Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 15, 1992 TAG: 9203150201
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
\ The Roanoke Valley Rebels persist in doing business the hard way.
The Rebels let an invitation to the East Coast Hockey League playoffs slip through their hands Saturday night, dropping a 5-3 decision to the Richmond Renegades.
"Obviously, we don't want to do anything the easy way," Rebels coach Roy Sommer said. "We haven't done anything the easy way all year, so why should we start now?"
The Rebels, who could have sewed up the sixth and final playoff bid in the ECHL East with a victory, now will have to sweat over their postseason options - continue playing hockey or go home - at least until tonight.
If Knoxville (19-35-8), which trails sixth-place Roanoke Valley (21-35-7) by three points and must win its final two game to have a chance, loses tonight in Greensboro, the Rebels are in the playoffs.
"We wanted to get it done tonight," captain Bill Whitfield said. "Hey, we wanted to go in [the playoffs] through the front door, not the back door.
"I'm sure there will be some guys waiting on a call [tonight] to see what Knoxville does."
Which brings up an interesting point. Greensboro, which already has wrapped up the East title, now will have a big say in which club they will face in the first round of the playoffs.
"I'm sure Greensboro might be resting some guys for the playoffs, but I don't think they would not try to win the game," said Sommer, when asked if he thought the Monarchs might lie down against the Cherokees in hopes of facing Knoxville instead of Roanoke Valley in the first round.
"It's not supposed to work that way," Sommer added. "You're supposed to try and win every game."
If Knoxville wins in Greensboro, it would still have to beat Cincinnati at home on Wednesday and hope the Rebels lose in Raleigh on Tuesday.
"No doubt about it," added Sommer, "we screwed up tonight. When Knoxville sees we lost tonight, it will give them some life."
The Rebs appeared to have their playoff lives ensured Saturday. With the score 2-2, the Rebels could smell victory when they went on a power play with 11:14 left in the game.
"I was thinking this is our big chance to get a goal and win the game," said Whitfield.
But the Rebs proceeded to break the hearts of the season-high crowd of 2,964.
Seventy seconds into the power play, Richmond's Dave Aiken intercepted an ill-advised clearing pass around the boards by Rebs goaltender Mike James. Aiken quickly swept the puck to teammate Jim McGeough, who stopped the puck with his skate and fired in a point-blank blast past James.
"In a close game like this, I should have taken a look before I passed the puck," James said. "But on the power play, you figure somebody's going to be there for the puck. I'll take the blame, though."
The short-handed goal, McGeough's sixth in 22 games with Richmond, sucked the life out of the Rebels.
The Renegades scored two more goals in the next 3:41, sending most of the big crowd scurrying for the exits.
"We had our opportunities to put Richmond away," said Sommer, whose club lost for the seventh time in as many meetings with Richmond.
"They've got our number. Whenever they need a goal or a big save, they come up with it against us. And whenever we need a big goal or a big save, we can't find it against them."
Now the Rebs just hope they can find a playoff spot.
"I wish we could have done it ourselves," James said. "Now we've gone and put our fate in somebody else's hands. Go Greensboro. That's all I can say."
\ ICE CHIPS: Overshadowed in the loss in the Rebs' regular-season LancerLot finale was Woolf's 50th goal of the season. Brett Stewart, whose 32nd goal of the season tied the score at 2 with 15:52 to play, and Ron Jones had the other Rebel scores. . . . The crowd figure surpassed the season's previous high of 2,955 against Winston-Salem on Jan. 18. The Rebs' season attendance total for 32 home dates was 65,725, an average of 2,054 per game, their highest number in four years in the ECHL. . . . Playoff tickets, if necessary, will go on sale on Thursday at the Rebs' box office. Tickets are $7 for adults, $5 for children under 12 and students. . . . James was selected as the team's Most Valuable Player by the Rebels Booster Club. \
see microfilm for box score
by CNB