Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, April 28, 1994 TAG: 9404280029
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Dissatisfied with the amount of players sent by NHL affiliate San Jose last season, the Roanoke Express has opted to explore other options.
Express general manager Pierre Paiement said Wednesday the East Coast Hockey League club has made contact and hopes to begin negotiations soon concerning a possible second affiliation with one of four new International Hockey League franchises in Chicago, Minneapolis, Denver and Houston.
"Our goal for next season is to have two affiliates," Paiement said. "While we feel assured we'll have a better working arrangement with San Jose next season, it never hurts to have a second team to send some players in here."
The Express received only three players from San Jose this past season - goalies Dan Ryder and Brian Schoen, plus forward Stephen Tepper. Of those three, only Ryder was a major contributor, posting a 22-13-0 record in net.
"We were not happy with what we got from San Jose last season," Paiement said. "But I think that will get better next season. I think now San Jose will know what they can do for us and what we can do for them.
"Say for instance, they have five or six guys who are the last cuts in Kansas City [the Sharks' top minor-league affiliate of the IHL]. I will recommend to San Jose that they should sign these guys for a small bonus, then send them to us instead of having them wind up somewhere else. There were five or six like that last season who ended up playing with other ECHL teams."
Paiement also said he sent a letter to his old Roanoke Valley Rebel teammate, Mike Keenan, now coach of the NHL's New York Rangers. The Rangers' ECHL affiliate last season was Erie.
"My approach to Mike will be: Were you happy in Erie last season? If not, I think we proved we can do a good job here. I hope to talk to Mike when he's done with the NHL playoffs."
\ TOLEDO RETAINS CUP: The Toledo Storm has joined the Hampton Roads Admirals as the only teams to win back-to-back Jack Riley Cup titles.
Mark Deazeley scored four goals, including the game-winner on a power play with 3 minutes, 33 seconds left, lifting visiting Toledo to a 7-6 win over the Raleigh IceCaps on Tuesday. The Storm captured the best-of-seven championship series 4-1. The series' first three games were all decided in overtime.
Deazeley, who also scored the Cup-clinching goal last season against Wheeling, had 16 goals in the playoffs, tying the league record held by Hampton Roads' Rod Taylor (1991-92) and Dave Flanagan ('90-91).
Storm goalie Dave Gagnon, who had a 12-2 record with a 2.70 goals-against average in the postseason, was named the playoffs' Most Valuable Player. Gagnon, who was the playoffs' co-MVP with Hampton Roads in '90-91, tied the playoff record for wins set by the Admirals' Mark Bernard in '91-92.
\ MOOSE SURGERY: Express captain Dave "Moose" Morissette underwent surgery on his left knee again last week. It's the same knee that Morissette had operated on in early January, sidelining him approximately six weeks.
"The doctor said I probably came back and played too early on it," Morissette said. "I was never close to 100 percent after the surgery. I had a tough time simply trying to skate.
"Hopefully, after this time, it will be right again. I will spend the rest of the summer rehabbing so I'll be sure and be ready to go by the start of the season."
\ COACHING MOVES: Terry Ruskowski, the only head coach in Columbus Chill history, resigned last week to take a similar post with the new Houston Aeros entry of the International Hockey League. Ruskowski led the Chill to a 41-20-7 record and its first-ever ECHL playoff berth this past season. Ruskowski's three-year record at Columbus was 96-80-20. . . . Nick Fotiu is history in Nashville. The Knights' new ownership recently informed Fotiu that his services won't be needed anymore. Fotiu's two-year record was 62-61-9.
\ ICE CHIPS: Express scoring leader Tony Szabo has signed a contract to play summer roller hockey with the Atlanta Fireants. . . . The dates for Morissette's first youth hockey camp have been changed from Aug. 23-28 to Aug. 6-12 at the Roanoke Civic Center. Cost is $200. For camp information, call the Express office at (703) 989-4625. . . . Huntsville Blast owner Larry Revo has refused to accept less than the $800,000 sale price set in November when Huntsville Sports Management, an eight-person investment group, entered into a lease management-purchase arrangement with Revo. The group reportedly is willing to offer only $500,000 for the franchise that was moved from Vinton in March 1993. . . . A Jacksonville, Fla., group is expected to apply for a 1994-95 expansion franchise at the ECHL meetings in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on May 17-21. . . . Owners of the Erie Panthers are reportedly pondering a move to Baltimore, which lost pro hockey last season when its American Hockey League franchise moved to Portland, Maine.
by CNB