shot from the point and Cunningham found the rebound on the goal line and beat Tokarski five-hole off an odd angle shot, bringing the P-Bruins within two. After exchanging words throughout the night, Zach McKelvie dropped the gloves with Ashton in the corner of the P-Bruins zone. McKelvie and Ashton were assessed with five-minute fighting majors and McKelvie was also tagged an additional two minutes for roughing. Despite Norfolk's man advantage, Providence was able to create offensive opportunities and Chaput deflected a rebound from Kevan Miller's shot past Tokarski at 4:05 to bring the P-Bruins within one. A delay of game penalty two minutes later afforded the Admirals their fourth power play of the game and Jeff Dimmen found the back of the net to give the Admirals a 4-2 lead. Despite late offensive opportunities, Providence couldn't capitalize and Norfolk held on for the 4-2 win.
Khudobin suffered the loss, blocking 37 of 41 Norfolk attempts. Tokarski earned the win, stopping 20 of 22 shots. |
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