Hershey crunches Norfolk before large crowd
By TRIS WYKES, The Virginian-Pilot
© January 28, 2006



NORFOLK — It's known as "The Curse of the Big Crowd'' among Norfolk
Admirals fans and observers, an evil spell that seems to befall the
home hockey team when the Scope turnstiles spin most often.


The Admirals have lost almost every time they've drawn their best
crowds. Their combined record for the highest home attendance counts
in each of their six seasons was 1-4-1 heading into Friday's game
with Hershey.

Norfolk had a three-goal lead at the game's midpoint before an
announced crowd of 7,064, a franchise record. Everything was
beautiful for the Admirals, but rarely has a game so suddenly turned
ugly, and it produced a 7-4 loss.

"Guys in here complain that there aren't enough people in the
stands, and then we get them in the building and we come up with an
effort like that?'' said Norfolk's Shawn Thornton, whose team
allowed six consecutive goals, five in the third period. "I
apologize to all the fans who showed up. I hope they come back and
that we're better for them.''


It would be hard for the Admirals to be worse. It was the fourth
time in franchise history they've blown a three-goal lead, but
Friday's circumstances might make it the team's worst collapse .

The buzz at Scope began Wednesday, when word circulated that more
than 4,000 tickets had been sold for Friday's game. The crush of
people and traffic around Scope shortly before face-off bore that
out.

Those who saw the entire first period watched Hershey score first
but then surrender three Norfolk goals. Bears goaltender Kirk
Daubenspeck was replaced after the third Admirals score.

The Admirals' lead increased to 4-1 after Martin St. Pierre tipped
in a Thornton pass six minutes into the second period.

Hershey got one goal back four minutes later, then absolutely
crushed Norfolk in the third period , when rookie goaltender Mike
McKenna faced 20 Bears shots.

Graham Mink scored four minutes after the second intermission to
make it 4-3, and Mike Green blasted in a one-timer from center point
just 21 seconds later to tie the game.

Colin Forbes made it 5-4 on a power-play goal from atop the left
circle with Mink setting a screen in front.

Norfolk's Carl Corazzini was awarded a penalty shot with 10 minutes
to play, but Frederic Cassivi stopped his backhand shot. Eleven
seconds later, Hershey's Dave Steckel scored from close range.

Any realistic chance for a Norfolk comeback died with consecutive
penalties by Admirals Ajay Baines, Mike Brown, Nick Kuiper and
Michal Barinka. Brown, ordered off the ice with a misconduct,
shattered his stick against the locker-room door frame , sending
spectators ducking for cover.

Hershey closed the scoring on its third power-play goal with three
minutes to play. Several pieces of trash were tossed on the ice, and
some in the departing crowd booed.

"We were lazy and they beat us to loose pucks even to start the
game,'' said Norfolk coach Mike Haviland . "We just stopped
playing.''

The Admirals are at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton tonight and at Hershey on
Sunday .


Notes: The Virginian-Pilot's three stars: Hershey's Forbes (1) and
Mink (2) and Norfolk's Thornton (3). ... Eric Meloche and Milan
Bartovic were Norfolk's scratches. ... Michal Barinka was rated a
team-worst minus-3 and committed two penalties, one of which led to
a goal. He also waved feebly at Mike Kompon a split second before
the Bear opened the scoring. ... The Admirals' previous high for an
announced Scope crowd was 7,056 on