THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 20, 1996 TAG: 9610200165
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C8 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY KEITH NAMM, CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. LENGTH: 43 lines
The South Carolina Stingrays rode two goals each by Ed Courtenay and Mike Ross to a 5-2 victory over the Hampton Roads Admirals on Saturday night before a crowd of 7,406 at the North Charleston Coliseum.
The Admirals fell to 0-2 after a second straight penalty-marred effort. Hampton Roads was penalized 16 times for 32 minutes.
``We're definitely taking stupid penalties. We're not getting any flow in our offense because we're not playing 5-on-5,'' said the Admirals' Ryan Mulhern, who scored both Hampton Roads goals.
Courtenay had the game's first goal for the second straight night, one-timing in Doug Wood's rebound from low on the left side at 4:29 of the first period.
David Seitz made it 2-0 at 17:14 of the first, squeezing a power-play shot from the right doorstep past Admirals goaltender Shamus Gregga. Scott Boston and Rob Concannon assisted on the score, which came seconds after the Stingrays had spent almost a minute skating 5-on-3.
Both teams had nine first-period shots on goal. Hampton Roads came up empty on its only power-play chance.
The Admirals, who started the second period with the last 11 seconds of a power play, drew to within 2-1 at the 48-second mark. Mulhern beat Taras Lendzyk to a loose puck in the slot and flipped it over him. Rick Kowalsky and Randy Pearce assisted.
Courtenay made it 3-1 on the power play at 5:44 of the second. Boston swung a pass down low to Courtenay, who banked a tight-angle shot off Gregga's pads.
South Carolina made it 4-1 at 14:11 of the second period on a backhander by Ross from the right circle that slipped between Gregga's pads.
Ross picked up his second goal at 8:22 of the third period to make it 6-1. He beat Gregga from low in the right circle seconds after the Admirals killed a penalty.
Mulhern struck for a power-play goal at 13:32 of the third to cut it to 6-2, finding the far-side netting from the right slot.
The Stingrays were playing their second of three straight games short one player because of the suspension levied on Dan Fournel in a preseason game.
The Admirals' next game is Thursday at Baton Rouge. by CNB