Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, March 6, 1992 TAG: 9203060054
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Consider this: The Roanoke Valley Rebels haven't played a game this week, yet they have made their most serious advance in weeks toward winning a playoff berth.
While the struggling Rebels took a much-needed four-day break, they watched their playoff hopes enhanced when the Knoxville Cherokees lost road games at Richmond and Nashville.
"Knoxville has given us a lot of help, that's for sure," Rebels coach Roy Sommer said Thursday. "It was sure nice to see them lose twice this week. I thought for sure they would beat Nashville, a club that's really struggling."
Knoxville's two losses enabled sixth-place Roanoke Valley (20-32-6) to maintain its two-point cushion in the standings. More importantly, Knoxville (18-33-8) has only five games left compared to six for Roanoke Valley.
"We look to be in decent shape, but I'm not counting anything yet," Sommer said. "We still need to win some games. I'd like to see our record improve some. You don't want to back into the playoffs. You'd like to have a little momentum going in or you're not going to last very long once the playoffs get started."
Back in or not, the Rebels won't turn down a playoff invitation.
"Fortunately for us, Knoxville has had a couple chances to get even and blown them," Sommer said. "We just want to get to the playoffs. Then, who knows, what might happen, especially in this league."
\ The Rebels' six remaining games are evenly divided at home and the road. Left at home are Greensboro (tonight), Winston-Salem (Sunday) and Richmond (March 14). The road games are at Greensboro on Saturday, at Erie on Tuesday and at Raleigh on March 17. The Rebels are a combined 10-14-2 against their remaining competition.
Knoxville's five remaining games include three home games: Columbus tonight, Toledo on Saturday and Cincinnati on March 18; and road games are at Hampton Roads next Friday and Greensboro on March 17. The Cherokees are a combined 1-11-5 against their remaining competition.
If the two clubs finish with the same number of points, the tie-breaker system works in this order - most games won, fewest games lost and head-to-head record. If a tie-breaker comes down to head-to-head record, Knoxville owns the edge since it finished 3-1 against Roanoke Valley.
\ The Rebels have acquired American defenseman Darrell Newman from Raleigh in exchange for future considerations. Newman had four assists and 13 penalty minutes in 16 games with the IceCaps.
Newman replaces Steve Chelios, out with a season-ending thumb injury, on the 17-man roster.
In another roster move, top center Peter Kasowski has been reactivated off the injured reserve list. Kasowski, out for four weeks because of a hairline fracture in his hand, should be a welcome addition to a Rebels offense that has struggled to score.
"The hockey gods are shining on us this week," Sommer said. "Knoxville lost two games and Kasu is back in our lineup."
Defenseman Frank "The Animal" Bialowas, out for two weeks with a bruised hand, also is expected to return to the lineup this weekend.
\ Playoff rosters must be submitted to the ECHL office by Monday at 3 p.m., and Sommer said he will make his final decisions based on this weekend's games.
"Whoever plays good this weekend will be on the list," Sommer said. "I don't care who it is. What a guy has done in the past is history. I'm going by what I see this weekend."
\ Sommer said he hopes a line change will help rekindle the scoring touches of Mark Woolf and Brett Stewart.
Woolf, who leads the club in goals (44) and points (90), hasn't scored a goal in six games, and Stewart (30 goals, 82 points) has failed to turn on the red light in five games.
"Those two haven't been playing well, or at least not as well as they're capable," Sommer said. "They've put a lot of pressure on themselves to score. They've hit a little rut, but I look for them to bounce back."
\ ICE CHIPS: The Rebels will attempt to end a season-high six-game home losing streak tonight against Greensboro. . . . Nine of the 15 ECHL clubs have surpassed the 100,000 mark in season attendance. Winston-Salem (61,207) and Roanoke Valley (59,661) likely will be the only two clubs to fail to reach six figures. . . . Knoxville, which leads the league in transactions this season, acquired veteran center Mike Chighisola from Raleigh this week in exchange for right wing Bruno Villenueve this week. Villenueve led the Cherks in goals (38) and points (73). Chighisola, who played his first two ECHL seasons in Roanoke, was traded for the third time in a season that's included stops in Cincinnati, Hampton Roads, Raleigh and now Knoxville.
by CNB