THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, December 1, 1994 TAG: 9412010624
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HARRY MINIUM, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 80 lines
As bad as things were for the Hampton Roads Admirals during a humiliating 3-0 loss to the Roanoke Express on Wednesday night, they got worse at game's end.
After watching his team suffer its first shutout loss in 124 games, coach John Brophy sent the Admirals back onto the Scope ice to skate. For 15 minutes the players sprinted back and forth across the ice as many of the crowd of 5,473 jeered.
Brophy then blasted the Admirals in a locker-room tirade that lasted almost 20 minutes.
``They're over there celebrating, laughing at you and drinking beer,'' he said of the Express. ``If you want this after every game, then you'll get it. We'll skate and skate and skate and skate after every game.''
Later, he ripped his players in comments to reporters.
``We've done everything we can to get this team ready to play hockey,'' he said. ``Everything I can do.
``The team practices well and it does everything it's asked to do in practice and turns around and will not skate in some games, especially when we're at home. I can under
stand that on the road in some situations, but never at home. This should never happen at home.''
The loss ended what had been something of a comeback from a slow start for the Admirals - they were 3-0-1 in their previous four outings. But Brophy said the Admirals (8-9-2), last in the East Division, were at their worst against Roanoke.
``They didn't even try. We didn't even make them (the Express) sweat,'' he said.
Team captain Trevor Halverson said Brophy's tirade was justified.
``Again, no one showed up. It's like a mental block or something,'' he said. ``It's not Brophy at all. That's not the problem. It's us, it's the players. It's what's going on in the dressing room.
``I'm as guilty as everyone. There was just a total lack of effort.''
And it showed. The Admirals had not been shut out since Jan. 12, 1993, when they fell at Greensboro, 2-0. It was the first home shutout since Feb. 2, 1991, when they lost to Nashville, 5-0.
Hampton Roads was outshot, 39-27, and outchecked by the Express, a team not known for its physical play.
The loss spoiled a sparkling performance from goaltender Corwin Saurdiff. Though he suffered his second loss in as many starts, he had half a dozen skillful saves.
``This was not his fault,'' Brophy said.
The game was scoreless until 15:05 of the second period, when Ilya Dubkov flipped a wrist shot over Saurdiff's left shoulder.
The goal was made possible in large part by defenseman Mark Luger, who stationed himself in front of the goal. Luger didn't budge, even when Admirals defenseman Chris MacInnis pounded him with his stick. Luger shielded Dobkov from Saurdiff's view, allowing him to score unimpeded.
Hampton Roads appeared to tie the score at 7:12 of the third period when John Porco smacked a rebound of his own blocked shot past goaltender Dave Gagnon. However, referee John Murphy ruled that Gagnon had been interferred with by Admirals forward Kelly Sorensen. The goal was wiped off the scoreboard, and the Express was rewarded with a power play, one that broke the Admirals' back.
Thirty seconds into the power play, Roanoke defenseman Dave Stewart sent a slap shot from the left circle into the net to give the Express a 2-0 lead. Dubkov added an empty-net goal at 19:04 of the third period to seal the victory.
At game's end, Roanoke coach Frank Anzalone frowned as he watched the Admirals skate, but he declined to criticize Brophy.
``John Brophy's been around a long time and I'm in no position to question anything he does,'' he said. ``He knows his club, and he knows what he's doing.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
LAWRENCE JACKSON/Staff
The Admirals' Rod Taylor, left, and Brendan Curley squeeze Roanoke's
Ilya Dubkov, center, but leave the puck behind.
by CNB