Once a season, the Washington Power have a way of losing a game that in which losing is inconceivable.

Losses to Syracuse in 2000 and Columbus in 2001 cost the franchise a playoff spot and a home semifinal, respectively. After Friday night's shocking 15-8 loss to the previously one-win New Jersey Storm, in front of an announced crowd of 5,221, the Power is left wondering how this loss will affect their playoff dreams in 2002.

The game started off well for the favored Power, with Jeff Wills giving Washington a 1-0 lead just ninety-six seconds in. However, four minutes later, Billy LeFeurve got the Storm on the board, ending what was to be the only Power lead of the evening. Bryan Bendig scored his first of three goals two minutes later, but Bobby Horsey evened the score for the Power with a goal six minutes from quarter's end.

Some sloppy offense and some sharp goalkeeping, especially by Roik, kept the score at 2-2 for the rest of the quarter.

The goal drought extended to nearly ten minutes before Scott Stewart restored New Jersey's lead at the 4:00 mark. This was the start of the four-goal run in under a hundred seconds that was to put the game firmly in the Storm's control. Derek Graham followed Stewart, and former New York Saint Matt Panetta scored only 17 seconds after Graham. Hanley Holcomb ended the run, chasing Power starting goaltender Tom Still in the process, giving the Storm a 6-2 lead.

Still played just under 21 minutes for the Power, and made 14 saves on 20 shots. Devin Dalep finished the game for the Power, making 19 saves on 28 shots. Dalep wasn't able to stop the bleeding, however, and LeFeurve added his second just two minutes later to extend the lead to five. Dalep settled down after that, but Washington's offense remained stagnant. The Storm failed twice to convert on an empty net, due to good defensive work by the Power, and the half ended with the Storm holding a surprising 7-2 lead.

Panetta showed that the Storm would not have a second half collapse, as it has endured so many times previously this season, when he scored the first goal of the second half to make the score 8-2. Finally, after twenty-four and a half minutes of scoreless play from the Power, the retiring superstar Paul Gait got on the board, closing the gap to 8-3. Bendig and Holcomb responded to Gait's goal, ballooning the lead back to seven.

Paul Gait tried to start the rally yet again with his second of the night, but this time it was Bendig and Cam Bomberry that had the answer. Ted Jenner closed the Power to within seven late in the fourth quarter, but it was becoming obvious that Washington was not going to overcome the Storm on this night.

Trailing 12-5 to the league's worst team with just fifteen minutes remaining, Power coach Darris Kilgour finally got desperate. The Power played most of the fourth quarter without a goalie when they were on offense. Unfortunately for Darris and his team, the gamble backfired. Gordon Purdie beat Dalep back to the net early on to bring the lead to 13-5. Shearer found Halladay for a quick goal for the Power before the goalie even got off the floor, then Shearer scored six-on-five to close the game to 13-7. That was as close as the Power would get, however. Kerry Susheski fired a goal from near midfield into an empty net, and Cory Leigh added a goal off the faceoff to finally put the Power away. Bobby Horsey scored quickly of that faceoff to close the scoring.

Brian Bendig, acquired from Montreal in a trade earlier this week, led the Storm with six points, including three goals. No Power player had more than two points, with Paul Gait (2+0), Bobby Horsey (2+0), Jeff Wills (1+1), Matt Shearer (1+1), and Del Halladay (1+1) sharing leading scorer honors. Matt Roik shined in goal for the Storm, stopping 42 shots out of 50.

Both teams are back in action tomorrow night. For the Power, which falls to 7-4, it won't get any easier, heading home to face league-leading Albany. The Storm, now 2-9, travels south as well, meeting the Philadelphia Wings in at the First Union Center in the CNN/SI game of the week.

BOX SUMMARY
                                      1  2  3  4     TOT
Washington Power (7-4)                2  0  3  3  --   8
New Jersey Storm (2-9)                2  5  5  3  --  15

WASHINGTON POWER              NEW JERSEY STORM
               G - A   PTS                   G - A   PTS
P Gait         2 - 0     2    Bendig         3 - 2     5
Horsey         2 - 0     2    Ca Bomberry    1 - 3     4
Halladay       1 - 1     2    Holcomb        2 - 1     3
Shearer        1 - 1     2    LeFeurve       2 - 1     3
Wills          1 - 1     2    Panetta        2 - 0     2
G Gait         0 - 2     2    D Graham       1 - 0     1
F Jenner       1 - 0     1    Leigh          1 - 0     1
Cantebene      0 - 1     1    Purdie         1 - 0     1
                              Stewart        1 - 0     1
                              Susheski       1 - 0     1
                              Nadelen        0 - 1     1
                              Sombrotto      0 - 1     1

Shots on goal           53    Shots on goal           50
Saves made by           35    Saves made by           45
   Still (8)         23          Roik (8)          45
   Dalep (7)         12
Penalties                9    Penalties                7
Penalty Minutes         18    Penalty Minutes         12
Power Play Chances       1    Power Play Chances       3
Power Play Goals         1    Power Play Goals         3
   P Gait             1          Bendig             1
                                 LeFeurve           1
                                 Panetta            1
Shorthanded Goals        0    Shorthanded Goals        1
   (None)                        D Graham           1
Loose Balls             71    Loose Balls            107
   Donovan            8          Roik              18
   G Gait             8          Leigh             10
   Horsey             8          Bendig             9
Faceoffs Won            12    Faceoffs Won            16
   Brothers     ( 6- 8)          Hanford      (15-12)
   Cantabene    ( 6- 8)          Purdie       ( 1- 0)

 *** STATS OFFICIAL BY VERIFY WITH NEW JERSEY STORM ***