THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, February 7, 1995 TAG: 9502070427
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HARRY MINIUM, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 57 lines
The Hampton Roads Admirals have lost forward Matt Mallgrave indefinitely and left wing Rick Kowalsky for one game.
Mallgrave sprained an ankle in Saturday's 5-2 loss at Greensboro and could be out as long as four weeks. He is the third Hampton Roads player to suffer a similar injury.
Forward Trevor Halverson returned last week after a seven-week absence with a severe ankle sprain. All-ECHL defenseman Ron Pascucci has been out two weeks a similar sprain.
Both Pascucci and Mallgrave hit ruts in the ice while bumping an opposing player. Mallgrave's injury involves a tear in tissue at the front of his upper ankle.
``I've been around hockey six years, and in all that time I've seen maybe three'' sprained ankles, said Admirals trainer Rick Burrill. ``Now we've seen three in the less than two months.''
Kowalsky has been suspended for one game after receiving a game misconduct for being the third man into a fight during the first period of the Greensboro game. The suspension is automatic for that penalty.
However, Admirals president Blake Cullen said he sent a copy of the game film to ECHL commissioner Pat Kelly and has asked him to rescind the suspension.
Kowalsky, Cullen said, tried to force Greensboro's Doug Evans from lying on top of Admirals goaltender Todd Hunter.
``He knocked over our goaltender and was holding him down and wouldn't let him up,'' Cullen said. ``I have seen many, many cases where somebody falls onto the goaltender and a teammate has been much more aggressive than Kowalsky was in protecting the goaltender and didn't even get a penalty.''
Cullen said referee Terry Koharski was involved in breaking up a fight between two players and apparently didn't see Kowalsky's brief altercation with Evans. Cullen said he apparently relied on his linesman to help him make the call.
``I asked Pat to take a look at it,'' he said. ``There is really no appeals process, but he has the power to rescind the suspension. We lost Kowalsky three minutes into the game. I think that's more than enough punishment.''
NOTES: Last week's sale of forward Colin Gregor to Birmingham was called off by the Bulls. Though they had agreed verbally to purchase Gregor's contract, they backed out of the deal before making it official. Gregor, who left the Admirals to be with his ailing father, thus remains on the Admirals' roster but might be waived later this week if Brendan Curley returns to the lineup. Curley is out with a rib injury but is nearly back to full strength. . had three goals and six assists in just two games. . . . The Admirals are at home the next four games - against Erie on Thursday, Wheeling on Friday, Roanoke on Feb. 15 and Dayton on Feb. 17. The Admirals then depart on an eight-game, two-week road trip, with seven games against North Division foes. by CNB