THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, December 13, 1995 TAG: 9512130509
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HARRY MINIUM, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 91 lines
Injuries that have depleted a lineup already thinned by recent call-ups could leave the Hampton Roads Admirals short a skater for a three-game weekend that starts Friday against Roanoke at Scope.
Defenseman Claude Fillion tore a knee ligament at Columbus on Saturday and will have an MRI today to determine the extent of the damage. He'll miss at least three to four weeks and could be lost for most of the season if there is more damage than suspected, trainer Rick Burrill said.
Combined with the recent loss of Alexei Krivchenkov, called up by Cleveland of the International Hockey League, and a hip injury to All-ECHL defenseman Ron Pascucci, the Admirals are down to three defensemen. Bob Woods and Steve Richards have been moved from forward to shore up the defense.
Pascucci might play Friday, but he found it difficult to maneuver his stick without pain Tuesday.
Forward Sean Selsmer also could be out indefinitely. He has an ankle injury, and X-rays were done late Tuesday to determine if the ankle is broken. He already had suffered the loss of four upper front teeth to an errant stick against Toledo several weeks ago.
TRAVIS ROY FUND: Admirals president Blake Cullen has made a $1,500 donation to the Travis Roy Fund and has sent Roy a jersey autographed by the Admirals, an Admirals yearbook and an Admirals puck.
Roy is the Boston University hockey player who was paralyzed from the neck down 11 seconds into the first shift of his first college game seven weeks ago. He was injured when he missed an attempted check against a North Dakota player and landed head-first against the boards. Doctors do not expect him to regain the use of his arms and legs.
Roy's first words to his father, Lee, an All-American at Vermont in the 1960s: ``Dad, I'm in big trouble. I can't feel anything. No arms. No legs.''
Roy's story has galvanized the hockey community across North America. Benefits are being held from the NHL to the junior and college levels.
Birmingham ($2,400), Dayton ($2,142) and the Admirals have made the largest ECHL donations to date. In Birmingham, the Bulls held an autograph session to raise money for Roy that included former NASCAR driver Bobby Allison.
Roy received a double dose of good news late last week when he was taken off a respirator and, in spite of the negative prognosis, regained some feeling in his right biceps and some movement in one hand.
``Every day we have to hope that things get better,'' Roy's father said. ``This is not a huge improvement, but if you get it, you are grateful.''
Roy has been unable to speak and has lost 40 pounds, but he is able to communicate by having family members read his lips.
``He said, `I'm mad at you' '' Lee Roy said. `` `This is your fault.'
``I said, `How's that?'
``He said, `You taught me to skate. You taught me to check. But you never taught me to crash the boards.' ''
Donations can be sent to: ECHL Travis Roy Fund, 800 Briar Creek Road, Charlotte, N.C. 28211.
STILL SKATING: Though he was released by the Admirals two months ago, Kelly Sorensen continues to work out with the team.
Because the team hadn't practiced at home for a week, neither had Sorensen, who was cut because of the ECHL rule that limits teams to three veterans.
``It's amazing how quickly you get out of shape,'' he said after a rugged 90-minute practice Tuesday.
Why keep skating for a team that cut you? Because, said Sorensen, the Admirals eventually will add him to their roster.
``I'll play as soon as No. 28 goes up,'' he said, referring to Trevor Halverson, who is second in the league in goals scored (22) and plus-minus (+16) and first in shooting percentage (30.6 percent).
Halverson is generating a lot of interest from AHL and IHL teams.
``A lot of teams called and asked about him,'' Cullen said.
But Halverson is insisting upon a contract, not a weekend pass, with a higher league.
He'd rather play for the Admirals and continue to pile up impressive numbers than sit on the bench in a higher league.
``Eventually he'll move up,'' Admirals coach Brophy said. ``I would think after December, when teams begin making changes, he'll get the call.
``If not, he might score 50 goals, maybe get a (championship) ring, in this league. That should get him a contract next year.''
STATS STUFF: In spite of missing nine games with a groin injury, Admirals forward David St. Pierre is 17th in the ECHL in scoring with 33 points. His 26 assists are one short of the league lead. . . . Defenseman Sergei Voronov is fourth in the league with a plus-minus of +15. . . . Johnstown's Trevor Jobe leads the ECHL in scoring with 46 points, but he has taken 129 shots on goal, 57 more than Halverson, who is sixth with 38 points. . . . Admirals goalie Mark Bernard is eighth with a 3.21 goals-against average. . . . The fact that good goaltending has been a major part of the Admirals success so far this season is illustrated in this statistic: The Admirals have outshot their opponents by a narrow 801-788 margin, yet are 13-3-9, three points behind first-place Richmond. The Renegades (17-3-4) are outshooting their opponents 845-543. by CNB