Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, January 4, 1994 TAG: 9401040096
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The expansion club's first ECHL run has to be considered a success from all angles.
"We've been very competitive on the ice for a first-year club, and we're putting people in the seats," said John Gagnon, Express majority owner. "I'm very, very satisfied with what's transpired so far. People said hockey couldn't be successful in Roanoke. Well, I've always believed in hockey in Roanoke, and I think we've proved a lot of folks wrong."
On the ice, Roanoke (16-16-1) has met its preseason goal of playing .500 hockey despite playing 28 of its 33 games against the ECHL's strong East Division.
Off the ice, the news has been even better. The Express is averaging 4,107 spectators per game despite having only six Friday-Saturday games in its first 15 home dates.
"Considering the circumstances - playing in the toughest division and not the greatest of home dates - everything has gone tremendously," Gagnon said. "A lot of other owners in the ECHL said Roanoke was a dead end, a no-draw city. I'd just like to thank the people of Roanoke for helping us show them they were mistaken.
"We're outdrawing cities like Richmond, Knoxville and Louisville. The response has been great."
\ RIPPING ROY: Gagnon lambasted Richmond coach Roy Sommer for helping turn last Thursday's 8-5 Roanoke win into a wrestling match. The fight-infested contest included 199 penalty minutes.
"I hated to see 5,800 fans subjected to that exhibition," Gagnon said. "That in no way resembled the type of hockey we want to bring to Roanoke.
"I'm glad we didn't hire Roy Sommer to be our coach now. It would have been a big mistake. Richmond couldn't keep up with our speed, so Roy Sommer knew the only way to stop us was to try and intimidate us. He knew the only way he could win was to try and turn the game into a wrestling match.
"It's very unfortunate there are some coaches in this league who resort to those tactics. It's why some coaches in this league never move up. It's why Roy Sommer won't ever go higher. He can't coach."
Sommer coached the Roanoke Valley Rebels in 1991-92 before taking the Richmond post.
\ HOT AT HOME: Coming off back-to-back losses on the road, the Express is glad to see the civic center again. Roanoke hasn't lost at home since Thanksgiving, running off an ECHL season-high seven straight home wins.
"We're so much more comfortable at home," said Tony Szabo, Express right wing. "The fans here have been great to us. They're doing the wave, they're making noise, and that really gets us pumped up to play."
Roanoke's 11-4-0 home record ranks third in the 19-team league behind Hampton Roads (15-2-0) and Greensboro (11-1-3).
\ EXPRESSIONS: Szabo, who had trouble finding the net the first six weeks, has gone on a scoring tear. The hustling forward is working on a club-record 12-game points streak. Szabo has nine goals and 11 assists in the span to shoot into a tie with center Pat Ferschweiler for the club scoring lead with 46 points. . . . Despite going 9-5-1 its past 15 games, the Express has been hurt by ineffective penalty-killing. Roanoke has allowed at least one power-play goal in 15 consecutive games. In six of those 15, the Express has yielded three or more power-play goals. . . . Roanoke has given up a league-high 12 short-handed goals, including one each the past three games. . . . After tonight's game, Roanoke plays five of its next six on the road through Jan. 16. From that point, Roanoke plays 17 of its final 28 at home.
\ ICE CHIPS: The Johnstown Chiefs, who were sold by Vinton businessman Henry Brabham last summer, have an ECHL season-high streak of nine straight wins, moving them into second place in the North Division. The Express gets a look at the Chiefs on Saturday in Johnstown. . . . Johnstown (2,909) and Huntsville (1,477) are the only two ECHL clubs failing to average 3,000 spectators per game. South Carolina, averaging 9,303, is the runaway leader. . . . Roanoke's Dave "Moose" Morissette has stockpiled 221 penalty minutes, fourth highest in the league. Eighty-six of Morissette's penalty minutes have come in his six games played against Richmond. . . . Szabo's 172 shots lead the ECHL . . . Former Roanoke Valley Rampage goalie Todd Chin is making a strong bid to be the ECHL's comeback player of the year. Chin, who had a 4-27-1 record and a 6.32 goals-against average with Roanoke last season, is 9-4-3 with a 3.73 GAA for Huntsville.
by CNB