THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, October 25, 1996 TAG: 9610250759
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HARRY MINIUM, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BATON ROUGE, LA. LENGTH: 52 lines
Apparently, all it took to heal what ailed the Hampton Roads Admirals was a few days on the road, and a first-rate goaltender.
Darryl Paquette recorded 29 saves, and the Admirals beat the Baton Rouge Kingfish 4-3 Thursday at the Centroplex.
Paquette had been scheduled to start for the Admirals (1-2), but was recalled by Portland of the AHL prior to the Admirals' opener last weekend. Without him the Admirals surrendered 11 goals, and were soundly beaten in their first two games.
The Pirates sent Paquette back to the Admirals Wednesday, and he was clearly the difference.
``He was a superstar tonight,'' coach John Brophy said. ``He piled up save after save.''
Paquette came back to the Admirals determined to stay. He did not play for the Pirates, and acknowledges he's disgruntled that he missed two Admirals games simply to fly up to Portland, then fly right back.
``Basically, I went up there to collect frequent flyer points,'' he said, shaking his head. ``I want to stay here. I'm not sure if I have a future in Portland. I think the best thing for me to do is to get focused on playing well here, and having a good year.
``I'm an Admiral now.''
Paquette was almost in the Admirals' dog house in the third period. With the Admirals holding a 4-2 lead, Baton Rouge toughguy Cam Brown skated through the crease, lowered his shoulder and tried to run over Paquette. He dealt the goalie only a glancing shot, and Paquette responded by swinging his stick.
Referee Jim Combs hit Paquette with a two-minute slashing penalty at 11:10, which resulted in a power play goal by Baton Rouge's B.J. Johnston.
``It was a stupid penalty,'' Paquette said. ``It cost us a goal.''
Brophy begged to disagree - he blamed the goal on referee Jim Combs. Johnston scored about 10 seconds after Admirals defenseman Alex Alexeev was hit in the face with a stick and fell to the ice, giving the Kingfish an effective 5-on-3 advantage. Alexeev had two cuts which took several stitches to close.
Combs apparently did not see the high-sticking and thus did not call a penalty.
``We've got a guy laying on the ice with his eyeball hanging out and the guy can't call the penalty,'' Brophy said. ``How could he not see it. Everyone in the rink saw it.''
Combs returned the favor at 16:37 of the third period when he called Baton Rouge goalie Mike Veisor with delay of game for knocking the goal off the posts. It appear the goal was knocked off by another player.
That gave the Admirals only the final 1:23 to defend, and defend they did, denying the Kingfish any shots, even after they pulled Veisor with a minute left. by CNB