THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, February 27, 1995 TAG: 9502270158
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HARRY MINIUM, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: COLUMBUS, OHIO LENGTH: Medium: 67 lines
The outmanned and road-weary Hampton Roads Admirals managed to extend the Columbus Chill into overtime Sunday, but when it came time for a shootout, they had run out of ammunition.
Columbus left wing Kevin St. Jacques scored the only goal in the extra period to give the Chill a 6-5 victory before a sellout crowd of 5,818 at the Ohio State Fairgrounds Coliseum.
The loss dropped the Admirals to 2-2-1 in their eight-game, 13-day road trip, one that has been marred by the suspension of coach John Brophy and players Trevor Halverson and Ron Majic. All were suspended indefinitely for their roles in a fight following Friday's 3-2 victory at Wheeling.
Combined with injuries and call-ups, the suspensions left the Admirals with 12 skaters in their third game in three days. Columbus, playing for the first time in a week, had 16 skaters.
``We're more than shorthanded,'' said assistant coach Al MacIsaac, who was behind the bench in Brophy's place. ``We've lost so many players that we've got guys who weren't playing a month ago, who had no hope of playing, who are playing for us as much as they have the energy to play.
``We've got three defensemen (Tom Menicci, Jason MacIntyre and Tony MacAulay) playing forward. We played three games in three days shorthanded. When I looked at our bench, our guys looked like they'd all run the New York Marathon, with their heads hanging down. Yet we hung in there, played our butts off and almost won.''
The Admirals took a 5-4 lead when John Porco tipped in a slap shot by Chris Phelps with 15:54 left in the third period.
From there, the Admirals dug in to play defense. But Greg Murray deflected shot past Admirals goaltender Shamus Gregga at 18:17 to send the game into overtime.
The goal was the ugliest of the game. The puck deflected off a Columbus player's skate and bounced to a surprised Murray in front of the net. Gregga was caught on the wrong side of the goal.
Neither team scored in the five-minute overtime, and for a while it appeared nobody would score in the shootout. Mike Nemirovsky, Rod Taylor, Menicci and Ron Pascucci all had shots blocked by Columbus goalie Tom Newman. Gregga, meanwhile, snuffed shots from Mike Ross, Derek Clancey and Robin Bouchard.
But St. Jacques faked right, then shot left and put the puck inches past Gregga's reach. John Porco then missed on the Admirals' fifth and final shot.
Gregga, who was playing junior hockey in British Columbia last month, played well again for the third game in a row. He has 105 saves in those three games.
``He's stepped in and played great,'' MacIntyre said. ``On the last two goals (in regulation), he was screened. There wasn't much he could do about that.''
Nor does it appear that the Admirals can squeeze much more out of its current lineup. Defenseman Brian Goudie scored a goal on a breakaway slap shot and had an assist in spite of having portions of three teeth knocked out of his mouth Saturday in a 3-2 loss at Johnstown.
Reinforcements are scheduled to arrive today from the AHL. All-ECHL left wing Rick Kowalsky is being optioned back to the Admirals from Cornwall, . Halverson also is due back from Portland.
The suspension of both Halverson and Majic might be lifted after the Admirals' next contest - Wednesday at Erie - and they should play when they travel to Johnstown Thursday. Brophy's suspension should end today. by CNB