THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, November 5, 1994 TAG: 9411050951
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HARRY MINIUM, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 57 lines
The Hampton Roads Admirals mixed a generous portion of grit and determination with a little luck Friday to stage a dramatic third-period rally.
Trailing by two with 16 minutes left, the Admirals scored four unanswered goals to storm past the Charlotte Checkers, 6-4, before a frenzied Scope crowd of 8,185.
It was the third victory in a row for Hampton Roads (5-3-1), which plays at Charlotte tonight and at East Division leader Richmond Sunday.
``We showed a lot of courage,'' defenseman Jason MacIntyre said in a jubilant Admirals locker room.
``We were down and went all out in the third period. We came out and kicked some (bleep).''
They certainly did in goal. The Admirals pummeled the Charlotte goal with 50 shots, including one by Rick Kowalsky at 7:01 of the third period that helped turn the tide in Hampton Roads' favor.
The puck hit Charlotte goaltender Jon Hillebrandt in the left knee. Hillebrandt, whose goals-against average is second in the ECHL, then limped off the ice with 41 saves to his credit and was replaced by Rob Tallas.
Kowalsky had scored three minutes earlier to cut the margin to 4-3, and it didn't take long for the Admirals to victimize Tallas.
The Admirals first shot, a hard, breakaway slap shot by Kelly Sorensen, sailed into the net at 7:22 to tie the score.
The next shot, by Rod Taylor, came 55 seconds later and also got past Tallas to give the Admirals a 5-4 lead.
The final goal, also by Taylor, went into an empty net at 19:12. Between the Taylor goals, Admirals goalie Patrick LaLime had nine saves.
``LaLime played well,'' said Charlotte coach John Marks, who said his team would have had ``a good chance'' of winning had Hillebrandt not gone down.
``He must have been hurting,'' Marks said of Hillebrandt. ``He's a tough guy. He wouldn't have taken himself out otherwise.''
Admirals coach John Brophy said Hampton Roads literally knocked Hillebrandt out of goal.
There were many offensive heroes for Hampton Roads. John Porco had a goal and two assists. Defensemen Chris Phelps and Mac-Intyre added two assists apiece. Matt Mallgrave scored his sixth goal of the season.
But it was the Admirals' defense that proved decisive in the final period. Playing without standout defenseman Brian Goudie, out with a strained back, the Admirals consistently out-checked the Checkers.
Shawn Wheeler, who played for the Admirals last season, scored a goal and had an assist in his first appearance in Norfolk in a Charlotte uniform. But his exit was far from graceful. But he elbowed Kowalsky after the whistle in front of the penalty box at 19:51 and was escorted off the ice as the crowd jeered. Meanwhile, Kowalsky and his teammates celebrated. by CNB