Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, January 23, 1993 TAG: 9301230284
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Landmark News Service and staff reports
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium
ADMIRALS TOO MUCH FOR RAMPAGE 13-3
With Hampton Roads Admirals coach John Brophy hoping for a minor miracle, St. Bernard granted it.Mark Bernard was milling about his apartment in Baltimore at lunchtime Friday when he learned that the East Coast Hockey League team was without a goaltender for its game against the Roanoke Valley Rampage.
Not one goaltender short - two.
In less than an hour Friday morning, Nick Vitucci was called up to the Peoria Rivermen of the American Hockey League on an emergency basis and Duane Derksen was admitted to a hospital for treatment of dehydration caused by the flu.
Brophy, left scrambling to fill the net, acquired Bernard's services when Barry Trotz, coach of the Baltimore Skipjacks of the AHL, agreed to let Bernard play Friday night for the Admirals if Brophy could find the Skipjacks a backup for their game. Richmonder Bob James, an emergency goalie for the Renegades, went to Baltimore for the evening.
With ample goal support from his teammates, Bernard and the Admirals coasted to a 13-3 victory over the Rampage in front of a franchise-record 8,994 at Scope.
Hampton Roads set a franchise record for goals against the Rampage, which lost its 16th straight game.
"It's twice as bad when you don't have the most talented team. When you only have 10 or 12 skaters, . . . it's difficult for even a good team to play short," Roanoke Valley coach Steve Gatzos said. "But we've lost Dennis Skapski [knee], Paul Dukovac [back] and Chris DePiero [broken wrist] in the last week.
"When you've only got six forwards and play four games in five nights - well, there's just no way. We've traded for five different guys who won't report. Historically, Roanoke has not been the first place people want to play in this league."
Hampton Roads' Brian Martin scored two goals and three assists to surpass the 300-points mark for his ECHL career. Kelly Sorensen got his first hat trick.
\ ICE CHIPS: The Rampage's best chance at burying the longest losing streak in league history may come tonight when Knoxville visits the Vinton LancerLot. The Cherokees have won only 14 of 41 games and are mired in last place in the eight-team Western Division. Knoxville is the only club in the 15-team ECHL that Roanoke Valley has a winning record against this season. . . . The loss was Roanoke Valley's 19th straight on the road, rewriting its ECHL record. The Rampage has been outscored 147-67 while going 1-19-1 on the road.