Norfolk Admirals goalie scores goal to help team advance to ECHL playoffs for first time in decade

Salminen took the shot after stopping a shot from the neutral zone. Once he caught the puck with his glove, he took a shot from his crease and the puck went into the empty net,

Salminen went on to celebrate as if he had done it before, being congratulated by his teammates at center ice and high-fiving everyone on the bench before skating back to his crease.

The 24-year-old made 25 saves on 27 shots, improving to 7-2-1 on the season with an .893 SV%. He’s also spent time with the AHL’s Manitoba Moose, going 4-7-0 with an .870 SV%. He signed with the Winnipeg Jets and spent all of the 2022-23 with the Moose.

The first ECHL goalie to score a goal this season was Mitch Gibson of the South Carolina Stingrays on Dec. 1, who did it against the Savannah Ghost Pirates in an 8-5 win.

The win also clinched a playoff spot for the Admirals, who are going to compete for the Kelly Cup for the first time since joining the league in 2015-16. The last time the franchise played in the playoffs was in 2013-14 when they were in the AHL.