ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, November 24, 1996 TAG: 9611260017
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-9 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: HOCKEY
SOURCE: RALPH BERRIER JR.
Dave Gagnon is seeing more ice in Roanoke than one sees in an Alberta winter.
He's logging minutes like a hyperactive secretary at a marathon city council meeting.
He's seeing more rubber than the hired help on a Goodyear assembly line.
Life is good.
By the time this season is over, Gagnon most likely will hold every iron-man goaltender record in Roanoke Express history. Less than one-third of the way through the season, Gagnon is more than halfway to Express records for appearances and minutes played. With a 9-6-1 record, he has a good chance to break the franchise mark of 22 victories held by Dan Ryder and Daniel Berthiaume.
``I want to be in every game,'' he said. ``I want it to rest on my shoulders.''
The Express is squeezing every last ounce of work out of Gagnon, leaving little time for rookie Larry Moberg to play. Gagnon needs the work, since he admits he didn't step onto ice from March until October.
``I've had to get into shape the last month,'' said Gagnon, who was 1-4-1 after his first six decisions. ``I'm seeing the puck a lot better. I definitely thought I'd be playing quite a lot. I feel fine. I don't feel like I'm overplaying.''
Truth is, the Express needs Gagnon. A rugged 17-game November schedule has left little time for rest. With eight games scheduled in December, Gagnon knows the Express needs to pile up some points in the East Coast Hockey League East Division standings while it can.
``If we don't win a lot of games this month, everybody will pass us by,'' Gagnon said.
The Express didn't play well enough to win Thursday night, but thanks to a sterling 46-save effort by Gagnon, Roanoke held a two-goal lead over Charlotte before tiring in the third period and losing 3-2. Without Gagnon, it could have been 10-2.
That's why the Express signed the former NHL goalie after he spent most of two seasons in the International Hockey League. Now that he's in shape, he'll be harder to remove from the ice than a blood stain.
FREE LODER: Frank Serratore, the Manitoba Moose's general manager, wasted a trip when he came to Roanoke this past week to see Express rookie Jeff Loder play. Loder, a 20-year-old center who was recommended to Roanoke by the Moose, missed Thursday's 3-2 loss to Charlotte after injuring an elbow the previous night in Knoxville. Loder's elbow was deeply bruised and required stitches after he was hit with a stick.
Still, Serratore knows Loder has what it takes to move up to the IHL.
``He's definitely a prospect,'' said Serratore. ``He has a chance to play for us this season.''
WHEELER DEALER: Former ECHL star Shawn Wheeler fought, scratched and scored his way to the No.10 spot on the ECHL's all-time goals list, with 149 in six seasons. Now he has a chance to become a bigger role model off the ice.
Wheeler is a first-year assistant under Charlotte coach John Marks and hopes one day to become a head coach. If he ever takes over an ECHL team, Wheeler would be the first black head coach in the league's nine-year history.
Preliminary research reveals John Parrish of Macon (Central League) as the only black coach working in pro hockey.
If Wheeler becomes a head coach, ``I'll be happy to be a positive role model,'' he said. ``It's not a major concern. I'd love to get a chance. I feel if I'm the right person for the job, I'll get it.''
DONNING THE STRIPES: After a 25-year, certain Hall of Fame career as an NHL referee, Andy Van Hellemond took a job as ECHL senior vice president to dole out penalties from an office, not on the ice. Wednesday night he almost had the chance to do both.
When a linesman failed to arrive on time for the Hampton Roads-Richmond game at the Richmond Coliseum, Van Hellemond volunteered to work for a period. Then, in the second period, he was back in the seats to witness one of the league's worst melees of recent years.
A fight that eventually included goalies Grant Sjerven of Richmond and Darryl Paquette of Hampton Roads resulted in the ejection of 12 players. The game produced a league-record 304 penalty minutes and left the teams with 10 skaters each. Richmond's Trevor Senn later was ejected, leaving the Renegades with nine skaters for a shootout, which they won to salvage a 5-4 victory.
ICE CHIPS: The Express traded the rights to forward Chris DeProfio to Louisville for future considerations on Thursday. DeProfio left the squad early this month, but the Express retained his rights. Roanoke activated defenseman and team captain Dave Stewart and wing J.F. Tremblay from the injured reserve list Thursday. Both had been out with ankle injuries. In other ankle news, left wing Kyle Millar twisted an ankle during the second period of Thursday's 3-2 loss to Charlotte and did not return to the game. Millar, who has six goals and four assists in nine games, missed the first three weeks of the season with an ankle injury.
AROUND THE ECHL: The Louisiana IceGators were 9-0-0 after a 6-4 victory over Peoria on Thursday, breaking the ECHL record for victories to start a season. The Dayton Bombers were 8-0 in 1994-95. The IceGators were the only unbeaten team in professional hockey heading into the weekend.
On the other side of the ice, the Louisville RiverFrogs' 0-10-3 mark was the worst start in league history. Mississippi's 1-0 victory over Tallahassee on Nov.16 was the eighth 1-0 game in ECHL history and the second in a week. The game was scoreless after regulation and was only the second 1-0 game to be decided in a shootout. Goalie Tony Daigle got the victory and was 8-1-1 with a 2.38 goals-against average through Thursday.
Forward Glen Metropolit, who had two goals and an assist in Pensacola's 5-3 victory over the Express on Nov.8, was recalled by Quebec City of the International Hockey League. In five games with the Ice Pilots, Metropolit had 11 points.
Richmond beat South Carolina 4-2 on Nov.16, the Stingrays' first loss in regulation after a 7-0-2 start.
LOVE OF THE GAME: Wheeling coach Tom McVie has been involved in professional hockey for 40 seasons and was called the ``Tommy Lasorda of hockey'' when introduced to Wheeling media during the summer. After coaching more than 1,800 games, including stints with the New Jersey Devils, Washington Capitals and Winnipeg Jets in the NHL, and after playing more than 1,100 games in the International, Eastern and World Hockey leagues, McVie, 60, still gets a kick out of coming to the rink.
That's why he refused to blame a rigorous 10-game trip for his team's 5-2 loss in Roanoke on Tuesday.
``Certainly not,'' McVie said when asked if the road had taken its toll. ``They pay our way, we get a free place to stay we get meal money. Plus, they pay us to play. What a pleasant way to make a living.''
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