ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, November 28, 1996 TAG: 9611290024
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: HOLIDAY
COLUMN: EXPRESS NOTES
SOURCE: RALPH BERRIER JR. STAFF WRITER
The shockwaves from Lafayette, La., were felt in Roanoke this week.
When the Louisiana IceGators were severely punished by the East Coast Hockey League on Tuesday, the Roanoke Express felt it, too. The IceGators had to forfeit nine victories because they exceeded the league limit on veteran players, with two of those victories having come against teams that had trailed the Express in the East Division.
Raleigh and Hampton Roads had lost once each to Louisiana during the IceGators' league-record 9-0 start, but both teams now get credit for a victory because of the league's ruling. That decision, in effect, dropped the Express from second place into a third-place tie.
With the additional two points from the phantom victories, Raleigh moved into second place with 23 points and Hampton Roads moved into a tie with Roanoke with 22 points.
Express coach Frank Anzalone wasn't exactly thrilled with the turn of events, but realized he and the team had to live with the ruling.
``When I looked at the standings this morning, I wondered why Raleigh suddenly had 11 wins,'' Anzalone said. ``That all makes sense now. All I know about [the Louisiana situation] is that they had too many veterans.''
The IceGators won their first nine games this season and 10 of their first 11 before the league learned they had five veteran players on their roster.
The recently approved bargaining agreement with the Professional Hockey Players Association allows teams to carry as many as four veterans, with a veteran defined as a player who has appeared in at least 200 professional games.
Relying on information supplied on a player background form, Louisiana thought the player in question, Jack Williams, who played for the Roanoke Valley Rampage in 1992-93, had played in fewer than 200 games. That form, however, incorrectly listed the number of games he had played in the Central and West Coast Hockey leagues.
Because of the oversight, Louisiana had five veterans on its roster for the first nine games. League regulations forced the forfeiture of the games in which Williams appeared.
Anzalone said he never relies on player background forms.
``I never use their sheets,'' he said. ``It's very tough to check, but you only need two or three books. If you've got the right books, you can check a guy out quickly. I have every guy [on the Express roster] to the date. I've got every game accounted for.''
SHORT-HANDED DEFENSE: Injuries have forced Roanoke to play with only four true defensemen for the past few weeks, prompting Anzalone to search for defensive help. He almost landed two quality blue-liners, but both signed with other ECHL teams.
One of the players, Ryan Gillis, had been let go by the Saint John Flames, Roanoke's American Hockey League affiliate, but he opted to sign with Dayton rather than report to the Express. Since he was not a contract player with Saint John, he became a free agent when the Flames let him go and was not required to come to Roanoke.
The other player, Dallas Ferguson, had been a teammate of Express back-up goalie Larry Moberg at Alaska-Fairbanks and had been interested in coming to Roanoke. However, he had attended training camp with the AHL's Baltimore Bandits, who are affiliated with Richmond, and eventually was persuaded to join the Renegades.
BACK-TO-BACK-TO-BACK: Tonight begins a three-games-in-three-days stretch for the Express, marking the fourth time this season the Express has played three consecutive days. Roanoke's schedule features nine situations in which the Express plays three games in as many days.
Even though two of the games this week are at home, the Express will be putting in some roadwork. Roanoke boards a bus for Norfolk immediately after tonight's game, then will return home immediately after playing Hampton Roads on Friday. The Admirals and Express play in Roanoke on Saturday.
South Carolina will be finishing a similar stretch tonight in Roanoke. The Stingrays played at Knoxville on Tuesday and at home against Raleigh on Wednesday.
ICE CHIPS: Express goalie Dave Gagnon has stopped 92.2 percent of the shots he has faced in the past four games. Veteran left wing Jeff Jablonski leads the Express in goals (12) and points (25). Defenseman Michael Smith leads the team with 14 assists. The Express begins its assistance of the Toys for Tots drive tonight. Fans are asked to bring a donation to tonight's game and Saturday's home game against Hampton Roads.
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