Admirals drop 11th straight

The Norfolk Admirals would like to wake up from what seems like a bad dream.

The Admirals lost 5-0 Saturday to the Trois-Rivières Lions, who completed a three-game sweep in Quebec. Norfolk dropped to 1-14 with its 11th consecutive ECHL defeat.

With Tomas Vomacka in goal, the Admirals stayed in a 0-0 tie until nearly the game’s midpoint. But John Parker-Jones broke the tie 9:37 into the second period on a power play, and just more than three minutes later, the Lions led 3-0 after goals by Nicolas Lariviere and Riley McKay. Jonathan Joannette scored with 1:03 to go in the middle period, making it 4-0.

Cedric Montminy netted the final goal on a power play 9:44 into the final period, and the Admirals couldn’t mount much pressure on winning goalie Thomas Sigouin. He needed just 13 saves for a shutout, while Vomacka made 37.

On Friday night, despite two goals by Todd Burgess, a rare Arizona native in pro hockey, Trois-Rivières won 6-4. Aidan Brown and Jake Smith also scored for Norfolk, which couldn’t hold a 2-1 lead.

Trois-Rivières got two goals from Cedric Montminy and one from Pierrick Dubé in a 4-minute, 5-second span to go ahead 4-2.

Dubé’s goal came less than two minutes after Admirals coach Jeff Carr pulled goalie Michael Bullion and replaced him with Tomas Vomacka.

Burgess’ second goal made it 4-3 on a power play, but Ryan Francis pushed the Lions’ lead to 5-3 with a man-advantage goal.

In the final period, Jake Smith scored on a power play with 3:20 remaining, and the Admirals hoped to tie the score as their man advantage continued. But the Lions’ Francis Thibeault sealed the outcome with a short-handed empty-net goal with 1:05 remaining.

Joe Vrbetic made 24 saves for his second victory of the series. Vomacka had 19 saves after Bullion made nine.

The Admirals will return home to Scope to face the Worcester Railers at 7:05 p.m. Wednesday, beginning a threegame series.