DATE: Thursday, March 13, 1997              TAG: 9703130577

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY JIM DUCIBELLA, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: NORFOLK                           LENGTH:   72 lines

ADMIRALS BOMBED BY DAYTON IN OT SIXTH SHOT IN SUDDEN-DEATH ENDS GAME

You had the feeling it wasn't just another night at the office for the Hampton Roads Admirals when the Zamboni temporarily broke down while laying the pregame ice.

You had the feeling it wasn't just another night at the office when 30 lights died five minutes into the third period and the Admirals and visiting Dayton Bombers spent the next four minutes skating in shadows.

You could be pretty sure it wasn't the Admirals' night when referee Derick Woodworth waved off Randy Pearce's game-tying goal in the third period, claiming it was rapped in by his high stick.

You thought it might become their night when Alain Savage's lob-shot midway through the third period hit the stick of a Bombers defenseman, glanced off the crossbar behind Dayton goalie Evgeny Ryabchikov and spun into the net to give Hampton Roads an unbelievable 3-3 tie.

In the end, your first instincts were right. It wasn't just another happy night at Scope for the Admirals. It wasn't happy at all. Before an announced crowd of 5,047 that seemed much smaller and occasionally booed, they were beaten 4-3 when the sixth shot of sudden-death overtime - by Tom Nemeth - finally got by Admirals goalie Darryl Paquette.

``It's hard to get get booed in this building; It's tough,'' Admirals Coach John Brophy said. ``But we've managed it tonight.''

``We've never been in one that lasted that long,'' said Paquette. ``I don't think it should have gone that far. Their three goals (in the shootout) all hit the post or crossbar behind me and went in. Then again, it's our fault. One way or the other, we can't seem to finish these kinds of games.''

Regulation ended in a 3-3 tie, and three players from each team scored during the shootout. That brought about sudden-death, where the first team to score an unanswered goal wins.

Paquette stopped the first five Bombers, using glove, pad and stick saves about evenly. But Admirals Rod Taylor, Rick Kowalsky, Joel Poirier, Dan Shermerhorn and Chad Ackerman were stymied by Ryabchikov.

Finally, Nemeth, who had just one goal in 13 previous games, beat Paquette, leaving the responsibility for tying the game and continuing sudden-death to defenseman Chris Phelps. But he lost control of the puck late in his dash to the net and wasn't able to get off a shot.

Although Hampton Roads receives one point for the tie, it still trails East Division-leading South Carolina by two points. Worse, both teams have played the same number of games.

``They played a great road game; give Dayton credit,'' said Phelps. ``But we made a lot of mistakes and they capitalized on them. That was their game plan and they stuck to it.''

Dayton, third in the North Division and coming off an 8-2 loss at South Carolina the previous night, boxed in the Admirals' offense with an effective fore-checking scheme that kept Hampton Roads off-balance until a flurry late in the third period.

ICE CHIPS: Defenseman Mike Larkin was placed on the seven-day injured reserve list before Wednesday's game. Larkin twisted his right ankle Tuesday night at Charlotte. . . . Another defenseman, Darryl Shedden, was waived Wednesday. . . . Forward Aaron Downey sat out Wednesday's game with a sore back. . . . Forward Rick Kowalsky was in the starting lineup after being returned to the Admirals from Portland of the AHL. ILLUSTRATION: [Color photo]

L. TODD SPENCER/The Virginian-Pilot

Admirals Dominic Maltais, left, and Joel Poirier, right, put the

squeeze on Brian Ridolfi of the Dayton Bombers Wednesday night at

Scope. Hampton Roads lost its second consecutive game.

[Photo]

L. TODD SPENCER/The Virginian-Pilot

A Dayton Bomber takes a nosedive as the Admirals defend their goal.

Send Suggestions or Comments to webmaster@scholar.lib.vt.edu