Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 18, 1990 TAG: 9003182535
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Dan Richards scored on a short-handed breakaway at 9:13 of the second 20-minute overtime to lift the Lancers to a pulsating 5-4 victory against the Greensboro Monarchs at the Vinton LancerLot.
The Lancers' victory squared the best-of-five first-round East Coast Hockey League series at 1-1.
Games 3 and 4 will be played at the Greensboro Coliseum on Tuesday and Wednesday. A Game 5, if necessary, is scheduled for Friday in Vinton.
However, it has become evident that this is more of a war than a playoff series.
After Richards' game-winning goal, the LancerLot turned into a battle zone - on and off the ice.
The action started when Virginia goaltender Steve McKichan skated the length of the ice and taunted Greensboro goalie Nick Vitucci with his stick.
After harsh words, the goalies grabbed each other and exchanged a barrage of punches before finally being separated.
Virginia coach Dave Allison, who later said he was cross-checked in the back by a Greensboro player while leaving the ice after the game, had to be restrained by Lancers player Graham Stanley.
The rowdy LancerLot fans then began throwing debris at the Greensboro players. Monarchs forward Boyd Sutton then chucked his stick into the stands, where it caught an unidentified 13-year-old boy in the chest and arm. The boy suffered only minor bruises and went home, according to a Lancers official.
Pat Kelly, the commissioner of the ECHL, met with the boy's parents and said no charges would be filed.
However, Kelly will have his work cut out for him today. The commissioner said he will confer with referee Chuck Harrison and review the videotape of the incident.
"Any fines and suspensions will be levied today," Kelly said. "And unless the LancerLot can beef up security in the building, there will be no game here next Friday."
LancerLot building manager Larry Lester said Kelly should take blame for what happened.
"If Pat Kelly had assigned a referee who could handle the game, this wouldn't have happened," Lester said. "He's the one who assigned Harrison to this game. Everybody knew what an intense game this would be."
Sutton received a gross misconduct penalty and likely will be suspended for the remainder of the playoffs. Kelly will decide the status of McKichan, Vitucci and Allison today.
Greensboro, which defeated Virginia 3-2 on Friday, had a 2-0 lead until the Lancers erupted for four goals in the final 8:36 of the second period.
Greensboro didn't quit. The Monarchs tied it with two goals in the first 3:48 of the third period. In the first 20-minute sudden-death period, Virginia appeared to win the game at the 4:11 mark, but Stanley's tip-in was waved off because his stick was above his shoulder.
In the second overtime, Greensboro was working on the power play when the Lancers struck.
Luke Vitale won a draw in the Greensboro end and Scott Drevitch, who figured in all five Virginia goals, flipped the puck in the air toward center ice.
Richards caught the puck with his stick on the fly and nailed a hard blast past Vitucci to end the 89-minute, 13-second marathon.
"We took a gut check and we survived," Allison said.
\ Greensboro 11200-4 Virginia 04001-5
First period-1, Greensboro, McCormick 2 (White), 10:33 (pp). Penalties-Butters, Gr (roughing), 1:03; Neish, Va (roughing), 1:03; Brown, Gr (high-sticking), 1:47; Stanley, Va (slashing), 5:46; Butters, Gr (unsportsmanlike conduct), 8:18; Neish, Va (unsportsmanlike conduct), 8:18; Travis, Va (hooking), 9:45.
Second period-2, Greensboro, Berger 2, 5:16. 3, Virginia, Drevitch 1 (Stanley), 11:24 (pp). 4, Virginia, Waver 1 (Leggett, Drevitch), 11:55. 5, Virginia, Waver 2 (Lindberg, Drevitch), 19:20 (pp). 6, Virginia, Stanley 1 (Waver, Lindberg), 19:42. Penalties-Herniman, Va (high-sticking), :48; Major, Gr (hooking), 10:26; Vitucci, Gr (delay of game), 17:38; Hobson, Va (roughing), 18:10; Laganas, Gr (interference), 18:51; Sullivan, Gr double minor-major (roughing, unsportsmanlike conduct, misconduct), 19:42; Blessman, Gr double minor-major (roughing, unsportsmanlike conduct, misconduct), 19:42; Drevitch, Va double minor (roughing), 19:42; Stanley, Va (roughing), 19:42.
Third period-7, Greensboro, Berger 3 (Brown), 2:40. 8, Greensboro, Laganas 1 (Robertson, Sutton), 3:48. Penalties-Neish, Va (roughing), 1:25; Vitucci, Gr (roughing), 1:25; Butters, Gr (tripping), 8:43.
First overtime-None. Penalty-Brown, Gr (slashing), 3:51.
Second overtime-9, Virginia, Richards 2 (Drevitch, Vitale), 9:13 (sh). Penalties-Butters, Va (slashing), 3:06; Hobson, Va (hooking), 9:03; Vitucci, Gr double major (fighting, game misconduct), 9:13; McKichan, Va triple major (fighting, double game misconduct), 9:13; Sutton, Gr double major (game misconduct, gross misconduct), 9:13; Herniman, Va double major (fighting, game misconduct), 9:13; Coach Allison, Va (game misconduct), 9:13.
Shots on goal-Greensboro 15-13-9-7-6-50. Virginia 10-14-8-13-9-54.
Power-play opportunities-Greensboro 1-of-3. Virginia 2-of-8.
Goalies-Greensboro, Vitucci (54 shots-49 saves). Virginia, McKichan (50-46).
A-1,017.
by CNB