THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, December 3, 1995 TAG: 9512030251
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C9 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 51 lines
The Hampton Roads Admirals took off on a two-game weekend swing through the Carolinas on Saturday without forward Rod Taylor, prompting Taylor to ask the eternal question: Why?
Taylor received an eight-game suspension from East Coast Hockey League commissioner Pat Kelly last week, a suspension that will run through the Admirals' game in Columbus next Saturday. The punishment was handed down after Taylor slapped a puck at referee Paul Mariconda during play in a game against the Roanoke Express 11 days ago.
``I knew I made a mistake right off the bat,'' Taylor said. ``I just snapped. Unfortunately, it cost me eight games.''
Kelly ruled it a Category Two offense, which carries an automatic five-game suspension. At his discretion, Kelly, who could not be reached for comment, tacked on an extra three games.
``He told me the league can't tolerate a player shooting a puck at a ref,'' said Taylor, who called Kelly upon hearing of his decision. ``I told him I understood that, but I didn't consider myself a problem child. Why the extra three games?
``I've been suspended one game in the previous four years. All he would say was that he took that into consideration. I was also mystified after hearing that another player in the league got only five games for throwing his helmet at, and hitting, a ref.''
As policy, the ECHL doesn't make its league-enforced suspensions public knowledge, leaving it up to each team. Thus the Admirals couldn't identify which player had hit which referee with a helmet. But Admirals owner Blake Cullen confirmed he'd also heard of such a suspension.
The Admirals had the option to add a player to their roster after the first five games of Taylor's suspension, but Brophy opted against such a move.
``I'm not going to do it,'' Brophy said. ``Not to replace a really, really, really good player.''
Taylor is also receiving his own form of Brophy punishment for the offense - punishment intended to keep him in as close to game shape as possible during his inactivity.
``Brophy made me run the steps on the upper bowl of Scope the other day,'' Taylor said. ``Sideways, frontways, you name it.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Rod Taylor was penalized by the league for slapping the puck at a
ref during a game against Roanoke.
by CNB