Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, February 22, 1992 TAG: 9202220366
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
REBELS GET THE MESSAGE GREENSBORO NOTCHES 2-0 VICTORY
The Greensboro Monarchs delivered a message to the Roanoke Valley Rebels on Friday night.The correspondence went something like this: If you want us, you've got us.
The Rebels, who have been saying they would prefer to face Greensboro should they make the first round of the East Coast Hockey League playoffs, may be second-guessing that thought after the Monarchs' 2-0 win in front of 2,517 spectators at the Vinton LancerLot.
The Monarchs' statement was further enhanced by the fact they played without leading scorer Phil Berger, top defenseman Dean Zayonce and No. 1 enforcer Mike Butters.
"Our boys didn't know Roanoke wanted us in the playoffs, but I'm sure going to let 'em know," said Monarchs coach Jeff Brubaker, lighting a victory stogie. "Hey, we'll take on whomever they throw at us."
A smothering defense and goaltender Nick Vitucci were plenty enough Friday. Whenever the Rebels did manage to slip through a rare opening in the solid Greensboro defense, Vitucci was there to throw up a barricade. The veteran goaltender fended off all 21 Roanoke Valley shots for his first shutout of the season.
"He [Vitucci] looked like Ray LeBlanc," said Rebels forward Scott Eichstadt, referring to the goalie who has carried Team U.S.A. in the Winter Olympics. "I can't believe the two stops he made on me."
Vitucci, who already has established a ECHL record with his 25 wins, credited his defensive mates for what proved to be a rather easy night at the office.
"They [the Rebels] had few quality shots," Vitucci said. "The guys in front of me did a great job. They made my job pretty easy."
At the other end of the ice, Rebels goaltender Mike James had a strong performance nullified by the Rebels' first shutout at home this season. James stopped 40 of 42 shots, but it wasn't enough.
"James had a hell of a game," Rebels coach Roy Sommer said. "You'd think at home you'd get at least two or three goals to help him.
"But, face it, Greensboro has the best defense in the league. This was not just a coincidence tonight."
The Greensboro goals came in a 10-second span of the second period. Tim Makela beat James on an uncontested rebound at 5:33 of the period. Before Makela's goal was announced over the public-address system, newcomer Roger Larache made it 2-0 when he whipped a quick wrist shot by James off a faceoff in the Rebels' end.
On this night, the two-goal deficit might as well have been 10 for the Rebels.
"Once they got ahead 2-0, they started to sit on it," Eichstadt said. "They'd send one guy in [the Rebels' zone] and their defense would lay back. They're not the type of club you want to fall behind to. They're really tough when they get the lead."
The victory moved Greensboro (36-16-4) closer to the regular-season title in the ECHL East Division. Roanoke Valley (19-29-5) saw its lead on the Knoxville Cherokees dwindle to four points in the chase for the final playoff berth in the East.
"We've got to start worrying about ourselves instead of what Knoxville is doing," Sommer said. "We did too many individual things tonight. I don't know if it's because parents or girlfriends are in town and guys want to show off, but we didn't play together.
"The effort was there, but we're capable of playing a lot better. There was simply too much individualism."
If Roanoke Valley and Greensboro finish in their current positions, they will meet in the best-of-seven first round of the playoffs.
"I don't blame Roanoke for wanting to finish sixth," Brubaker said. "You're much better off that way. The club that wins the No. 1-No. 6 series goes into the division. And I think that will be an edge because I look for the other two series to be blood baths."
Former Rebel Peter Sentner said his old team might have second thoughts now, though.
"They might want to move up to fifth after this," Senter said.
\ ICE CHIPS: The shutout was only the second against the Rebels this season. They lost 10-0 at Winston-Salem on Dec. 20. . . . Berger, who leads the ECHL in scoring with 108 points, sat out the first game of a three-game suspension for an altercation with an official last weekend in Winston-Salem. . . . The loss was the Roanoke Valley's fifth in six games. It was their season-high third straight loss at home. . . . The Rebels conclude a rigorous stretch of seven games in nine days tonight when they entertain Nashville at the LancerLot. \
see microfilm for box score