Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, December 2, 1993 TAG: 9312020014
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Express general manager Pierre Paiement and coach Frank Anzalone will begin to discover tonight what's inside the crates.
Enclosed is one certainty: 600-plus pounds of much-needed beef.
Gairin Smith and Reggie Brezeault, both left wings, and defenseman Tom Ohman, all of whom tip the scales at 200 or more pounds, will make their Express debut when Roanoke takes on Richmond at 7 p.m. at the Roanoke Civic Center.
"We were lucky to be able to do something and we did," Anzalone said. "Pierre and I were concerned. We needed to do something to improve our team and I think we have.
"When a team like Hampton Roads holds us up like they did in our own barn [in a 3-0 win last Thursday], we need a couple of feisty guys to combat that. We needed more of that element on our team and we think we've got that now with the addition of these guys."
Suddenly, one of the ECHL's smallest outfits just got much bigger.
"We were not big enough, let's face it," Paiement said. "We were a little soft, I think, and we wanted to take care of that."
Dave "Moose" Morissette, who has been handling most of Roanoke's heavy-duty work this season, expressed delight at the new additions.
"We had to have some size in here," Morissette said. "You've got to have muscle in this league. These guys will help, no doubt."
Smith, a 6-foot, 203-pound Toronto native, was acquired Tuesday from Wheeling in a three-way deal that sent Roanoke center Conrade Thomas to Huntsville.
Smith had five goals, two assists and 77 penalty minutes in 17 games with Charlotte before being dealt by the Checkers to Wheeling on Monday.
The 6-foot, 205-pound Brezeault was signed by the Express on Wednesday afternoon after impressing Anzalone during a two-day practice audition. Brezeault began the season with Fort Worth of the Central Hockey League.
The 6-foot, 200-pound Ohman, who was acquired from Louisville in a trade for forward Gerry Daley on Saturday, gives Roanoke more size at the blue line.
Ohman had three assists and 23 penalty minutes in 15 games with Louisville this season. The Brown University product played last season in Johnstown, registering three goals, 10 assists and 31 penalty minutes in 52 games.
"I like what I see," Express forward Tony Szabo said. "The last two days were great practices. Guys working hard, where two weeks ago there were some just going through the motions. I think people are going to be impressed when they come watch us play [tonight]."
Russian center Oleg Santuryan, who made his Roanoke debut Saturday at Raleigh, may not stick with the club.
"Santuryan is going to have to make an impact quickly," Anzalone said. "I'm not really too keen on the idea of having another Russian center. That's just another guy who is hard to communicate with. We're not sure what we're going to do with him right now."
Some roster room was made available Wednesday when Anzalone announced that forward Dan Dorion has decided to retire. The 30-year-old Dorion, who played in four games in the NHL with New Jersey in the mid-1980s, was the oldest player in the ECHL.
Watching Dorion go was not easy for Anzalone. Dorion is the godfather of Anzalone's 6-year-old son, Francis.
\ RULES CHANGES: The ECHL's Board of Governors has voted to amend three rules.
Teams may now actively dress 17 players (instead of 16) from its 18 man roster. The league's salary cap has been raised from $5,000 to $5,400 per team per week. Also, the 14-day injured reserve clause has been reinstituted. Teams may place up to two players at at time on the 14-day list. Previously, teams were forced to place any injured player on a 30-day injured reserve section of their roster.
\ ICE CHIPS: Roanoke goalie Dan Ryder was felled in Wednesday's practice when he took a hard slap shot above his left knee. Ryder, who has yielded only five goals in his past two starts, sustained a deep bruise and is questionable for tonight's game. If Ryder can't go, backup Jim Mill will make his third start. . . . Roanoke (7-11) has scored only one goal on 77 shots in its past two games, both losses. One reason for the Express' recent offensive futility has been the ineffectiveness of its power play, which has failed to score on its past 25 chances covering the last 6 1/2 games. . . . Roanoke has lost four of its last five at home.
by CNB