THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, January 31, 1996 TAG: 9601310410
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY KEVIN RECORD, CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: TALLAHASSEE, FLA. LENGTH: Medium: 52 lines
The hard times continued for Hampton Roads on Tuesday.
The Admirals blew a 1-0 lead to Tallahassee with less than four minutes remaining in regulation and then lost 2-1 in a shootout before a raucous crowd of 4,576 at the Leon County Civic Center.
Hampton Roads, 0-3-2 in its last five games, fell to 24-12-12 overall. It was the Admirals' 19th shootout of the season, tying the league record set by Richmond a year ago.
``It wasn't that we backed off or stopped playing hard,'' Admirals coach John Brophy said. ``When you're having a tough time winning hockey games, that's the way it goes for a while. But it will turn for us. We've got a very good team.''
Hampton Roads broke a scoreless tie with 5:02 left in the second period when Joel Poirier, playing his first game with the Admirals, scored off an assist from Dominic Maltais. But Tallahassee (26-13-4) forged a 1-1 tie with 3:55 left in regulation when Hardy Sauter beat Admirals goalie Todd Hunter from close range.
The Tiger Sharks, who defeated Hampton Roads in the first round of last year's playoffs, took a 1-0 lead in the shootout on a goal by Alexander Savchenko.
David St. Pierre tied it for Hampton Roads, but Aaron Kriss, shooting fifth, won it for Tallahassee on his first professional goal. The puck caromed off the left post and past Hunter. Moments earlier, Admirals forward Sean Selmser had his shot bounce off the left post.
That's the way it went for Hampton Roads all night.
The Admirals appeared to have taken a 1-0 lead on a goal by Maltais with 1:54 left in the opening period, but it was waved off after much deliberation.
``The puck was in,'' Brophy said. ``When the water bottle jumps off the top of the net, it means it hit up under there. . . . They missed that one.''
Hampton Roads had a chance to put the game away midway through the third period but failed to score with a two-man advantage for two minutes. Overall, the Admirals were 0 for 4 on the power play.
``Our power play failed us, that's for sure,'' Brophy said. ``We've got the second-best power play in the league and we hardly got a shot.''
Steve Richards, brother of Tallahassee goalie Mark Richards, had an assist on the Admirals' regulation goal. But he failed to score on his brother in the shootout.
``Tallahassee's been asleep for a month, but they woke up for us,'' Brophy said. by CNB