THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, November 19, 1994 TAG: 9411190293
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HARRY MINIUM, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 60 lines
The Hampton Roads Admirals' nightmarish season took another ghoulish turn Friday.
Leading by two midway through the third period, the Admirals surrendered three consecutive goals and fell to the Charlotte Checkers, 6-5, before a stunned Scope crowd of 8,545.
It was the fifth consecutive defeat for the Admirals, tying a club record set in the team's first season (1989-90).
Hampton Roads (5-8-1), off to its worst start, remains mired in last place in the East Division, which the Admirals won last season.
Eric Fenton scored the game-winner with 39 seconds left, when the Charlotte forward suddenly stopped in front of the net while skating at full speed and flipped in a short wrist shot.
Fenton, who played 21 games for the Admirals last season before quitting in a dispute with coach John Brophy, was guarded by two defenders.
``That goal was a ------- mortal sin,'' Brophy said, shaking his head.
``We played hard and played well for the most part. Everyone came to play.''
Yet they still lost, and that left the Admirals shaking their heads.
``I don't understand what happened,'' right wing Kelly Sorensen said.
``We're up 5-3 and we have the game under control. I just don't understand it.''
The Admirals pulled out all the stops to try to break the losing streak. Veteran defenseman Rob MacInnis, under contract to Portland, was brought in, as was goaltender Corwin Saurdiff, under contract to the San Jose Sharks.
The coliseum was decorated with balloons, as it was on opening night. A barber shop quartet sang both the United States and Canadian national anthems, something Admirals' president Blake Cullen saves only for special occasions.
And the Admirals prepared earnestly, practicing eight times in five days.
Yet the result was the same, and statistically, this game wasn't as close as the final score would indicate. Charlotte outshot the Admirals, 49-26, including a 25-7 advantage in the first period when the Checkers (7-5-2) took a 3-1 lead.
Yet the Admirals dominated much of the second and third periods.
Jim Brown and John Porco scored second-period goals to tie the score. Matt Mallgrave and Porco both scored early in the second period to make it 5-3.
Jay Ness (9:05), Shawn Wheeler (12:20) and Fenton then scored in succession, leaving the Admirals shellshocked, frustrated and angry.
``We played the second and third periods like we wanted to,'' said Porco, who has 14 goals.
``We just had a couple of bad bounces and mental lapses and they took advantage.
``This is a tough loss. But we've got to keep working and fight our way out of this.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by JOSEPH JOHN KOTLOWSKI, Staff
The Admirals' Kelly Sorensen leaps over a Charlotte player during
Friday night's loss.
by CNB