THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, March 29, 1996 TAG: 9603290627
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HARRY MINIUM, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 94 lines
Hampton Roads Admirals defenseman Sergei Voronov paid a steep price for his slothful play in the first game of the ECHL playoffs. Voronov has been scratched from the lineup and won't play tonight against the Richmond Renegades when the best-of-five series resumes at the Richmond Coliseum.
Richmond won 6-5 on Wednesday in the first game in which the Renegades scored most of their goals in the slot - about 10 feet in front of the net. Admirals assistant coach Al MacIsaac, who coached the team in the absence of the suspended head John Brophy, said Voronov was his squad's weak link.
``He may have cost us the game, who's to say,'' MacIsaac said. ``Overall the team played extremely well, but we made mistakes in the defensive end that killed us. Sergei was responsible for at least four (goals).''
Voronov, a 6-foot-2, 200-pound, 25-year-old Russian, is one of only two Admirals under contract to an NHL team. Voronov has played in 58 of 70 games since being assigned to Hampton Roads by the Pittsburgh Penguins.
His regular-season plus-minus of plus-24 was the team's second best, but he was minus-4 against Richmond, in which two Renegades skated around him to score goals. He also took two minor penalties in the final minutes with Richmond leading by a goal.
``We've elected to go with five guys who may not have the talent that Sergei has, but have a little more get-up-and-go and are more interested in playing,'' MacIsaac said. ``Maybe Sergei doesn't understand the importance of the playoffs. But we don't have time . . . to wait for Sergei to decide he wants to play.''
Voronov will be replaced on defense by veteran Bob Woods, a swing player who was at forward Wednesday and scored a goal that briefly gave Hampton Roads a one-goal lead. Ron Majic, who was scratched from Wednesday's lineup, will replace Woods at forward.
Meanwhile, the Admirals will get a boost from the return of center David St. Pierre, suspended a game for allegedly trying to kick Richmond's Mike Taylor last Saturday.
St. Pierre was second in points (65) and first in assists (51) for the Admirals in 52 games. Nonetheless, the Admirals remain short two skaters thanks to suspensions to Mike Barrie and Aaron Downey for incidents that also occurred against Richmond last weekend.
Brophy will listen to the game on radio. He listened to Wednesday's game until the Admirals took a 5-4 lead, then unable to listen to any more, took his dog for a walk.
He will return to the bench Saturday at Scope.
``It was hard listening to the game,'' Brophy said. ``It doesn't matter what I'm going through. What matters is that this franchise needs a run through the playoffs this year.'' MEMO: ECHL playoff glance/C4
ILLUSTRATION: Sergei Voronov, who had a
regular-season plus-minus of plus-24, was minus-4 in Richmond.
GAMEWATCH
ADMIRALS vs. RICHMOND
Site: Richmond Coliseum, 7:35 p.m.
Radio: WTAR 790-AM (pregame show, 7:08 p.m.)
Tickets: About 5,000 had been sold. A crowd of about 8,000 is
expected at the 11,088-seat Coliseum. Tickets, priced at $7, $9, $10
and $13, can be purchased by calling 804-643-7825.
Directions: Take Interstate-64 West from Norfolk into Richmond.
Take the Fifth Street-MCV exit and the coliseum is about 200 yards
beyond the exit.
The series: Richmond leads the first-round, best-of-five series
1-0. The Admirals host Richmond on Saturday and again Tuesday (if
necessary) at Scope.
About the Admirals: Forward Joel Poirier suffered a separated
shoulder against Richmond last weekend and is doubtful for the
entire Richmond series. He skated at practice but likely won't play
unless the Admirals advance to the second round. Even if the
Admirals lose tonight, coach John Brophy predicts it will be a
five-game series. ``It's not over Friday regardless,'' he said. ``I
think we'll win. But if worse comes to worse, we play at home
Saturday and Tuesday. This is not a two-game series. We can lose
two, then we'll win two and go to their place and win again.''
About the Renegades: Richmond coach Roy Sommer also thinks it
will be a long series. ``This is the one first-round matchup that
most people around the league are wondering who will emerge from,''
he said. Richmond is the league's best team, but has struggled with
the Admirals all season. The Renegades are short on defensemen
thanks to injuries and call-ups. Reid Simonton and Adam French, who
play on the second defensive line, were playing college hockey a few
weeks ago. The Renegades are expected to replace goalie Trevor
Robins, who allowed five goals on 32 shots Wednesday, with Grant
Sjerven, who spent much of the season with Houston of the IHL.
by CNB