Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, October 14, 1994 TAG: 9410140092
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
In his first cuts of training camp, coach Frank Anzalone trimmed his roster to 27 by placing nine players on the East Coast Hockey League's waiver wire.
``You never like to tell kids they're not part of your plans, but that's part of my job,'' Anzalone said. ``Hopefully, by making some moves early, some of these guys will have a chance to hook up soon with somebody else.''
Thursday's cuts included goaltender Mark McCarthy, defenseman Shawn Cornelow and seven forwards - Martin Beauchamp, Christian Desrochers, Rock Isabel, Greg Joyce, Glen Lang, Normand Pacquet and Dominic Maltais. All but Lang and Maltais - both second-year pros - are rookies.
Of the nine players cut, Desrochers, Maltais and Lang had been given the best shots to stick with the Express. Desrochers and Maltais had scored several goals each in a pair of camp scrimmage games. Lang, scoreless on four shots in Wednesday's 8-3 preseason victory over Johnstown, played last season in the ECHL for Raleigh and Johnstown.
The wave of cuts leaves Anzalone with three goaltenders, 10 defensemen and 14 forwards. He plans to keep two goalies, six defensemen and 10 forwards.
All teams must submit their final 18-man regular-season rosters to the ECHL office by 3 p.m. Monday.
VETERANS BATTLE: Anzalone said one of his toughest roster decisions to come concerns forwards Oleg Yashin and Roger Larche. One of the two will have to go, because ECHL rules allow teams to carry only three players with more than three years' pro experience. Goalie Dave Gagnon and player-assistant coach Derek Laxdal, both roster locks, are the other two players classified as ECHL veterans.
While some had figured Yashin, who had 38 goals and 45 assists last season, as a shoo-in for the third veteran's spot, Anzalone has indicated that's not necessarily the case. Larche is one of the club's best faceoff men, not to mention a feisty crowd favorite.
Anzalone said he didn't want to invite more than three veterans to camp. ``I never expected Yashin to come here,'' Anzalone said. ``I thought for sure he'd end up with an IHL contract or land a good deal in Europe. Then his agent calls and says he wants to come to Roanoke. I couldn't exactly say no. The guy is a player.''
LITMUS TESTS: The Express should get some idea this weekend of what it faces in the rugged ECHL East Division this season. The Charlotte Checkers, picked by many as the favorite in the East, visit the Roanoke Civic Center at 7:30 p.m. today. Roanoke concludes its three-game preseason schedule Saturday at home against Raleigh, last season's Riley Cup runner-up.
ICE CHIPS: Express management is projecting crowds in the 3,500-4,500 range for the final two exhibition games. ... Forward Gairin Smith, considered somewhat of an enigma last season with Roanoke, has made Cape Breton's roster in the American Hockey League. Smith had six goals, 11 assists and 137 penalty minutes in 38 games last season with Roanoke. ... Pat Ferschweiler, the Express' No.1 center, was the final cut by the International Hockey League's Minnesota Moose. ``They [the Moose] said I'd be the first player to be called up,'' Ferschweiler said. ``We'll see.''
Express vs. Checkers
ECHL exhibition game, 7:30 p.m. today, at the Roanoke Civic Center. Tickets are $5 for adults and $2 for children 12 and younger.
by CNB