Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, February 10, 1992 TAG: 9202100141
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
REBELS WIN GAME, LOSE THEIR COACH
The Roanoke Valley Rebels won a hockey game, and, at least temporarily, lost a coach Sunday.After his Rebels had fought off a rash of late penalties and hung on to whip Johnstown 3-1 at the Lan cerLot, Roanoke Valley coach Roy Sommer, infuriated at the officiating, stormed across the ice toward referee Chip Tyson.
A flailing Sommer, all the while voicing his displeasure in an expletive-laced verbal barrage, was restrained by several Rebels before he could make contact with Tyson.
The usually mild-mannered coach received a gross misconduct penalty for his tirade. The penalty carries a $50 fine and automatic one-game suspension, or possibly more, depending on the discretion of East Coast Hockey league Commissioner Pat Kelly, who was at the game.
Kelly, after a post-game meeting with Tyson, told one Rebel official that he would make no decision on Sommer's penalty until after reviewing the game videotape today in his Charlotte, N.C., office.
Sommer was incensed over a five-minute major penalty imposed on Rebel forward Mark Woolf and a pair of ensuing minor penalties called on defenseman Devin Derksen that gave the Chiefs a 5-on-3 power play for all but 70 seconds of the final 3:50.
"Have you ever seen anything like that?" the disbelieving Sommer said after the game. "I've been been around hockey for a long time and that's the best I've seen."
Then, with a touch of sarcasm, Sommer replied: "Hey, that's the best officiating I've seen all year. Print that."
Until the hectic final minutes when Tyson's whistle went to work, the Rebels appeared headed toward a routine, workmanlike victory.
"We're up 3-1 and coasting," said defenseman Bill Whitfield, who along with Trevor Smith intercepted Sommer before he could reach Tyson.
"Then, suddenly, all hell starts breaking loose. The only thing I can figure is that Henry [Brabham, Rebels owner] must have turned off one too many showers in the building. For some reason or another, we don't get many breaks [from the officials]."
Whatever, the Chiefs couldn't cash in on the advantage. Rebels goaltender Mike James and the penalty-killing unit of Whitfield, Brett Stewart and Peter Kasowski staved off a furious assault on goal by the visitors in the final 3:50 without allowing a score.
"Yeah, it was a little hectic there at the end," said James, who stopped all but one of 40 Johnstown shots.
"The penalties don't make any difference now. We stopped them," added James.
Officiating aside, Sommer had nothing but praise for his club after its fourth straight home win.
"Everybody is playing solidly," Sommer said. "Corey Lyons and that second line [of Wayne Muir and Scott Eichstadt] have given us a lot more scoring punch. The checking line of [Bill] Harrington, [Ken] Moran and [Ken] Blum keep getting better every game. And James? He has just been unbelievable lately."
Lyons, sent down from Salt Lake City of the International Hockey League 10 days ago, scored the Rebs' first two goals, giving him Don't count us out of this thing yet. I've already told Henry [Brabham] that I want to be the one that carries the championship trophy around the ice when we win it all. Bill Whitfield Rebels defenseman five in as many games with the club.
"It's nice to be scoring goals again," said Lyons, who expects to rejoin Salt Lake when the IHL playoffs start.
"I was a big scorer in junior hockey, but I was struggling a bit in Salt Lake. I wasn't getting much ice time there, so when this club said they needed some more offense and some help on the power play, which happens to be what I do best, I decided to come here and give it a shot."
The play of newcomers Lyons, Eichstadt and Smith have helped rekindle the Rebels' playoff hopes. The win moved Roanoke Valley (18-26-3) four points ahead of seventh-place Knoxville (15-28-5) in the ECHL East. The Rebs trail fifth-place Raleigh (20-25-3) by four points.
"Don't count us out of this thing yet," Whitfield warned. "I've already told Henry that I want to be the one that carries the championship trophy around the ice when we win it all."
\ ICE CHIPS: The Rebels may be sold and moved, but the Chiefs were the ones who couldn't wait to leave town Sunday night. Johnstown (31-15-3) lost for the second time time in two days to the Rebs. Sandwiched between the two setbacks was a tough 6-5 overtime loss in Hampton Roads on Saturday in which Cheifs coach Steve Carlson was suspended for one game for going onto the ice after referee Pete Messana after yet another controversial late-game call. Injured Chiefs player Mike McCormick handled the chores behind the Johnstown bench Sunday. . . . Brett Stewart had the other Rebel goal, his 24th. Kasowski and Woolf each had two assists. . . . The Rebels improved to 4-1 vs. Johnstown. . . . The Rebs swing back into action on Friday at Greensboro. They entertain Knoxville on Saturday and Hampton Roads on Sunday at the Lot. Sunday's game time has been moved from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. \
see microfilm for box score