Things haven't been quite right for the Utah RollerBees since they started. They underestimated how competitive Roller Hockey International would be, monetarily and on the court, and spent the first season trying to catch up without the wherewithal to do so.
Yet, in their final home game of this first RHI season, with little incentive because they didn't make the playoffs, the RollerBees gave about as good an account of themselves as they have all season. Things almost went right.It was a loss, but not by much.
"We played a lot better game, a lot more disciplined," said Utah coach Brent Meeke. "It coulda went either way."
The Calgary Rad'z (7-5), second in the King Division, dumped the RollerBees 8-6 Saturday night in the Delta Center, but the Bees led 6-5 3:40 into the fourth period and were tied 6-6 with less than five minutes to play.
Calgary's Chad Onishenko broke the tie at 7:06 of the fourth with a power-play goal, skating 3-on-2, and then Utah captain Todd Harkins, was called for a holding penalty at 10:30 that really did the Bees in.
"I think we got a lousy penalty," said Meeke, whose team dropped to 2-10-1 with one to play. It was a minor hold, and, "a holding penalty is not a good penalty to have called with a minute and a half left in your own building down a goal." It's the kind of thing usually uncalled by officials. "It threw a wet rag over everything," Meeke said.
When play went into Calgary territory during the Rad'z power play, the Bees pulled goaltender Paul Skidmore for an extra skater - making it four skaters vs. four - but Calgary's Travis Stephenson intercepted a puck high in the Rad'z zone and tossed a long shot into the vacant net.
The fireworks weren't over as Calgary coach Morris Lukowich, skating as a player for the second straight night because the Rad'z are short of players and because he wanted to see if his NHL/European playing experience would make a difference, elbowed Utah player/assistant coach Rich Chernomaz with :04 left in the game. Lukowich said he did it because of Chernomaz's fight last week with one of the Rad'z.
Chernomaz struck back and drew a fighting major/game misconduct, which means he's suspended for the RollerBees' final game Tuesday at Portland. Lukowich said he "handled it right" and didn't fight. He drew a double minor.
Because of hard feelings between the two King Division members, Meeke badly wanted to beat the Rad'z and got the effort to almost make it happen.
"I guess at this point, you're just anxious to get the season over with," said Meeke, who said he's sure the RollerBees will be back in an expanded RHI in '94. "No question," he said. "We're pretty solid as far as financial things that make a team happen," he said.