by Leigh Primavera
Daily News Sports Writer
The Wings opened their season last night with a new look: new uniforms, new opening ceremony, new PA announcer, and nine new players - including two rookies.
Their new plan seems to be working as they defeated the Albany Attack in overtime, 12-11, in National Lacrosse League action at the First Union Center in front of 11,201 fans.
Fifty-two seconds into overtime, Jason Clark took a pass from Matt Oglesby that found its way into Albany's net.
"Coming down on the fastbreak, I just hoping I'd catch the ball," Clark said. "Once I got it, I scored. And then when I realized I scored, I wasn't sure if I was in the crease or not, and then I saw the ref put his arms up and I just went crazy. It was a great feeling."
It's a feeling the Wings didn't have last season. In their 1999 opener, they lost in overtime to Buffalo and finished the season at a disappointing 5-7.
"Last year, we kept finding ways to lose these games and I'm really excited that we found a way to win this one," Wings coach Tony Resch said.
Albany scored first with goals by Gary Rosyski and Ted Dowling. Philadelphia responded with a score by Peter Jacobsen. Seven seconds later, Albany's Cam Woods shot back with a goal.
The Wings then added three goals by Jake Bergey, Tom Marechek and Tom Phair.
Philadelphia lead 4-3 after the first period and kept the momentum going with another goal by Marechek - he finished with three - but it only lasted 12 seconds. The Attack scored three goals - two by Josh Sanderson, who finished the game with three.
Bergey responded with two more, topping off his night with a hat trick. Clark ended the half with a goal and an 8-6 Wings lead.
Rookie Gewas Schindler scored his first point as a Wing on an assist to Marechek's last goal.
"I feel like I can definitely put more points on the board and the team's going to get better and better," Schindler said.
The Wings held an 11-9 lead in the final five minutes and, said Resch: "We felt pretty comfortable at that point and we were going to a little bit more of an offensive-defensive set and trying to get our strong defensive guys out there."
But the Attack tied the game up with two more goals by Dowling. He ended the night with four goals and an assist.
Resch told his team to dig down deep and play hard into overtime.
"Albany made a couple of big plays and going into overtime we knew we needed to get a couple of tough ground balls and take advantage when we get our chance," Resch said.
That's what they did.
Wings goalie Dallas Eliuk finished the night with 44 saves.
"There's always a lot of freewheeling in front of me and I just have to try to do my job," Eliuk said. "It was our first game and we're fortunate to win, that's what important."
Said Schindler: "It's a good feeling. It's all heart here, we're just going to get better and better. I've come into an organization that treats you better than anyone in the league. That's one reason it's so easy to become a team."
Clark likes his new team and his new town.
"The fans were something else," he said. "I've never played in front of a crowd like that. They get right into it. It's like a seventh man. They get totally into it. You can't ask for anything more."