THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, February 8, 1996 TAG: 9602080562
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HARRY MINIUM, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 63 lines
The Louisiana IceGators showed Wednesday that they are an expansion team in name only.
The IceGators smothered the Hampton Roads Admirals with bare-knuckle forechecking and a well-oiled offense to roll to a 4-3 victory in a game in which the score understated the winner's dominance.
The IceGators outshot Hampton Roads 46-32 and outhustled the Admirals until the game's waning minutes. It was the sixth loss, including two by shootout, in seven games for the Admirals (25-13-12).
Only in the final minutes was the game close. Trailing 4-2 with 1:21 left, the Admirals pulled to within one when Aaron Downey dug the puck from under the stick of Louisiana goalie Chuck Thuss and knocked it into the net.
Admirals coach John Brophy then pulled goalie Mark Bernard, and his charges responded with four late shots, all repelled by Thuss.
Brophy praised his team after most of the recent defeats, saying his Admirals played hard. Not so Wednesday night. After meeting with reporters, Brophy kicked over a set of weights and stalked out of the dressing room.
``We played five minutes of hockey and that's it,'' Brophy said. ``We might as well have been drunk, the way we were stumbling around out there. It's very tough to play hockey when you're asleep.''
The Admirals indeed looked lethargic in a game that often resembled fast-break basketball. But while the Admirals faltered through most of the final two periods, the IceGators seemed to get stronger. Their forechecking held off most Admirals scoring opportunities, while the Admirals' defense was defenseless against Louisiana rushes.
One of the ECHL's most physical teams - there were six fights and 100 penalty minutes in the first two periods - the IceGators stocked their lineup with seven seasoned players from Wichita of the Central Hockey League.
The Wichita club folded after last season. Wichita owner Ernie Parker then purchased the expansion IceGators and brought with him much of his Central League team. The IceGators lead the league in attendance and the South Division with 64 points.
``They've got the Central League All-Star team out there,'' Admirals president Blake Cullen said.
Louisiana opened a 2-0 lead on goals by Fred Goltz and Kelly Hultgren - the first came off Bernard's stick and went into the net, the second came after Hultgren skated around a defender and fired a slap shot over Bernard's shoulder.
Rick Kowalsky cut the lead to 2-1 on a power-play goal he knifed between the Thuss' legs at 12:59. Louisiana's John De Pourcq made it 3-1 at 18:11 on a rebound shot that came with Bernard sprawled on the ice after a save. The Admirals' David St. Pierre then cut the lead to 3-2 just 44 seconds left in the period.
Bob Berg made it 4-2 at 15:21 of the second period on a slap shot from just inside the blue line.
Only Bernard kept it from turning into a blowout. He slapped away two second-period breakaways, and prevented half a dozen goals with diving saves.
``Bernie was great,'' Brophy said.
Not so for the rest of the Admirals.
``We played half-speed,'' forward Rod Taylor said. ``It was just a terrible game.'' by CNB