THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, February 9, 1995 TAG: 9502090562
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HARRY MINIUM, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Short : 36 lines
Center Brendan Curley will return to the ice for the first time in three weeks when Hampton Roads meets Erie tonight at Scope.
Coach John Brophy says he hopes the Admirals' intensity also returns.
``We haven't played a good, 60-minute hockey game since the (Jan. 24) All-Star Game,'' he said. ``Our players have absolutely lost their focus.''
Before the break, the Admirals won 15 of 17 games. Since the break they've gone 2-5 and have slipped from a tie for first into third place, seven points behind first-place Richmond.
Injuries and callups hurt considerably. The Admirals lost goaltenders Corwin Saurdiff and Patrick LaLime and forward John Porco to the IHL. Curley, Rick Kowalsky, Ron Pascucci and Matt Mallgrave all went down with injuries. But Porco returned, as did Kowalsky. And now Curley is set to return.
``We've lost some players, but we've got too much talent to be losing like we have,'' defenseman Chris Phelps said.
PLAYER MOVES: Kowalsky's one-game suspension for being the third man into a fight Saturday at Greensboro was lifted by ECHL commissioner Pat Kelly on Wednesday after he reviewed game tapes. Kowalsky will play tonight.
The Admirals made room for Curley by waiving Colin Gregor, who left the team last week for personal reasons.
Mallgrave will be placed on injured reserve today, though officials aren't sure whether it will be the 14-day or 30-day list. by CNB