Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, July 3, 1990 TAG: 9007030199
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Allison's decision to coach Albany is a blow to the ECHL's Nashville Knights, who had hoped to lure Allison to the Music City.
"[Albany] is an opportunity I can't turn down," said Allison, speaking by phone Monday from his family's home in St. Francis, Ontario.
"I haven't told the people in Nashville yet. They've been really good to me and I hate to tell them no. But I've weighed things over, and I don't think I can pass on the chance to go to a higher league."
In his first season as a head coach at any level, Allison, 31, guided Virginia to a 36-24 regular-season mark, good for third place behind Erie and Winston-Salem. The Lancers lost in the first round of the ECHL playoffs 3-1 to eventual champion Greensboro.
A few months after the season, the Virginia Lancers' franchise was declared defunct by the league in the wake of owner Richard Geery's financial difficulties.
LancerLot owner Henry Brabham has placed a new franchise, the Roanoke Valley Rebels, in Vinton and had contacted Allison about coaching the team. But Allison said he wasn't interested in returning to Vinton.
Allison was expected to end up in Nashville, replacing fired coach Archie Henderson, until Albany officials began to show interest in him last week.
Albany, which was to play in the new Global Hockey League, entered the 11-team IHL after the GHL put its plans on hold for at least a year.
Larry Lester, recently named general manager of the Rebels, said the team is looking at four potential prospects for its coaching vacancy. Included among the four is George Kozak, formerly of the New York Rangers' organization in the National Hockey League.
\ The ECHL continues to grow.
Cincinnati was awarded a franchise Monday for the 1990-91 season. The Ohio city joins Richmond and Louisville, Ky., as expansion clubs in the 11-team league. The Cincinnati Cyclones will play their home games in the 10,000-seat Cincinnati Gardens.
by CNB