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By Tris Wykes

NORFOLK_The Norfolk Admirals enjoyed more than just a 5-2 defeat of the Rockford IceHogs on Friday. Call it a release of enormous emotional pressure.

A seven-game losing streak, scoring droughts by veterans Andrew Hutchinson and Zenon Konopka and the tension built up after five days of intense practice_all evaporated with the victory. A joyous Scope crowd announced at 4,004, portions of which saw the teams nearly brawl during warmups, watched them engage in a physical contest that promises a doozy of a rematch tonight.

``There's some bad blood between us,'' said Norfolk defenseman Matt Smaby, whose team notched its first home victory in six tries. ``I think that's pretty evident. We both play hard and things happen when that's the case.''

The disharmony skyrocketed with 26 seconds to play when the Admirals' Radek Smolenk flew through the Rockford end and left his feet before crashing into goaltender Corey Crawford, who played for Norfolk two years ago. The Admirals later contended that an IceHog hooked and steered Smolenak into Crawford, but the netminder was flattened before standing and landing a wild swing of his stick to the back of Smolenak's head.

``We're playing in the American Hockey League and if guys want to get out of the way, they can get out of the way,'' Crawford said. ``I'm not excusing what I did, but I didn't mean to hit him in the head. I just swung. But to me, he doesn't need to be barreling in like that.''

Said Norfolk coach Darren Rumble: ``The slash to the head? That's assault. You could see (Smolenak) was putting the brakes on and trying to stop but it's hard to do in that situation.''

Smolenak and Rockford's Jordan Hendry, another ex-Admiral, received fighting majors and Smolenak was slapped with one for charging after a 5-on-5 tussle precipitated by the collision. IceHogs general manager Mark Bernard, in his first season after serving as Norfolk's vice president, was so incensed he engaged in a press box screaming match with Tampa Bay Lightning assistant general manager Tom Kurvers.

As the teams left the ice at game's end, Norfolk tough guy Jay Rosehill made a throat-slashing gesture at an opponent and received a misconduct. All this took place after the first-period ejections of the Admirals' Brent Henley (head-butting) and Brandon Segal (hit from behind) and with AHL vice president Jim Mill sitting in the press box.

``The way they played tonight is the way we wanted them to play and I was extremely pleased,'' said Rumble. ``That's one game on the way back to .500 and we have to be ready for a big start tomorrow night.''

It seems quite possible that Smolenak will be targeted by Rockford, and if Henley's not suspended, he's likely to be seeking revenge for what Rumble said was a Sean McMorrow eye-gouge that provoked the head-butting foul. Throw in the fact that the IceHogs have lost four straight and Saturday's tilt has some juicy plot lines, even though Rumble and his troops downplayed any potential mayhem.

``We have to play team tough and not fight selfish, individual battles,'' Rumble said. ``A guy like Smolie is more valuable to us on the ice. He's a great agitator, but he's got to draw penalties, not take them.''

Said Smaby: ``We're here to win, not put on a circus event.''

Rockford (7-5) scored the first period's only goal, striking in the seventh minute. Tim Brent blew a low, 1-time slap shot in from the point. However, the period's crucial point came when Henley and Segal were tossed 15 seconds apart and Norfolk (2-6-1-2) emerged from the IceHogs' lengthy power play trailing by only a goal.

``I knew we were going to win the game at that point,'' said Norfolk's Bracken Kearns, who lifted his team into a 1-1 tie in the second period's second minute by throwing a wrist shot in off a post.

The Admirals used a power play to go up 2-1 with six minutes to go in the center stanza. Smolenak stick handled past Andrew Archer in the left circle and jammed the puck by Crawford.

A little more than a minute later, Nathan Davis was allowed to skate straight out of the corner and flip the puck over goaltender Karri Ramo at the near post for a 2-2 tie. A Daryl Boyle slap shot from the point and through a screen put Norfolk up 3-2 four minutes before the second intermission. Hutchinson and Konopka also used slap shots for third-period tallies.

``It was a draining week and we worked our butts off,'' Smaby said of a series of practices Rumble equated to a military boot camp. ``But we knew what we were working for and we were ready to play.''

Three Stars:
1. Bracken Kearns – NOR
2. Daryl Boyle – NOR
3. Karri Ramo – NOR

Box Score

Notes … Eleven different players had points tonight for Norfolk, including a goal and an assist each for Andrew Hutchinson, Bracken Kearns and Daryl Boyle … Boyle now has points in all three games he has played this season (1+3) – his first points as a professional … Kearns had a Gordie Howe Hat Trick (a goal, assist and fight) – the third time this season the Admirals have had a player with one (Radek Smolenak had the others on 10/18 at Hamilton and 10/24 at Rockford) … After out-shooting Rockford 45-34 tonight, the Admirals have out-shot their last four opponents after not doing so for their first seven games of the season … Every Norfolk forward had at least one shot on goal … Scratches: F Pete Zingoni, F Chris Lawrence, D Scott Jackson, D Vladimir Mihalik ... Attendance: 4,004.