Democrat and Chronicle from Rochester, New York • Page 41

Outdoors DEC regional official Larry Myers retires to enjoy wildlife he managed. 10D. Scores: 987-9060. SPORTS SECTION TV, YACHTING NBA, NHL BASEBALL, GOLF 2D 40 60 70 COLLEGES 70 HORSE RACING 80 HIGH SCHOOLS SUNDAY, APRIL 16, 1995 Democrat anft (OrrontrU ROCHESTER, NEW YORK tante hmh odd fflfti No Amerks breakthrough, just home ice Necessity is said to be the mother of invention, but necessity didn't bring the Rochester Ameri Nemeth's two goals cany Rochester to Game 3 win, ending lengthy playoff skid 1 mlti' 1 vi By KEVIN OKLOBZIJA STAFF WRITER cans anything new, different or all that innovative. Necessity simply led them home and last night that was enough.

The Amerks scored three goals in the second period, didn't allow any Friday in Binghamton, Tom Nemeth was just a lonely spectator in Broome County Arena, having lost his spot in the Rochester Americans lineup for Game 2 AMERKS 3 1 the Calder Cup playoffs to a Kia jusi out oi juniors. BINGHAMTON But given a chance to redeem JEFF himself last night, Nemeth didn't disappoint if. kin 6 9. 1 1. JST 7, A A Nor did the Amerks, who responded to the must-win situation and pulled themselves back into the best -of -seven Southern Division semifinal series with a big-hitting, high-intensity 3-2 victory over the Binghamton Rangers.

Nemeth's second goal of the game capped a three-goal, second-period resurgence from a 2-0 deficit and the Amerks held the Rangers scoreless for the final 29 minutes in front of 4,759 enthusiastic fans at the War Memorial "Being down two games to none and 2-0 after the first period, that's a tremendous turnaround," said right winger Mike Bavis, whose line with center Scott Nichol and left winger Jason Young provided the inspirational spark because of their gritty, banging play. The Rangers still lead the American Hockey League playoff series 2-1, with Game 4 set for 7:35 p.m. Wednesday at the War Memorial "We knew this series wasn't going to be easy," Rangers coach Al Hill said. "We just didn't get anything accomplished in the offensive zone." The Amerks, meanwhile, finally did accomplish something against rookie goalie Jamie Ram, who beat them 4-3 in Game 1 and 3-1 in Game 2 in Binghamton. "But home ice is a big factor," Amerks defenseman Todd Copeland said.

"I don't know if it's psychological or what, but we really had confidence, even when we were down 2-0. We knew we would score goals on that kid in our barn." First-period goals by Ken Gernander and Barry Richter staked the Rangers to a 2-0 lead after 15:20 but the Amerks rallied in the second on goals by Nemeth at 2:57, Mikhail Volkov at 6:13 and Nemeth again at AMERKS, PAGE 4D i MELISSA MAHAN itafT photographer Hangin' in there Like the team he plays for, Jason Young took heat from the Rangers and held on. Darcy Werenka (14) applied pressure to Young in front of the Binghamton net in the first period of the Amerks' one-goal victory. lolls9 4 top By LEO ROTH STAFF WRITER Not too long ago, when National Football League rosters were steady as goal posts, teams would sit back on college draft day and pluck "the best available athlete." i their first Super Bowl team of 1990. Many passed through the revolving door for greener as in money pastures, including four Pro Bowl performers (Will Wolford, Howard Ballard, Nate Odomes, Shane Conlan).

Others, the team elected to jettison. This offseason alone, 13 players including six starters departed as coach Marv Levy and general manager John Butler cleaned house. Buffalo has signed five free agents, including defensive heavyweights Jim Jeffcoat, Ted Washington and Bryce Paup. So how to fill all those other roster spots? The draft, of course. Fresh, young and cheaper players, no small factor in the age of a salary cap.

