The Richmond Renegades won their fifth straight game but may have lost both of their goaltenders to teams in another league.

Starting in place of A.J. Bucchino last night, Ryan Senft stopped 31 shots to lead the Renegades past Twin City 1-0 before 1,869 at the Coliseum.

Andre Gill's goal with 5:44 left gave Richmond (14-13-2) its seventh victory in eight starts and lifted the Renegades into fourth place in the Southern Professional Hockey League, one point behind Twin City (15-11-1).

Earlier in the day, Bucchino informed Richmond coach Brian Goudie that he was leaving to join the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees in the Central League.

After the game, Senft was considering going to play for the Mississippi River Kings of the same league. That left Jay Chrapala, who joined the team yesterday as the emergency backup.

"It's like a merry-go-round," Goudie said of the goalie changes. Chrapala, who was with Richmond all last season, was expected to sign with the Renegades today and start the next game on Saturday.

"I've got to find a goalie, so we can keep this thing going. The guys know they can play defense now. They did a great job in front of [Senft], getting the puck out of the zone and clearing out rebounds. It was a great defensive game by everybody."

It was the first shutout of the season for Richmond, and Senft got plenty of help from his teammates.

"The guys played unreal [defense] and made it easy for me," Senft said. "A.J. told me [Tuesday] night that he was leaving, so I had time to prepare. We've been rotating [in net] pretty good. Both of us knew we had to play well, so we could get in there and put some wins on the board."

Senft said he wasn't sure if he was going to the CHL, because it might just be for a one-game tryout with Mississippi.

"It's an opportunity for me, but I don't want to leave because we're playing so well," he said. "It's a tough situation."

Just when it appeared the game might be headed for overtime, defenseman Dan Vandermeer took a slap shot from just inside the blue line. Goaltender Adam Geragosian made the save -- one of 37 for him -- but the puck deflected off a defender right to Gill, who had an open net from the right of the crease.

HEADING SOUTH: Bucchino went 4-2-2 with a 2.82 goals-against average after joining Richmond in a trade with Jacksonville on Dec. 12. Overall, Bucchino was leading the SPHL in GAA (2.58) and save percentage (.930).

GETTING CLOSER: Forward Mat Goody sat out his ninth game last night, meaning he has three remaining on his 12-game suspension for a Christmas night incident in Fayetteville where he hit an off-ice official in the head with a helmet.

Goody, who was suspended without pay and fined $600 (plus damages to Fayetteville's protective tarp leading to the visitors' locker room), will be eligible to return on Jan. 26 at Twin City.

ON DECK: The Renegades open a four-game road swing on Saturday night (7:30) at Fayetteville and are at Twin City (Winston-Salem, N.C.) Sunday afternoon (4:30).

Twin City ------------------------- 0 0 0 -- 0
Richmond ------------------------- 0 0 1 -- 1

First period -- None. Penalties -- Kloucek, Rich (hooking), 17:46.

Second period -- None. Penalties -- Sirois, TC (tripping), 4:13; Gill, Rich (high-sticking), 5:11; Piro, TC (tripping), 18:00.

Third period -- 1, Richmond, Gill 16 (Vandermeer, Karasiewicz), 14:16. Penalties -- Richmond, bench minor (too many men), 1:04.

Shots on goal -- Twin City 11-10-10--31; Richmond 8-19-11--38. Power-play opportunities -- Twin City 0 of 3, Richmond 0 of 2. Goalies -- Twin City: Geragosian 2-3-0 (38 shots-37 saves), Richmond: Senft 7-5-0 (31-31). Referee: Michael McCreary. -- 1,869.