Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 1, 1992 TAG: 9203010191
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: D3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Allison's Richmond Renegades scored the game's final five goals to deal his old buddy, Roy Sommer, and his old club, the Roanoke Valley Rebels, a costly 7-3 loss Saturday night in front of 2,535 fans at the Vinton LancerLot.
The loss, Roanoke Valley's season-high fifth straight at home, dealt the Rebels a serious blow in their chase for the sixth and final playoff berth in the East Coast Hockey League's Eastern Division. With seven games left in the regular season, sixth-place Roanoke Valley (20-31-6) leads seventh-place Knoxville (18-31-8) by two points.
If the Rebels fail to make the playoffs, they can point to Allison's club as one reason why. Richmond is 6-0 vs. Roanoke Valley this season.
"That team has obviously got our number," a disconsolate Sommer said. "It seems that whenever they need a break, they get one against us."
While the Rebels suddenly can't do anything right at home, Allison and the Renegades must love seeing the LancerLot. Richmond (27-24-5) had lost 12 of its past 15 road games before rolling into Vinton, where Allison coached in 1989-90.
"I've always loved this building," said Allison, after his club's best offensive output in two months.
"Our guys seem to play in this building. If we'd play everywhere else like we do here, we'd be battling for first place instead of where we are [in fourth place in the ECHL East]."
As the victorious visitors skated off the ice, Renegades trainer Scott Jess, who worked under Allison during his season in Vinton, bellowed: "We should play 64 games against Roanoke Valley. We'd never lose a game."
Defensive breakdowns and mental lapses plagued the Rebels. They led three times in the game before a rash of miscues in the final period allowed the Renegades to turn the contest into a rout.
"In the first period we're in control, leading 2-1," Sommer said. "Then we take a late penalty [Ken Blum tripping call] and they score to make it 2-2.
"In the second period, we play most of the time in their end and take a 3-2 lead. Then, they score on a long shot on a power play to tie it up, then they get another one when we lose the draw in our own end and miss an assignment."
Leading 4-3, Richmond capitalized on another Rebel error - defenseman Bill Whitfield let the puck elude his glove at center ice - and Greg Bingham turned the mistake into a breakaway goal with 12:46 to play.
Another soft goal 59 seconds later, Dave Aiken's unassisted score, made it 6-3. Richmond's Brendan Flynn sent the crowd scurrying for the exits with a short-handed goal with 7:14 left.
"There were a lot of mental errors, little things that they should know by now," Sommer said.
"It's frustrating. We've had a chance to control our destiny in the playoff deal and we can't put Knoxville away.
"We've got to start winning some home games. I don't know what's happened with our play here. You tell me. We had a good crowd behind us. There are no excuses for not being able to win here."
\ ICE CHIPS: Knoxville lost 3-2 in an overtime shootout to visiting Cincinnati on Saturday to trim the Rebels' advantage in the standings from three to two points . . . Ron Jones, Bill Harrington and Whitfield had the Rebel goals. . . . The Rebs are 0-3-2 in their past five home games. They were 14-8-1 at home before the slide. . . . Richmond has outscored Roanoke Valley 33-19 in sweeping six straight. . . . Richmond's special teams came up big, scoring two power-play goals and killing off all five Rebel power-play opportunities. . .
\ see microfilm for box score
by CNB