THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, March 21, 1996 TAG: 9603210521
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JIM DUCIBELLA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 63 lines
Hampton Roads received help in goal Wednesday when Darryl Paquette was assigned to the Admirals from the Portland Pirates of the AHL.
Paquette, who began the season with the Admirals, is expected to be at practice this morning. Whether he will play in either of the team's remaining two games - at Richmond on Friday and home against the Renegades on Saturday - will be determined after coaches see him in practice.
Before being called up to Portland, Paquette played in 13 games for the Admirals, with a 6-1-5 record and a goals-against average of 2.88. Paquette became available when the Pirates designated goaltenders Martin Brochu and Ron Tugnutt to their playoff roster. AHL teams can select just two.
The Admirals should be able to keep all three of their netminders - Paquette, Mark Bernard and Corwin Saurdiff - on their playoff roster. That must be turned in to the league Monday.
CHRIS IN THE BOX: The bewildered look on defenseman Chris Phelps' face indicated that he didn't understand the rash of penalties called against him last weekend any better than did anyone else.
``I didn't think I played any differently than I had before I was injured,'' he said. ``I don't know, maybe I was too aggressive, but I thought I was doing the stuff I'd been doing all along.''
Phelps, in his first three games back since his jaw was broken Jan. 30 against Tallahassee, incurred four minor penalties in Friday's game against South Carolina, none the following night against Richmond, then two more Sunday night at South Carolina.
Phelps, who said he has barely broken 100 penalty minutes a season throughout his career, couldn't remember the last time he'd been penalized four times in a game.
``Other than that, I've been fairly pleased,'' he said. ``That's just for myself. As a team, we've played one so-so game, one good game and one game where the wheels just fell off. We can be more consistent.''
The primary area of his life in which there is much good news lately is the health of his baby daughter, Calah Marie. She was born in late December with a severe heart malformation, underwent surgery in Ottawa and spent weeks in intensive care. Now, she's home with her mother, Dawn, who gives Chris several status reports daily via phone.
``The doctors say she's doing pretty well,'' he said. ``She's alive and improving every day and the doctors say if things stay the way they are, they hope she'll continue to get better. God's performing a miracle with her, day by day.''
PLAYOFF FEVER: Coach John Brophy scoffed when asked if he would have his team hold anything back against the Renegades this weekend.
Hampton Roads and Richmond could meet in the first round of the playoffs. When that happens in other sports, coaches often use a basic strategy rather than whatever new plan they've developed.
``We won't hold anything back - you can't in hockey,'' Brophy said. ``This is a very, very important series this weekend. My object would be to kick the crap out of them, if we can. That's a very good hockey team. But if we meet in the first round or second round, we're going to have to win in our building and win in their building. I'd like to see us start this weekend.''
Playoff tickets remain on sale, at $8 apiece, through the Admirals' office. by CNB