THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, January 19, 1995 TAG: 9501190498
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HARRY MINIUM, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 67 lines
Most players make sacrifices to play hockey but not all take cuts in pay, as Colin Gregor and Tom Menicci did last week to play for the Hampton Roads Admirals.
Both were on injured reserve last week when the Admirals lost John Porco, their top scorer and an ECHL All-Star, to San Diego of the IHL. The Admirals faced two choices: activate one of them or ask both to take a small cut in pay so both could play.
The Admirals generally carry 17 players, one below the league limit, to fit under the ECHL's $6,000-per-week salary cap. With Porco and his relatively large salary gone, the Admirals were close enough to the limit to fit in 18 with a little adjusting.
``They didn't even ask how much'' the cut would be, Admirals president Blake Cullen said. ``They understood the situation and wanted to play hockey.''
Said Menicci: ``Obviously, we're not here to make big money. We're here to play.''
Alas for Menicci, coach John Brophy is forced to scratch one player each night, as league rules stipulate he can dress only 17. Menicci has been scratched in two of the three games since Porco's departure.
POSITION SWITCH: Tony MacAulay, who says he's played forward ``maybe 10 or 12 games in my career,'' has been moved from defenseman to left wing by Brophy. That has allowed Jason MacIntyre to move back to defense. MacIntyre was moved to forward when Trevor Halverson went down with an ankle injury last month.
``Broph knew from my resume that I'd played some at forward,'' said MacAulay, who played at Dalhousie University in Canada last season. ``I'm comfortable there. I'm on the same line with Kelly Sorensen and Dennis McEwen, and we're working well together. I'm having a lot of fun.''
Brophy said the switch has worked well.
``MacAulay is playing well'' at forward, he said. ``He's a very versatile player.''
ALL-STAR GAME: Porco will not play Tuesday in the ECHL All-Star Game in Greensboro. San Diego has games Monday and Wednesday, which means he'd have no chance to practice with the East team and would be maxed out on jet lag when he returned to California.
Richmond's Roy Sommer and Greensboro's Jeff Brubaker will coach the East team. Sommer was selected Wednesday on the basis of his team's winning percentage. Brubaker will coach because Greensboro is the home team.
Wheeling's Doug Sauter and Nashville's Mark Kempel will coach the North team.
Admirals defenseman Ron Pascucci and forward Rick Kowalsky will play for the East.
ON TV: Home Team Sports is showing an ECHL highlights show Tuesday nights at 7:30. The package is produced by a Richmond company and features the Renegades but also has highlights from some Hampton Roads and Roanoke contests.
The Admirals were asked to participate in producing the show, but Cullen declined, saying he was given too little notice and not enough details.
Admirals highlights are shown each Sunday night on WVEC-TV following the late news.
DUELING RICKS: Kowalsky, who had a hat trick Tuesday in Greensboro, and Admirals trainer Rick Burrill will be the guests on the Admirals Report at 7:04 p.m. today on WTAR AM-790. by CNB