Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, January 24, 1993 TAG: 9301240196
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
STREAK - 16 GAMES - OVER
THE ROANOKE VALLEY Rampage ended the longest victory drought in ECHL history with a 5-4 victory over Knoxville in overtime.\ Stop the presses! The Roanoke Valley Rampage has won a hockey game.
After 37 long days and 16 consecutive defeats, the Rampage killed the longest losing streak in East Coast Hockey League history Saturday night, defeating the Knoxville Cherokees 5-4 in overtime at the Vinton LancerLot.
Defenseman Darryl Mitchell performed the exorcism on the ungodly streak, driving a 45-foot slap shot past Cherokees goalie Mike Williams two minutes into overtime.
Afterward, onlookers might have thought the Rampage had just won the Stanley Cup.
"It's a huge bubble to break," said Mitchell, who, ironically, joined the Rampage on Dec. 17, the day the streak started. "Talk about getting a monkey off your back."
This was no monkey. It was King Kong.
"In all my years of hockey, I had never been through something like this," said happy Rampage coach Steve Gatzos. "It has been no picnic, believe me.
"Hey, give all the credit to the guys. When we got down late, nobody was saying, `Here we go again.' Instead, they were saying, `No problem.' "
After leading 3-2 after two periods, the Rampage (11-31-1) watched the Cherokees (14-23-5) score two goals in the first 10:21 of the final period to go ahead 4-3. It appeared all the Rampage was going to do on this night was give the crowd of 1,454 the big tease.
But when Knoxville's Chad Thompson was called for a hooking penalty on Roanoke's Jack Williams with 4:16 left in regulation, the Rampage got the break it so desperately needed.
Sixty-one seconds later, Rampage captain Ron Jones, who had not played since since Dec. 16 while recovering from a cracked sternum, tied the score, rifling a 25-foot slap shot past Williams.
"After you lose 16 in a row, have the lead, lose the lead and come back, it takes a lot guts," Jones said. "After 16 in a row, you have no confidence.
"I'm just glad it's over. Losing 16 straight is a disgrace. Now this is over, I think this team can get started back in the right direction again."
Jones wasn't scheduled to return to the lineup until next week, but Gatzos, needing bodies, sent his captain to the doctor Saturday afternoon for clearance to play.
"Ron Jones is an important part of this team," Gatzos said. "We needed him out there. And, look, he comes up with the big goal."
In the overtime, the Rampage got the chance it needed when Knoxville's Keith Whitmore high-sticked Vaclav Nedomansky, setting up a Roanoke Valley power play.
Mitchell took care of the rest. He picked off a Cherokees clearing pass and set up for his shot at the outer edge of the faceoff circle to the right of Williams. He wound up and fired into the back of the net.
"It was a gift," Mitchell said. "No one was there. I had lots of time. I don't know anything else. All I know is that it went in."
And a losing streak that appeared to have no end was history.
"I had forgotten what it's like to win," said Gatzos. "The streak has been hell.
"Shoot, I was getting my hair cut today and the girl asked me, `When is it ever going to end?' I told her to come tonight and I guarantee it's going to end. I'm glad I was true to my words."
\ ICE CHIPS: Dean Dorchak had two goals for the Rampage. They were his 25th and 26th, tying him with Scott Burfoot for the club lead. . . . Andraei Kovalev had the other Roanoke goal, his 11th. . . . The win ended Roanoke's seven-game home losing streak. The Rampage had lost 26 of 30 games since Nov. 14 before Saturday. . . . Rampage public-address announcer Jeff Dickerson, who promised to have his head shaved when the streak ended, will have his locks sheared between periods at the next home game Feb. 4. . . . The Rampage spends this week on the road, where it has lost a league-record 19 straight games. Roanoke Valley travels to Raleigh on Tuesday, Richmond on Friday and Johnstown on Saturday. \
see microfilm for box score