THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, February 16, 1995 TAG: 9502160530
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HARRY MINIUM, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 84 lines
John Brophy isn't quite sure what's happened to his Admirals hockey team since the ECHL All-Star break. All he knows is that the Admirals were tied for first just before the break, and on Wednesday they lost for the seventh time in their ten outings since.
Roanoke broke a four-game losing streak to Hampton Roads by holding the Admirals scoreless over the last 36 minutes to eke out a 4-2 victory at Scope.
``It's like we went to Hong Kong or someplace after the all-star break and never came back,'' said Brophy, who spent 15 minutes behind closed doors with his players following the game.
``We were in first place and now we're losing games with half efforts, playing half speed, with ------- plays and Lone Rangers.''
The loss knocked the Admirals (28-17-5) into fourth place in the East Division. The teams were tied for third when the night began. Roanoke (27-15-9) now has 63 points to 61 for the Admirals.
After tying Richmond for the East lead in January, the Admirals trail the Renegades by 11 points.
Roanoke got a good effort in goal from Daniel Berthiaume and a superb effort from its defense, which prevented the Admirals from getting shots close to the goal until Brophy pulled goaltender Todd Hunter in the final minutes.
The Express drew praise from Brophy, who had few kind words for his own team.
``We got beat by a better team tonight,'' he said. ``They played road hockey perfectly. They cut down the outside lanes like you're supposed to do in hockey.
``They're a good team. Tonight we weren't a good team.''
Things began well for the Admirals, who took a 1-0 lead on Rick Kowalsky's power-play goal at 9:23 of the first period. But they went sour a minute later when Admirals forward Mike Nemirovsky was assessed a major penalty for high-sticking Roanoke's Chris Potter. The penalty carries an automatic ejection.
Roanoke was awarded a five-minute power play, and was later given a 5-on-3 advantage when Rob MacInnis was called for interference - he knocked a loose stick into the path of Roanoke's Craig Herr.
The Express took advantage, getting power play goals from Dave Stewart and Jason Clarke to take a 2-1 lead.
Brophy was furious about the penalty, but not at Nemirvosky.
``It was a terrible call,'' he said. ``They were laying all over the ice anyway trying to get penalties.
``The guy hit his face, which is unfortunate, but it was against the glass, not with a stick.''
Nemirovsky said he didn't think his stick hit Potter, but Roanoke coach Frank Anzalone said Potter, who received 20 stitches in his mouth, was hit with a stick.
``It was a very vicious situation,'' he said. ``I'm surprised that it was a player like Nemirovsky. It must have happened by mistake.''
The Admirals recovered to knot the score at 3:52 of the second period on a sparkling goal by Rod Taylor, who took a look-away pass from John Porco, turned and fired a slap shot over Berthiaume's shoulder.
But it was all Roanoke the rest of the way. The game winner came from Rouslan Toujikov at 6:57 of the second period. The Express iced the victory at 19:40 on an empty-net goal by defenseman Michael Smith.
Brophy said the Admirals played hard in the game's final five minutes. ``But that's not enough,'' he said. ``When they set up in front of the net, you've got to break that down, you've got to fight through. You've got to score two-foot and three-foot goals, knock in rebounds.
``We didn't do any of that tonight. We're not playing with a life-and-death attitude.''
Team captain Trevor Halverson agreed.
``He's the coach and he's telling us what to do, and we come out and do the opposite,'' he said.
``As soon as we start listening, we'll start winning games.'' ILLUSTRATION: LOCKED OUT
BILL TIERNAN/Staff
Trevor Halverson and Kelly Sorensen, right, work for a goal against
Roanoke goaltender Daniel Berthiaume, who was aided by an Express
defense that keep the Admirals away from the goal.
by CNB