THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, November 24, 1994 TAG: 9411240852
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HARRY MINIUM, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 56 lines
Outshot with regularity through three periods and overtime, the Raleigh IceCaps nonetheless made their shots when it counted Wednesday.
Alexsandr Chunchukov, Lenny Pereira, Lyle Wildgoose and Kevin Riehl all scored in a shootout to give the IceCaps a 6-5 victory over the Hampton Roads Admirals.
The Admirals outshot Raleigh, 44-27. Yet, as has been the case much of this season, they negated their dominating offensive play by giving up easy goals.
The loss dropped the Admirals to 6-8-2. With 14 points, the defending East Division champions remain last in the division, five points behind Raleigh (9-7-2).
``I've never seen goals go in like this,'' said coach John Brophy, who appeared more frustrated and worried than angry following the Admirals' sixth loss in seven games.
``We just funnel the puck into our own net.''
The Admirals broke a five-game losing streak in their last outing with a 2-1 victory at Greensboro. Brophy said the Admirals took two steps back Wednesday.
``Everybody's playing by themselves at home,'' Brophy said. ``I've asked them to play a certain way, to play with our system, and they're just refusing to do it.
``We've done it once, at Greensboro.
``At home I guess everyone wants to be the star, the hero.''
It was not a good night for Admirals goaltenders Corwin Saurdiff and Patrick LaLime. Saurdiff surrendered four goals before being pulled early in the second period.
LaLime played well until overtime, but was unable to stop all four Raleigh shots in the shootout.
Hampton Roads got a shootout goal from John Porco. Shots by Jim Brown and Travor Halverson were blocked, leaving Raleigh with a 3-1 advantage when Riehl slapped the game winner over LaLime's left shoulder.
Brophy said the problem isn't goaltending, it's the forwards and defensemen not thinking defense first.
``We have to take care of business in our own end at home,'' he said.
``They refuse to play any kind of system at home. They turn the simplest little thing into a cement pile every game.
``And that's poor coaching. It's my fault.
``To lose that game was a joke.''
The Admirals took the lead, 5-4, on a goal by Ron Pascucci at 4:01 of the fourth period.
But Chic Pojar tied the score at 7:38 with a puck apparently kissed by Lady Luck. Pojar's shot hit the stick of an Admirals' defenseman, flipped up over LaLime's head, hit the goal cross bar and fell just across the goal line. by CNB