The Bills have 11 picks in the seven-round draft three as com- SCOUTTNG THE DRAFT 5D pensation for losing free agents in 94 and one, a fourth-round selection, from Arizona as part of last year's James Williams trade. After appearing in a record four consecutive Super Bowls, the Bills bottomed out at 7-9 last year, missing the playoffs for the first time since 1987. With the 14th overall pick their highest since picking eighth (Conlan) in 1987 this year's meat market is the most relevant for them in years. Experts regard the talent pool as excellent, deep at offensive line, quarterback and running back (good news for Buffalo), decent at wide receiver and defensive line, below average at linebacker and defensive back (bad news for Buffalo). "I'm glad we got the number of NFL draft WbWwtMra: Saturday and Sunday, Madison Square Garden.

Covaraga: Begins at noon each day on ESPN. Bills: Have 1 1 picks, including four in the top 100. Overall picks 14, 45, 76, 96 (compensation) 109, 113 (Arizona trade), 132 (compensation), 144, 185, 221, 244 (compensation) picks we do," said Dwight Adams, Buffalo's director of player personnel "My history of the draft shows me the third- and fourth-round guys make rosters and make plays. They're quality picks." The Bills' game plan: get a quar- BILLS, PAGE 5D after the first and finally broke ground in their playoff series with the Bingham-ton Rangers with a 3-2 win at the War Memorial. A win that doesn't fix any of the big problems, but does cure at least the first part of the little one, which was beating the Rangers once in this series before they worried about doing much else.

The Amerks weren't very good on the power play they went 0-for-5. They still weren't very big there isn't really much they can do about that other than to try and play that way. And they hadn't convinced enough people they could do enough damage in this series to put more than 4,759 of them in the seats. But they won. They won with Tom Nemeth's first two goals of the playoffs as the 24-year-old de-fenseman picked two of the best times of the season to carry the play into the offensive zone.

They won because Nemeth, Scott Nichol and Mark Astley went into the scorebook as the line on two of the goals, because Mikhail Volkov did all the work on the other one. They won because Eric Raymond is still awarding the Amerks a chance in the net each igame. Three times now he has done more than enough to keep them in the game and last night the Amerks finally came along for the ride. Rochester finally protected it- self, allowing just 19 shots in the game. Binghamton didn't even get their first one on the net until 7:44 into the game.

Which is just about the time the necessity shoved its way into the series. The Rangers' Ken Ger-nander scored on that first shot of the game, Barry Richter scored on their third. To clear up the picture about which way this was all heading all anyone had to see was that on Gernander's goal, Binghamton goalie Jamie Ram was awarded his second assist of the series, thus giving him more postseason points at the time than every Amerk except Scott Thomas. Amerks then did nothing with a two-minute 5-on-3 advantage early in the period. Did nothing may be a little harsh, the Amerks did get all of three shots during the power play.

All of it meant when the first period wound to a close, Binghamton led 2-0, the Rangers were gleefully getting outshot 11-5 and there were few signs the Amerks were anywhere other than very close to being swept off playoff doorstep for the second consecutive year. At least until they remembered where they were. i'l. Comfort is a difficult thing to measure, and though the advantage of home is one of the true cliches of the pay-for-play world, the Amerks are as twcfaced as any team has ever been. On the road this season they were a miserable 10-25-5, just a few games better and they wouldn't be facing the Rangers.

In their own surroundings, however, they were a very non-miserable 25-13-2. They were a team that usually did things it needed to, even when you would least expect it from them. They didn't get any more skills, gain any more speed, find any more players who filled any more of their ample needs and they certainly didn't get any bigger along the way. The Amerks just played that way, and this time it was finally enough for a win. Enough to close a little of the gap, enough to keep the Rangers from another step along the way.

