THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, January 23, 1997 TAG: 9701230504
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: ECHL REPORT
SOURCE: BY JIM DUCIBELLA, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 37 lines
He didn't score any goals and was on the ice when the opposition scored three. But defenseman Chris Phelps of the Hampton Roads Admirals was the big winner at Tuesday night's ECHL All-Star Game at the Charlotte Coliseum.
Phelps was named the defensive player of the game, in which the defending champion Charlotte Checkers defeated the ECHL All-Stars 7-6. He also won both ends of the skills competition.
Phelps edged Charlotte's Mickey Elick in the finals of the slap-shot competition - 87 mph to Elick's 86), then outraced Charlotte's Matt Robbins (15.31 seconds to 15.35 for a lap) for fastest-skater honors.
The game was one of the strangest in ECHL history. Thirteen goals were scored, but none on the power play. No penalties were called.
ICE CHIPS: The ECHL board of governors plans to add two franchises next season - the New Orleans Brass and a yet-to-be named team in Upper Marlboro, Md., about 15 miles from Washington, D.C. Mike Caggiano, owner of the American Hockey League's Baltimore Bandits, applied for the Upper Marlboro franchise. Teams in Trenton, N.J., and Greenville, S.C., will begin play the following season. . . . Tuesday's concept of having an All-Star team play the league's defending champion was first proposed by former Admirals owner Blake Cullen. It was the first time the ECHL operated its All-Star Game under those guidelines and it was a success, at least with fans. The crowd of 7,087 at Charlotte's Independence Arena was an ECHL All-Star Game record. . . . The Louisiana IceGators will host next season's All-Star Game on Jan. 20, 1998, in Lafayette, La. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
The Admirals' Chris Phelps won both skills events and was named
defensive MVP.