Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, March 9, 1992 TAG: 9203090059
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
With their East Coast Hockey League playoff chances seemingly slipping away, the slumbering Rebels finally woke up Sunday at the Vinton LancerLot.
The wake-up call, a 7-1 victory over Winston-Salem, was long overdue. The Rebels hadn't won at home in a month, a span covering seven games.
The victory moved Roanoke Valley (21-34-6) two points ahead of Knoxville (19-34-8) in the battle for the sixth and final playoff spot in the ECHL East Division. Each club has three regular-season games left.
The Rebels couldn't have picked a better time to make one of their strongest efforts of the season. The six-goal margin was their most decisive win in 61 games.
"If we had been playing as consistently as we did tonight, there would be no playoff chase right now," Rebels defenseman Trevor Smith said. "We didn't play well last night in Greensboro [a 7-1 loss], and I think the boys had something to prove today. We wanted to redeem ourselves."
The Rebels got their redemption, and in the process threw the heat back on Knoxville. Even if the Rebels don't get a point in their final three games, the Cherokees will be forced to pick up a minimum of three points in their last three games: at Hampton Roads on Friday, at Greensboro on March 17 and against Cincinnati on March 18.
"I think today's win pretty well shuts the door on Knoxville," said Rebels forward Mark Woolf. "They've got three of the best teams in the league left to play, and I don't see them beating any of the three."
In beating the Thunderbirds (35-22-4), 11 of the Rebels' 14 skaters recorded at least one point.
"It was a do-or-die situation," said Woolf, who led the Rebels' offense with a goal and four assists. "I know we've been saying this game is big or that game is big, but today, no doubt, was the biggest game of the year for this team."
Woolf, Brett Stewart and Peter Kasowski, back on the same line again, burned the T-Birds for four goals and seven assists. Kasowski had two goals and an assist, and Stewart had a goal and two assists.
"I put that line back together last night when we were down 7-1," said Rebels coach Roy Sommer. "It sure was nice to see them come out burning today.
"This one puts us back in the driver's seat. If we can win one more game, it's pretty well ours."
Sommer said today's deadline for determining playoff rosters might have stuck a burr under some Rebels' saddles.
"Some guys were on the bubble and they knew it. Now I've got a lot of hard decisions to make tonight," Sommer said.
After each team scored a power-play goal midway through the first period, the Rebels grabbed control. Wayne Muir's goal with 1:48 left in the first period sparked the Rebels' scoring avalanche.
Woolf, Bill Harrington and Smith tacked on second-period goals to make it 5-1. Kasowski supplied the final margin with two third-period scores.
"Wow, it's nice to win again at home," said Sommer, whose club hadn't won at the LancerLot since Feb. 9. "Finally, there are some people smiling around here."
\ ICE CHIPS: Think the Rebels would like to see the T-Birds in the playoffs? Roanoke Valley is 5-2 against Winston-Salem, which entered Sunday in second place in the East. . . . Woolf continues to rewrite every franchise scoring mark. His 47th goal of the season padded his franchise record. He broke Mike Chighisola's mark of 45 goals, set in 1988-89, with two goals Friday. Woolf's 97 points also are a club record. . . . Goaltender Mike James had more to smile about than his 32 saves Sunday. When the Rebels' season is completed, James will get a trial with Moncton of the American Hockey League. . . . The Rebels travel to Erie on Tuesday. They will be host to Richmond on Saturday in the regular-season home finale. Roanoke Valley ends the regular season at Raleigh on March 17. \
see microfilm for box score
by CNB