Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 6, 1991 TAG: 9103060064
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
One week after losing their top center, Peter Kasowski, to a broken left thumb, the Rebels learned Tuesday they will be without their best forward, former NHL player Steve Gatzos, for the remainder of the East Coast Hockey League's regular season.
Gatzos, who has 14 goals and 13 assists in 16 games since joining the club in late January, was informed by doctors Tuesday that his left middle finger is broken.
Gatzos was injured Saturday when he was slashed with a stick by a Winston-Salem player late in the second period of the Rebels' 4-3 victory at the LancerLot.
Gatzos, whose finger has been placed in a soft cast, may be available for postseason play if Roanoke Valley makes the ECHL playoffs.
Therein, lies another story. The Rebels, who already faced an uphill haul to qualify for the playoffs, now must win at least four of their final five games - without their top offensive weapon - to have a reasonable chance at a postseason berth.
Heading into the final eight days of the 140-day ECHL regular-season, Roanoke Valley (24-28-7) trails Erie (28-29-3) by four points and Nashville (27-28-4) by three in the chase for the eighth and final spot in the playoffs.
Roanoke Valley plays at Eastern Division winner Hampton Roads tonight, then goes to Richmond for back-to-back games on Friday and Saturday. The Rebels finish the regular season with a home game against Erie on Sunday and a game at Louisville on Tuesday.
"We put ourselves in this position," Rebels forward Brian Bellefeuille said. "I feel if we can play together, show some character and whip Hampton Roads, we'll have a chance.
"But it's not going to be easy. We've lost our two top guns.
"In practice [Tuesday], things were pretty dreary because we were missing our two top scorers. But coach [Claude Noel] talked to us and said we shouldn't be down just because we lose our two top players. After that, everybody started zipping around."
Bellefeuille (pronounced Bel-fay), maybe more than any Rebel, would hate to pack up the sticks early. The 23-year-old Natick, Mass., native has come on strong in the past month after being bumped up to the No. 1 line with Kasowski and Gatzos.
"My confidence is up," said Bellefeuille, the Rebels' third-leading scorer with 20 goals and 27 assists.
"I broke my right index finger early in the season and it hampered my puck-handling ability and my shot," Bellefeuille said. "I'm at full-strength now, and it has really felt good playing with guys who can get you the puck, like Kasowski and Gatzos.
"I think I'm starting to peak now. I was down in the beginning of the season because I couldn't put the puck in the net."
With Kasowski and Gatzos out, Bellefeuille inherits the role of top offensive threat.
"I hate to see those guys gone," Bellefeuille said. "To win now, we're going to have to concentrate on defense, working in our zone and the neutral zone. Hopefully, we'll have enough offensive skills to score two or three goals and hope the defense holds the other side."
After seeing his two linemates felled by injury, it's safe to say Bellefeuille won't be walking under any ladders soon.
"The injuries we've had are unbelievable. We've had a ton of guys go down this season," he said. "It's crazy. I just hope I'm not the next one."
\ Rebels owner Henry Brabham confirmed Tuesday that he has received offers from four different parties in the past month to purchase the franchise.
The latest bid came from Connecticut businessman Larry Revo, who attended two home games last week and made Brabham a serious offer for the club.
"He [Revo] wanted to move the team to Memphis [Tenn.], and I don't want that," Brabham said. "I don't think the league would go along with that anyway because it's so far away.
"If somebody buys it, I want them to stay here and play in my building for at least one year."
Because of a league-low home attendance average of 1,576, Brabham said he will again lose money.
"To tell you the truth, I'm tired of it," he said. "I'm the low man on the totem pole again. If somebody comes in and makes me the right offer, I'll sell it. I'd be crazy not to."
by CNB