Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, March 28, 1992 TAG: 9203280240
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: GREENSBORO, N.C. LENGTH: Medium
After opening the East Coast Hockey League playoff bash with a stout double - two wins over favored Greensboro - the Rebels came up dry for the third straight time on the road Friday night.
The juiced-up Monarchs, playing in front of 5,999 fans on their home Greensboro Coliseum ice, took advantage of a first period in which Roanoke Valley skated as though it had a bad hangover and dealt the Rebels a 6-1 loss in Game 5 of the first-round ECHL playoff series.
The Monarchs' third consecutive home triumph gave them a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series. They can sew up the series tonight with a win in Game 6 at the Vinton LancerLot.
"We didn't even bother to show up," said furious Rebels coach Roy Sommer, making a quick trek to the bus after his club's thrashing.
"My guys didn't show me anything tonight. They ought to be ashamed of themselves."
The Monarchs took control early. They outshot the lethargic Rebs 24-2 in the game's first 17 1/2 minutes and led 3-0 after the first period.
"We wanted to come out strong and take the game away from them early," said Greensboro wing Phil Berger, who assisted on four of his club's series-high six goals.
"We never wanted them to think they had a chance. We got up 3-0 real quick and that's almost impossible to make up in a playoff game like this."
Awakened by the first-period avalanche, the Rebs tried to scratch back in the second period. They closed to 3-1 on Brett Stewart's rebound goal at 6:44 of the period.
The Rebs controlled the period, outshooting the hosts 14-10. They had numerous quality scoring chances, but all ended up ringing off the goal post or in the glove of Monarchs goalie Nick Vitucci.
"We played well in the second period because we hit some people," Sommer said. "We've got to hit this team in their zone before they get started. We did that in the second period and you saw what happened."
But any chance the Rebels had at a comeback disappeared in the third period, when a rash of penalties played right into the hands of the experienced Monarchs.
Greensboro put the game on ice with a pair of third-period power-play goals. Berger, who failed to score a point in Roanoke Valley's two series-opening wins, set up the scores by defensemen Eric Dubois and Scott White.
"Stupid penalties," Sommer said. "That's a good hockey team. We can't beat them taking penalties like that."
The Monarchs finished 3-of-7 on the power play, matching their scoring output in 25 chances over the first four games.
"[The Rebels] took some bad penalties and seem to really get frustrated," Berger said. "Sometimes, you lose your cool and get frustrated in this game. It looked like that may have been going through their minds."
The Monarchs pelted Roanoke Valley goaltender Mike James with 54 shots. Vitucci, who yielded only four gaols in Greensboro's three home wins, turned aside 31 of 32 Roanoke Valley shots before being replaced with 3:27 left.
\ ICE CHIPS: If Roanoke Valley wins tonight, Game 7 will be played Tuesday in Greensboro. . . . The Monarchs are 7-0 vs. the Rebs at the coliseum this season, outscoring them 38-14. . . . Gordie Cruikshank scored the game's final goal, his series-high fifth. . . . Winston-Salem ownership announced Friday the team would not return next season. The Thunderbirds, one of the league's four charter members, fell victim to poor attendance. Chances are the team will be sold and moved to another city, most likely Wheeling, W.Va., for the 1992-93 season. \
see microfilm for box score
by CNB