The Washington Power ended the Philadelphia Wings' quest to defend the Champion's Cup, rallying to post a 12-11 victory Saturday night in front of a crowd of 10,041 at the First Union Center.

The game was played in Philadelphia despite Washington's higher seed because the Power waived the right to host any playoff games. Washington's average home attendance this year was a league-worst 3,329, while Philadelphia's 13,667 was second-best.

The Wings came out with ferocity in the first quarter, peppering Power goalie Devin Dalep with twenty-four shots. Capitalizing early on the furious attack were Jeff Ratcliffe and Ryan Traynor, whose goals put the Wings up 2-0. Soon after, Washington's Paul Cantebene started a three-goal run in a span of less than two minutes, during which Gary Gait, on a power play, and Josh Sims scored. Ratcliffe returned fire and tied the game again at three apiece and Jake Bergey's score with three seconds remaining gave the Wings a 4-3 advantage at the end of the first quarter.

The second period was devastating to the Wings. The Power broke through and shot on Wings goalie Dallas Eliuk twenty-two times, scoring six times while smothering the Wings offense and allowing only two goals.

Del Halladay opened the period with a power play goal. Tom Marechek scored seventy seconds later for the Wings, but not before the Power blitzed three more goals past Eliuk. Josh Sims had two quick goals to complete his hat trick and was joined by Halladay in Washington's minute of hell.

After Marechek's goal, the Power added two more, one from Halladay, completing his hat trick, and one from Gary Gait, his first of the evening. Ratcliffe recorded the Wings' only other score in the quarter, and the Power held on for a 9-6 lead going into the half.

The Wings seemed to have figured out the Power in the third quarter. Washington was held to only eleven shots, shut out in the period as Philadelphia, although held to just twelve shots, managed to capitalize on five opportunities.

The Wings opened the period with Kieth Cromwell's goal, followed thirty seconds later by Tony Henderson's power play goal. Less than a minute later, two more Wings goals were tallied, one by Bergey and another by Henderson, putting the Wings ahead by one goal.

The Wings fought off the Power's attack for the remainder of the period, shutting them out, killing two penalties, and adding another goal of their own on a shorthanded chance by Dave Stilley, giving Philadelphia a two-goal lead entering the fourth and final stanza.

After more than twenty minutes of unsuccessfully shooting at Eliuk, Gary Gait was finally able to again find rope for the Power, kicking off the comeback bid. Bobby Horsey tied the game a few minutes later, and Gary roped the game winner with just over three minutes left in the contest. The Wings' offense was smothered during the period, being allowed only eight shots on goal.

The Wings end their reign as defending champions with a disappointing 8-9 record. The Power, though, moves on, heading to Toronto to face the second-seeded Rock on Friday, 5 April at 7:30 PM.

BOX SUMMARY
                                      1  2  3  4     TOT
Washington Power (10-7, 1-0)          3  6  0  3  --  12
Philadelphia Wings (8-9, 0-1)         4  2  5  0  --  11

WASHINGTON POWER              PHILADELPHIA WINGS
               G - A   PTS                   G - A   PTS
G Gait         4 - 0     4    Ratcliffe      3 - 1     4
P Gait         0 - 4     4    Bergey         2 - 2     4
Halladay       3 - 0     3    Marechek       1 - 3     4
Sims           3 - 0     3    R Traynor      1 - 2     3
Cantebene      1 - 2     3    Finneran       0 - 3     3
Horsey         1 - 1     2    Henderson      2 - 0     2
Dalep          0 - 2     2    Cromwell       1 - 1     2
Reese          0 - 1     1    Slate          1 - 1     2
                              Ryan           0 - 2     2

Shots on goal           57    Shots on goal           54
Saves made by (GA)      43    Saves made by (GA)      45
   Dalep (11)        43          Eliuk (12)        45
Penalties                6    Penalties                7
Penalty Minutes         12    Penalty Minutes         14
Power Play Chances       4    Power Play Chances       3
Power Play Goals         2    Power Play Goals         1
   G Gait             1          Henderson          1
   Halladay           1
Shorthanded Goals        0    Shorthanded Goals        1
   (None)                        Slate              1
Loose Balls             68    Loose Balls             74
   Dalep             11          Eliuk              9
   Gallant            8          Ryan               8
   Shearer            7          Marechek           7
                                 Spano              7
Faceoffs Won            15    Faceoffs Won            12
   Cantabene    (14- 8)          P Jacobs     (12-15)
   Brothers     ( 1- 4)          

*** STATS OFFICIAL BY VERIFY WITH PHILADELPHIA WINGS ***