Monday, April 20, 1998 | 9:17 a.m.
LONG BEACH, Calif. -- A sign hanging over the building's main entrance reads "NO HOCKEY STICKS ALLOWED IN ARENA."
While the warning is posted to help preserve the safety of the Long Beach Ice Arena's patrons, the Las Vegas Thunder seemed to think it had to abide as well.
For several stretches Sunday against the Long Beach Ice Dogs in Game 2 of the Western Conference quarterfinals, the Thunder presented as much offensive threat as a team playing without sticks.
The Ice Dogs easily overcame an early, one-goal deficit to win 5-2 behind a pair of goals from red-hot winger Patrik Augusta.
Long Beach needs one more victory to eliminate Las Vegas in the best-of-5 series and can do so Friday at 7:05 p.m., when Game 3 takes place at the Thomas & Mack Center.
"It's not over," Thunder goaltender Manny Legace said. "They still have to come to our rink."
Despite Long Beach's inability to muster a shot on goal in the first 10 minutes, Las Vegas was outshot 37-20. The Thunder managed only three shots in the second period, including one attempt during a four-minute power play.
"That's the ballgame," Thunder captain Joe Day said of the four-minute span, during which the puck bounced around the Thunder's zone as much as it did the Ice Dogs'.
The Thunder received nine power-play opportunities in the game and failed to score on any. It also went 1 for 8 with the man advantage in Friday's 6-3 loss.
"I've said it every year since I turned pro: Specialty teams make you or break you in the playoffs," Day said. "Right now, we're not getting it done there."
Las Vegas' penalty killing units actually played well, giving up one goal on seven chances. The Thunder prevented the IHL's top team from capitalizing on a 5-on-3 advantage that lasted 1:25 late in the first. A second-period disadvantage provided a spark when Ken Quinney scored a shorthanded goal at 17:00 that cut the Ice Dogs' lead to 3-2.
"We proved to ourselves we can stay with these guys if we stay within our system like we did in the first period," Thunder head coach Clint Malarchuk said. "But we have to stay with the plan. We can't lose focus."
With five days to prepare and heal any nagging injuries, the Thunder must find its focus or else find something to do with its free time. The Ice Dogs now are 21-0-3 against the Thunder this season.
"Against such a strong team," Day said, "you need to play a perfect game. You need commitment from every player for 60 minutes. If you let down at all, have a lapse of any kind, they will take advantage of every opportunity."
The Thunder achieved its first lead of the postseason when its top line finally scored its first goal. On a 2-on-1 rush, Jesse Belanger made a perfect pass to Patrice Lefebvre, who beat Ice Dogs goaltender Kay Whitmore at 5:25 of the first period.
Las Vegas then protected its lead by negating Long Beach's 5-on-3 power play. But the Ice Dogs tied the game the precise second the power play expired. Stephane Morin rattled the puck between Legace's legs at 17:40.
On the Ice Dogs' next three goals, Legace disputed each to referee Joe Ernst. None were overturned.
"He was just awful," Legace said of Ernst, who also nixed a Thunder goal by Barry Potomski with 32.5 seconds to play because of a high stick. "He's just a bad ref."
On the eventual game winner at 4:16 of the second period, Thunder defenseman Brian Curran touched the puck for an apparent icing call, but a linesman waved it off. Augusta then flipped the puck past Legace, who insisted he was interfered with because his stick was hit by Ice Dogs defenseman Kevin Todd.
Legace again complained after a pileup in his crease resulted in a rebound goal for Pavel Rosa, who was being checked from behind by Thunder defenseman Keith McCambridge, at 8:45 of the second. Legace insisted he was speared as Rosa crashed to the ice.
After Quinney brought the Thunder within a goal, Andrei Vasilyev lit the Ice Dogs' lamp 35 seconds into the third period. Legace snagged the puck with his glove and slid over the goal line. The goal judge ruled the puck crossed before the catch. Legace claimed otherwise.
"The consistency of refs in this league -- I just don't get it," Legace said. Ernst "let the goal judge decide two goals. You can't do that in the opposing team's rink."
The Ice Dogs' lone power-play goal provided Augusta with his second score of the day and fourth of the series with 10:39 left to play.
Thunderbolts
* ADD & SUBTRACT: Backup goaltender Tim Cheveldae, a former NHL all-star, did not dress Sunday and was replaced on the bench by Konstantin Simchuk, the West Coast Hockey League's rookie of the year with Tacoma. ... The Thunder also added defenseman Rodrigo Lavinsh. ... Right wing Trent McCleary and defenseman J.P. Davis were scratched Sunday.
* LOOSE PUCKS: When the Thunder managed three shots in the second period, it was not the fewest it recorded this season. The Thunder twice took only two shots in a period: Nov. 19 at Long Beach (a 4-3 shootout loss) and Feb. 16 at Houston (a 4-1 victory). ... The Thunder is facing its second consecutive opening-round sweep. The Houston Aeros turned the trick last season. ... Long Beach defenseman Kevin Todd left the game in the third period after getting elbowed in the head by Thunder forward Paxton Schulte. Todd was diagnosed with a concussion, but is expected to play Friday.
archive
