ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, February 9, 1997 TAG: 9702110003
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RALPH BERRIER JR.
One December Saturday evening, a host of church youth groups filled one end of the Roanoke Civic Center to take in an Express game and attempt to win fabulous prizes.
The gift-grabbing came during a post-game extravaganza in which the young people participated in on-ice bicycle racing and ice bowling. The real purpose of the gathering, though, became apparent afterward, when the teens listened attentively to a sermon geared toward GenXers.
They also heard a few words from one of the most taciturn of Express players, a fellow who later was aptly described by one of the presiding ministers.
``Tim Christian,'' his voice boomed over the building's public-address system. ``That's not just his name. He is a Christian.''
That's no secret to Christian's Roanoke Express teammates or to his fellow congregation members at Roanoke's First Baptist Church. Hockey fans, however, may be surprised to learn a guy who makes his living in the rough-and-tumble world of professional hockey is a deeply religious young man.
That's Christian. He's soft-spoken, doesn't proselytize and basically keeps to himself. Nevertheless, he makes about as many public appearances as anyone on the team, often going out of his way to speak to church groups.
``I like to talk about my life as a player and how I got here,'' he said, ``then I go into my spiritual life and how I've decided to live.''
Often, that brings raised eyebrows even from the most devout young Christians. How, they ask, can a person reconcile his religious beliefs with a job that sometimes requires him to give another soul a sock in the nose?
To paraphrase the Gospels, when a Richmond Renegade smites you on the cheek, aren't you supposed to offer him the other?
``Sometimes there are ways of smiting someone legally,'' Christian said with a chuckle.
Actually, the guy has only been in about four fights in two seasons, and those usually were started by the other guy. Christian also has had the decency to get into most of those scraps on the road, away from the impressionable eyes of local youngsters.
``You have to stand up for yourself sometimes,'' he said. ``If you're in the right frame of mind, you realize it's just a job. You should always play within the rules.''
Christian's toughness should not be underestimated. Remember, this is a guy who scored a goal against Knoxville a couple of weeks ago at the exact moment he was getting his nose broken by an opponent's high stick.
After being an East Coast Hockey League All-Star a year ago, Christian is putting together a solid, if unspectacular, season. Not surprisingly considering the source, his 14 goals and 15 assists have come quietly.
OUT OF THEIR LEAGUES: Express center Ilya Dubkov became the third Roanoke player to get a promotion to a higher league when he played three games for the Hamilton (Ontario) Bulldogs of the American Hockey League this past week. Earlier this season, defenseman Michael Smith spent a couple of weeks with the AHL's Saint John Flames and rookie center Jeff Loder had two call-ups to the Manitoba Moose of the International Hockey League.
So far, Roanoke's affiliations with the NHL's Calgary Flames and with Manitoba have worked splendidly. The Express has six players on its roster who have contracts with one of the team's affiliates: rookie left wing Jeff Cowan is a contract player for Calgary, defensemen Jason Smith, Dave Stewart and Matt O'Dette have two-way deals with Saint John (Calgary's AHL outfit) and Loder and center Wayne Strachan are contract players from Manitoba. Jeff Jablonski was offered a week-long deal with the AHL's Baltimore Bandits a couple of months ago, but chose to stay with the Express.
MOOSE TURNED LOOSE: Manitoba recently underwent a major front-office overhaul when it fired general manager and head coach Jean Perron and named former NHL All-Star defenseman Randy Carlyle coach. It's unclear if the Moose moves mean any changes or promotions are in store Loder or Strachan.
MOOSE TURNED LOOSE, PART II: Speaking of Moose, former Express bruiser Dave ``Moose'' Morissette received his fifth instigating penalty of the season with the IHL's Houston Aeros and was suspended for six games this past week. Morissette then was sent to Austin (Texas) of the Western Professional Hockey League on a conditioning assignment.
ICE CHIPS: George Shinn, owner of the NBA's Charlotte Hornets, is working on a television contract with Ted Turner-owned SportsSouth in his continuing effort to bring an NHL expansion franchise to the Hampton Roads area. ... ECHL alumnus Patrick Lalime was named NHL rookie of the month for the second consecutive month in January. The former Hampton Roads Admirals goaltender set an NHL record with a 16-game unbeaten streak (14-0-2) to begin his career with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Former Nashville Knight Harry York was named rookie of the month in October with the St.Louis Blues, meaning all but one of the rookie of the month winners this season began their careers in the ECHL. ...
How big is hockey down on the bayou? In addition to the Louisiana IceGators leading the league in attendance and New Orleans being the latest city awarded an ECHL expansion franchise, Louisiana governor M.J. Foster Jr. has declared ``East Coast Hockey League Appreciation Month'' for February. What's next? Using high-tech refrigeration equipment to introduce skating on the Gulf of Mexico? Cajun-fried Canadian back bacon? These people have their MeauxJeaux working for hockey, for sure.
NOTE: Please see microfilm for statistics.
LENGTH: Medium: 94 linesby CNB