Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, February 16, 1995 TAG: 9502160107
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: HARRY MINIUM LANDMARK NEWS SERVICE
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium
Roanoke broke a four-game losing streak to Hampton Roads by holding the Admirals scoreless in the last 36 minutes to eke out a 4-2 victory at Scope.
``It's like we went to Hong Kong or someplace after the All-Star break and never came back,'' said Brophy, who spent 15 minutes behind closed doors with his players following the game.
``We were in first place and now we're losing games with half-efforts, playing half-speed...''
The loss knocked the Admirals (28-17-5) into fourth place in the division. The teams were tied for third when the night began. Roanoke (27-15-9) now has 63 points to 61 for the Admirals.
After tying Richmond for the East lead in January, the Admirals trail the Renegades by 11 points.
Roanoke got a good effort in goal from Daniel Berthiaume and a superb effort from its defense, which prevented the Admirals from getting shots close to the goal until Brophy pulled goaltender Todd Hunter in the final minutes.
The Express drew praise from Brophy, who had few kind words for his own team.
``We got beat by a better team tonight,'' he said. ``They played road hockey perfectly. They cut down the outside lanes like you're supposed to do in hockey.
``They're a good team. Tonight we weren't a good team.''
Things began well for the Admirals, who took a 1-0 lead on Rick Kowalsky's power-play goal at 9 minutes, 23 seconds of the first period. But they went sour a minute later when Hampton Roads forward Mike Nemirovsky was assessed a major penalty for high-sticking Roanoke's Chris Potter. The penalty carries an automatic ejection.
Roanoke was awarded a five-minute power play, and later was given a five-on-three advantage when Rob MacInnis was called for interference - he knocked a loose stick into the path of Roanoke's Craig Herr.
The Express took advantage, getting power play goals from Dave Stewart and Jason Clarke to take a 2-1 lead.
Brophy was furious about the penalty, but not at Nemirvosky.
``It was a terrible call,'' he said. ``They were laying all over the ice anyway trying to get penalties.
``The guy hit his face, which is unfortunate, but it was against the glass, not with a stick.''
Nemirovsky said he didn't think his stick hit Potter, but Roanoke coach Frank Anzalone said Potter, who received 20 stitches in his mouth, was hit with a stick.
``It was a very vicious situation,'' Anzalone said. ``I'm surprised that it was a player like Nemirovsky. It must have happened by mistake.''
The Admirals recovered to knot the score at 3:52 of the second period on a sparkling goal by Rod Taylor, who took a look-away pass from John Porco, turned and fired a slap shot over one of Berthiaume's shoulders.
But it was all Roanoke the rest of the way. The game-winner came from Rouslan Toujikov at 6:57 of the second period. The Express iced the victory at 19:40 on an empty-net goal by defenseman Michael Smith.
``Going into the third [the Admirals] had just 15 shots, and that was good,'' Anzalone said. ``It saved Dan Berthiaume at the end. When you're in another team's building and you have the lead, you're going to get blistered at the end and they tried to blister us.
``They really came at us. John Porco was on the ice most of the last five minutes, and they just kept coming and coming. But they didn't get many good shots, and that helped Dan. We didn't give up many quality shots and the ones they got, he stopped.''
by CNB