THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, March 20, 1996 TAG: 9603200642
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JIM DUCIBELLA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 92 lines
Hampton Roads' home playoff dates for the opening-round series against either Richmond or Charlotte are Saturday, March 30 and Tuesday, April 2. Games will start at 7:30 p.m., tickets remain $8, same as for the regular season. They're on sale now.
The Admirals must submit their final playoff roster to the ECHL on March 25. They could have a new player or two by then, depending on what moves the parent Washington Capitals and AHL Portland Pirates make the next 24 to 48 hours.
The Capitals, who recently traded Admirals goalie Mike Torchia to Anaheim, made a deal with Montreal over the weekend, acquiring goalie Martin Brochu. He was assigned to Portland and won his first game 3-2.
Brochu's arrival leaves the Pirates with three goalies - Brochu, Ron Tugnutt and Darryl Paquette, who began the season here. Only two can be assigned to the playoff roster, which must be in by Friday. The rumor is that Paquette will be the odd-man out and sent to Hampton Roads for the playoffs. Paquette has a 2-7-1 record in Portland, with a 3.12 goals-against average and an .884 save percentage.
Admirals coach John Brophy said Tuesday he isn't expecting a new goalie. But Brochu's acquisition by the Caps has forced him to adopt a wait-and-see attitude.
Meanwhile, Brophy ran two practices Tuesday, in between which he called each player into his office for private meetings.
``I just wanted to let them know that the playoffs are on the horizon and what we expect of them,'' Brophy said. ``The most important part of the year is coming up, the part that ultimately tells you what kind of season you've had.
``We've had a terrible second half of the season, for a number of reasons. Some of it's injuries. Some of it's attitude. The playoffs are everything. There's a different level of play, a different intensity. I just want to make sure we have that.''
Saturday night's home regular-season finale against Richmond is Fan Appreciation Night. Among the items being awarded are $1,000 cash; a Bahamas trip for two; two round-trip plane tickets anywhere in North America; an all-expenses-paid pasta party for 20; a two-night stay, deluxe accommodations, at the downtown Omni hotel; a Dale Earnhardt jacket; tickets to Starship Ice and Iceland; and a jersey signed by the Admirals.
PENALTY PROBLEM: Brophy said that he'd never seen a five-minute elbowing penalty like the one handed Ron Majic Sunday night at South Carolina. It helped turn a 2-1 Hampton Roads deficit into a 7-1 rout.
``Two seconds later, the guy he elbowed is back on the ice, working the power play,'' Brophy said.
``Nothing's wrong with him. I'm not saying it wasn't a legitimate two-minute penalty, but five minutes? I hate to keep going back to (Admirals defenseman Chris) Phelps (just back from a broken jaw), but the guy in Tallahassee tears the kid's jaw off and he gets two minutes.''
EXPANSION: How will the ECHL play in Peoria? The league will find out next season, when the Peoria Rivermen join the league from the International Hockey League. That announcement came late Monday from ECHL president and CEO Richard Adams.
The Rivermen have spent the last 14 years in the IHL, capturing the Turner Cup in the 1984-85 and '90-91 seasons. The team was established in 1982 as the Peoria Prancers before changing its name to Rivermen two years later.
The Rivermen will be in the North Division, joining the Columbus Chill, Dayton Bombers, Huntington Blizzard, Johnstown Chiefs, Louisville RiverFrogs, Toledo Storm and Wheeling Thunderbirds.
ECHL commissioner Pat Kelly was the Rivermen's head coach and general manager from 1983-88.
That brings to 23 the number of teams expected in the league next season. Two more expansion clubs - Trenton and Greenville, S.C. - are expected to begin play in 1997-98, pending the completion of new arenas. The ECHL, which started with five teams, now is the largest league in professional minor-league hockey.
AROUND THE LEAGUE: Raleigh's Lyle Wildgoose is a tough old bird. Wildgoose played in his 300th career game for the IceCaps last Friday. He is the franchise's all-time leader in games, goals, assists and points - and the only IceCap to play in every game this season. . . . The Dayton Bombers just set a team record for their most shorthanded goals in a season, 15. They also are on pace to set team marks for fewest shots allowed and highest penalty-killing percentage. . . .
The Toledo Storm have just hired the youngest general manager in pro hockey history. He's Pat Pylypuik, 25, the first player ever signed by the team. Pylypuik replaces Barry Soskin, who takes over as the Storm's president and governor. . . . The ECHL recently contacted The Hockey News seeking more coverage of minor-league hockey, especially the ECHL. The league was told there wasn't enough fan interest in the ECHL to upgrade coverage. Thus, the league is asking fans to write or e-mail The Hockey News. If you're interested in writing, the address is The Hockey News, 777 Bay St., Suite 2700, Box 148, Toronto, Ontario M5G2C8, Canada. E-mail should be sent to thn(AT)mail.transc.com. by CNB