Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 25, 1992 TAG: 9203250224
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: GREENSBORO, N.C. LENGTH: Medium
The Rebels, yapping loudly after consecutive upset victories at home, were handed a muzzle Tuesday night by the favored Greensboro Monarchs in Game 3 of the East Coast Hockey League playoffs.
The Monarchs scored two goals in the final 6:21 of the second period to snap a 2-2 tie and skated to a 5-2 win over the Rebels.
The victory was Greensboro's first in the best-of-seven series. Roanoke Valley leads the series 2-1 entering tonight's Game 4 at the Greensboro Coliseum.
Except for a brief flurry that enabled the Rebs to tie the game, the Monarchs dominated, outshooting the visitors 42-23. And, unlike in the first two games in Vinton, Rebels goaltender Mike James couldn't stop everything.
"We've got to get more than 24-26 shots to beat this team," Rebels coach Roy Sommer said. "There were times when we showed we can play with them in this building, but we're going to have to play 60 minutes to get the job done. I think we've started to rely on the goaltender too much.
"We didn't play the body enough and we let 'em skate. And when you let that team skate, they're going to hurt you.
"But we're still in good shape. We're not going to roll over and die. I never expected to sweep Greensboro and neither did anybody in that locker room."
The Rebs should have gotten an idea as to what kind of day it was going to be when their bus ran out of gas 10 miles short of Greensboro on Tuesday afternoon.
Sommer called a limousine service to pick up the team, but before a pair of stretch limos arrived, driver Frank Stancil had the bus refired and motoring toward the team's motel.
At the motel, Sommer was greeted by a representative of the limo service who wanted to collect for what turned out to be a false alarm. To help deliver his message, the limo rep brought a policeman with him.
The way the Monarchs opened the game, the Rebels might have felt more at ease stranded on U.S. 220.
Greensboro jolted James and the Rebels with a pair of lightning-quick goals by Gordie Cruikshank and Eric DuBois in the game's first 1:14.
"That was huge," Greensboro defenseman Scott White said. "That gave us some confidence that we could score on the guy. Especially coming on the first shift, I think that burst their bubble a bit."
The Rebels, to the surprise of the partisan 3,794 fans on hand, fought back to tie.
Brett Stewart made it 2-1 with 25 seconds left in the first period when he rifled a 25-foot blast past Monarchs goalie Nick Vitucci.
Roanoke Valley tied it with another power-play goal 7:40 into the second period. Defenseman Ben Wyzawsky made it 2-2 with a ringing 35-foot off the left goalpost.
Greensboro, which at the time owned a 33-14 shot advantage, retaliated quickly. Forward Shawn Wheeler netted the winning goal 79 seconds later, when he swatted in a backhand rebound of Roger Larche's shot while on his back.
Sixty-six seconds later, Cruickshank picked up a loose puck in the Rebels' end and scored to make it 4-2.
DuBois added an insurance goal 3:46 into the third period, taking a pass from Phil Berger and beating James on a 2-on-1 break.
Brubaker, relaxing with the Monarchs' fans in the lounge 25 minutes after the win, rehashed his club's situation.
"This is going to be a hell of a series," he said. "Obviously, [the Rebels] have to win one game here."
Then, Brubaker got more to the point.
"We're going to win this series. Mark it down."
\ ICE CHIPS: The Rebs continue to have the advantage in specials teams play. Both Roanoke Valley goals came via the power play, while Greensboro was 1-for-5 on the advantage. The Monarchs, who led the ECHL with a 28.11 percent success ratio during the regular season, are only 2-for-19 in the three games. Roanoke Valley is 6-for-21 on the power play. . . . Forward Phil Berger, who led the league with 130 regular-season points, finally shed the collar with his third-period assist for Greensboro. . . . Greensboro has a huge advantage at home in the series. The Monarchs are 27-4-2 at home; the Rebels 6-23-4 on the road. . . . Greensboro is 5-0 vs. Roanoke Valley at the coliseum. see microfilm for box score
by CNB