Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, February 11, 1994 TAG: 9402110142
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
As another day passed with no Lev Berdichevsky in sight, Express coach Frank Anzalone said he probably made a mistake Saturday when he agreed to loan one of the East Coast Hockey League's top goal-scorers to the American Hockey League club.
"I should have said no to them [the Red Wings] right at the start," Anzalone said Thursday. "But it was a loan. We loaned Lev to them. We were told by Adirondack that NEXT UP: Raleigh IceCaps vs. Express, 7:30 p.m. today, Roanoke Civic Center. Ticket prices: Adults $6, $7 and $8; senior citizens and students $5; children 12 and under $4. Lev would be back in Roanoke on Monday. Then, it was Tuesday. Now it's Thursday and there's still no Lev.
"Looking back, I probably should have known better. I loaned players two years ago when I was in Nashville [of the ECHL] to unaffiliated teams and I never got them back. And right now, I don't think Lev is coming back."
So on what figures to be the biggest weekend in the first-year franchise's history - club officials are forecasting the largest crowd ever for a hockey game in Roanoke on Saturday - the Express finds itself without its top forward and with nothing to show for the transaction.
"We loaned Lev with the assumption he'd be back in Roanoke soon," said Pierre Paiement, the Express' general manager. "Here we go to the expense of bringing Lev over from Russia, help develop the guy, and now this happens. It's hard to swallow."
Berdichevsky, whose 39 goals in 43 games rank third in the ECHL, has been impressive in his first two AHL games. He has two goals and an assist, including the game-winning goal, in Adirondack's 3-2 victory over Binghamton on Wednesday. The 28-year-old right wing has a plus-minus rating of plus-8 in his two games, being on the ice in even-strength situations for nine goals scored and one goal against.
"Lev has played himself into this position, and in that respect, I'm happy for him," Anzalone said. "Meanwhile, the bottom line is that we're not being treated fairly. Now it's not just a loan.
"When I called up there [Glens Falls, N.Y.] today, it's like, `Frank, if you say anything, then we'll just tell Lev, so you'd better shut up and back down.' You don't want to hold your guys back, so if I demand Lev back today, what they say to Lev is, `Well, we wanted to keep you and have your dream come true, but Frank demanded you back.' Then I get Lev back here and he's not happy."
That leaves Anzalone in a tough situation. Tuesday is the ECHL's deadline for adding players who are not under an AHL or International Hockey League contract.
"There's absolutely no way we can find a player the quality of Lev at this point in the season," Anzalone said.
Anzalone claimed the Red Wings are simply buying time to get a better look at Berdichevsky.
"Now they've gotten to the point where they want to be absolutely certain he's a good player," Anzalone said. "What they want to do is to continue to borrow him. And if he plays three more good games, then they'll sign him."
Paiement said Thursday night that the Red Wings's general manager, Doug MacLean, assured him that a final decision on Berdichevsky would be made Sunday. MacLean said there are three options: sign Berdichevsky to a one-way AHL contract; sign Berdichevsky to a two-way AHL-ECHL contract, stipulating that if he does come back to the ECHL, he must play in Roanoke; or don't sign Berdichevsky at all.
Jim Clark, Adirondack's director of hockey operations, said Thursday that Berdichevsky has been impressive. Clark, however, refused to speculate on whether the Russian would be signed to an AHL contract by Adirondack.
"Lev is a mature player who can no doubt play in the AHL," Clark said. "He has played his way into our lineup.
"I see one of two things happening now: One, our general manager, Doug MacLean, and Lev's agent [Eric Cooperman] will try to make some determination on whether the loan can be extended; or two, Doug, in his wisdom, will offer Lev an AHL contract.
"Something will have to be done soon. Obviously, nobody is happy with the situation as it is now. I know Roanoke is upset. They lost a good player."
\ ICE CHIPS: Anzalone said a decision will be made today on whether left wing Dave "Moose" Morissette, the Express' captain, will be in uniform for tonight's game with Raleigh. Morissette practiced Thursday and said afterward his left knee, which underwent arthroscopic surgery Jan. 6, was at "about 70 percent" strength. "I want to play," said Morissette, "but Frank has the final call." . . . Center Roger Larche, who underwent knee surgery Jan. 20, also practiced Thursday and should return to the lineup next week. . . . As of Thursday morning, the Express had sold 5,841 tickets for Saturday's "Fill It Up Night" against Louisville. All tickets are $4 as the Express attempts to break Roanoke's single-game attendance mark of 8,159, set April 12, 1973. . . . To help accommodate Saturday's expected throng, the Roanoke Civic Center will run shuttle buses from the Williamson Road parking garage. Buses will begin running at 6:15 p.m. The shuttle buses are free, as is parking in the garage.
by CNB