Home is where the heart is, and the Amerks can be thankful they found a little of that. If you have a comment or story idea call Jeff Legwold at 716-258-'2270 or write to 55 Exchange Rochester, N.Y., 14614. Thanks to three seasons of roster roulette, aka free agency, teams now draft for need. The Buffalo Bills whose need for an offensive tackle and backup quarterback is desperate will be no different next weekend when the 60th annual selection meeting takes place at Madison Square Garden. Thanks to free agency, the salary cap and the natural aging process, the Bills are among the more needy teams in the NFL.

Only 10 players remain from File photo Top prospect Perm State's Kerry Collins is coveted among quarterbacks in the draft. Wings end slide i with win in Norfolk Rochester may usurp baseball birthplace title We are going to be reasonable about this. We are not going to ask the Baseball Hall of Fame to relocate to our sleepy metropolis. STAFF REPORT career in the Mets organization before being acquired by the Orioles prior to last season in the David NORFOLK, Va. The bats were dead in game 1.

The arms were missing in game 2. REDWINGS 4 1 Last night, nnauy, me NORFOLK Rochester begui deal, unproved to 2-0, allowing four hits and two runs in five innings. He is now 3-0 with two saves in eight appearances against his former mates. I V- We may, however, ask Coopers-town officials to take down those "Birthplace of Baseball" signs that greet you as you enter their bucolic burg nestled in the hills near the center of the state. Perhaps, we could ease their 1 1 tTT LJ LJI pain Dy Duymg meir signs, we KyH could sand off "Cooperate wn," and Ny paint "Rochester" on them.

faii.iiiin A ft or- oil Nnthnnial RvViMtor'o Red Wings found the right combination of timely hitting and strong pitching, stopping their three-game losing streak with a 4-2 victory over the Norfolk Tides before 6,413 at Harbor Park. "We just wanted to come out and play competitive said Rochester hitting star Tyrone Woods, who went 2-for-2 with three RBI. "We know we got a good team, we just couldn't score enough runs the last couple of games. But it's still early in the season. We couldn't panic, change our approach." Former Tide Tom Wegmann, who played the first four years of his Wood "It's kind of nice to do it against them," Wegmann said.

"You're always a little more pumped up when you're facing guys you played with, guys you know. "I didn't feel very sharp tonight; I felt a little out of sync. I actually got lucky with a few pitches, got away with a few mistakes." The Red Wings (5-3) made up WINGS, PAGE 6D book, Big Leagues. Historians long ago challenged the theory that Abner Doubleday invented the game in Cooperstown in 1839. Many students of the sport's roots, including Ken Bums, Mr.

Baseball himself, contend the game sprouted in the dreamy fields near New York City in the 1840s. Fox offers a contrary view. His primary source is Thurlow Weed, a 19th-century Rochester printer and PITONIAK, PAGE 6D SCOTT PIT0NIAK MORE THAN A GAME town, not James Fenimore Cooper's, is the true birthplace of baseball. Says who? Says Stephen Fox. Fox, who holds a Ph.D.

in American civilization from Brown University, debunks numerous sports myths in his entertaining new NHL RESULTS Boston 129 Philadelphia 97 Washington 114 Houston 98 Utah 105 Detroit 104 New Jersey 87 Milwaukee 110 Sacramento 84 L.A. Clippers 83 Pittsburgh 5 Ottawa 2 Boston 3 Montreal 2 Winnipeg 5 Toronto 1 Calgary at Edmonton Vancouver at Anaheim Top-notch Canandaigua proves no match for lacrosse power West Genesee INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE Floyd by 2 Ray Floyd shoots a 67 for a two-shot lead at the PGA Seniors 6D L.A. Lakers at Phoenix Dallas at Portland NBA AHL PLAYOFFS Rochester 4 Norfolk 2 Syracuse 5 ScrantonW-B Columbus 4 Richmond 2 Charlotte at Ottawa Toledo at Pawtucket Seattle 115 Miami 123 Golden State 99 Orlando 117 Rochester 3 Cornwall 4 Binghamton 2 Hershey 3.