Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, February 3, 1991 TAG: 9102030312
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
After the Roanoke Valley Rebels had put him through yet another overtime grinder Saturday night at the LancerLot, Noel resembled anything but his normal cool and collected self.
"Ulcers, gray hairs, hemorrhoids and everything else. You name it and I've got it," the Rebels coach said, shaking his head.
"Man! Nothing comes easy for us."
Such was the case again on Saturday. Working overtime for an East Coast Hockey League season-high 12th time, the Rebels went to the limit before turning back Richmond 2-1 in a shootout.
With only 15 games left in the ECHL regular season, it was a critical win for Roanoke Valley (22-21-6). The victory enabled the Rebels to hold onto third place in the ECHL East, two points ahead of Richmond (21-23-6).
"We wanted two points tonight, not just one," Noel said. "This is the team we had to beat."
Defense and goaltender Bill Horn carried a Rebels team that currently sports an ECHL-low scoring average of 3.44 goals a game.
Taking what's become a regular nightly shower of rubber in the Roanoke net, Horn fended off 34 of 35 Richmond shots in regulation, then stopped all four Renegade shooters in the shootout.
"Bill Horn kept us in the game for two periods," Noel said. "I can't say enough about his effort."
Steve Gatzos, the ex-NHL player who has given the Rebels their only semblance of offense the past six games, recorded his second straight game-winning goal, notching the first of two Roanoke goals in the shootout.
It was a frustrating setback for coach Chris McSorley & Co. Despite controlling action for most of the night, the Renegades couldn't shake the persistent Rebels.
A frustrated McSorley finally lost it after Wayne Muir popped in the Rebels' second shootout goal. As Muir skated back by the Richmond bench, McSorley chucked a water bottle at the Roanoke forward.
McSorley, already steamed at referee Pete Messana for overruling both linesmen on an offsides call that cost the Renegades a great scoring chance late in overtime, accused Muir of taunting one of his players.
"[Muir] made a motion with his stick at one of the players on the bench," McSorley said. "That's why I threw the bottle."
McSorley was slapped with a bench minor by Messana and sent to the dressing room. After the game, McSorley stalked in front of the visitors' locker room until Messana skated off the ice.
If McSorley could blame anybody for his club's sixth loss in seven games, it was Horn. Richmond's only score came while working on a 5-on-3 power-play at the 8:13 mark of the second period.
"It was a good night," Horn understated. "Unlike last night [in a 5-3 loss to Johnstown], the defense took away the second shot, picked up the man and worked hard."
That seems to be the best way the Rebels can compete right now.
"We're not going to blow anybody out," Noel said. "We just have to stick with it, work hard and play defense."
\ ICE CHIPS: Peter Kasowski, who has caught fire since being moved onto Gatzos' line, scored Roanoke's only goal in regulation. It was Kasowski's third in three games and 15th of the season. . . . Roanoke's fourth win in games with Richmond avenged an embarrassing 11-2 licking at the hands of the Renegades on Jan. 5 at the Lot. . . . The Rebels are 6-6 in overtime, 4-4 in shootouts. . . . Forward Rob Sangster, who underwent arthroscopic knee surgery on Friday, said he hopes to resume skating in about two weeks, and possibly play again in 3-4 weeks. Sangster, the Rebels' primary enforcer, has been out of the lineup since Jan. 5. . . . The Rebels, who have only 15 regular-season games left, now take a five-day break. They return to action on Friday at the Lot, winding up the season series with league power Knoxville.
Richmond 0100-1 Roanoke Valley 1001-2
First period-1, Roanoke Valley, Kasowski 15 (Gatzos, Heine), 5:27. Penalties-Aubrey, RV (elbowing), 6:25; Bellefeuille, RV (roughing), 11:55; Lindal, Rich (tripping), 15:45.
Second period-2, Richmond, Aiken 22 (Lindal, Beck), 8:13 (pp). Penalties-Fois, Rich (holding), 5:41; Bellefeuille, RV (holding), 7:37; Muir, RV (elbowing), 7:59; Pickell, Rich (delay of game), 12:38.
Third period-None. Penalties-Muir, RV (high-sticking), 4:50; Robertson, Rich (holding), 10:45.
Overtime-None. Penalties-None.
Shootout-3, Roanoke Valley, Gatzos 7.
Shots on goal-Richmond 15-14-5-1-35. Roanoke Valley 6-7-10-2-25.
Power-play opportunities-Richmond 1 of 5. Roanoke Valley 0 of 4.
Goalies-Richmond, Lorenz (25 shots-24 saves). Roanoke Valley, Horn (35-34).
A-1,846.
by CNB