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Tuesday, January 22, 2002

By Edward G. Robinson III, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

As the clock wound down in the third period last night, Forge defenseman Dylan Reese smothered the puck with his body. All his teammates counted the seconds.

Protecting a 2-1 lead, none of them wanted the Cleveland Barons to get another shot attempt. Fortunately, time expired and the Forge walked away with a home victory before a sparse crowd of 572 at Island Sports Arena on Neville Island.

At 15:03 in the third period, Carson Strang put the Forge ahead, 2-1, with a blistering wrist shot pass Cleveland goalie Greg Barrett.

Strang's 10th goal of the season came at the end of tiring shift on which his linemate Gabe Rehak had left the ice and Josh Coyle had just stepped on. Coyle took a pass from Pat Levendusky and found Strang alone 10 feet from the net.

"I faked right real quick and the goalie moved over and gave me the lower left corner and I just put it in," Strang said.

This was the fourth meeting between the teams, and the Forge scrounged its way to victory, scrambling to keep play out of the offensive zone and struggling to get clear shots. It tied the season series, 2-2.

The Forge (25-10-2) play at home Thursday and Friday against the Capital Centre (Mich.) Pride.

Forge goalie Tim Heneroty faced shots from every angle and made 29 saves. Cleveland outshot the Forge, 31-30.

The Barons were without starting goalie Eric Van Den Bosch because of a knee injury, but Barrett played well in his absence.

In the second period, Cleveland's Andrew Walbert scored his 19th goal of the season on a breakaway to tie the score, 1-1, at 13:24.

The Forge took a 1-0 lead in the first period.

when Mike Handza started atwo-on-one break with an outlet pass to Andy Brandt, who was skating along the left-wing boards. Brandt slid a perfectly timed pass to Andre Makarov, who was above the crease and slammed in the puck.

It was Makarov's first goal. He was given a tryout last week after leaving Middlebury College.

NOTE -- Yesterday the Forge used its first tender to sign a player for next season. John Dingle, a senior at Shaker Heights High School in Ohio, is a 6-foot-1, 200-pound forward, who plays for his high school team and the Team Ohio AAA Midgets.