DATE: Sunday, July 13, 1997                 TAG: 9707130178

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C9   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: HARRY MINIUM

                                            LENGTH:   67 lines

ADMIRALS REPORT

NORFOLK - The Hampton Roads Admirals say they will hold training camp and host two exhibition games at the Ice Palace skating complex in York County in early October.

``We don't have a firm agreement yet, but we're awaiting a proposal from the Ice Palace,'' Admirals business manager Brian Kelley said. ``I don't foresee any difficulties'' in reaching an agreement.

The Admirals usually hold training camp at Scope but will be shut out of the building for the second year in a row by a food show. The Ice Palace, which opened last year, is the only other facility in Hampton Roads large enough to host training camp.

Officials had considered holding training camp out of town.

The Admirals tentatively are slated to host Richmond on Wednesday, Oct. 8, and Chesapeake, an expansion team from Upper Marlboro, Md., on Oct. 9 in exhibitions at the Ice Palace. They also travel to Richmond on Oct. 11 and Roanoke on Oct. 12 for exhibitions before opening the regular season against Richmond on Friday, Oct. 18, at Scope.

The Admirals held training camp last fall at the Ice Palace and were generally satisfied with the facility. But Kelley acknowledges that it won't be adequate to host an exhibition.

About 500 fans crowded into the Ice Palace - which has no permanent seating - to stand and watch the Admirals play an intrasquad scrimmage last fall. The Admirals usually draw eight times as many fans for exhibitions.

Kelley said temporary seating might be installed. Even so, there won't be enough room.

``But given what happened last season, I think the fans will understand,'' Kelley said. ``We have to play exhibition games regardless of the facility.''

Last season the Admirals played no exhibitions, and a team laden with talent got off to a poor start that may have cost them an ECHL championship.

The Admirals were beaten by South Carolina, three games to two, in the second round of the playoffs. Because South Carolina finished the regular season three points ahead of the Admirals, the Stingrays had home-ice advantage, and in that series, the home team won every game. South Carolina went on to win the ECHL crown. Expansion draft

Mike Ross, South Carolina's standout forward, was taken by Chesapeake with the sixth pick of the ECHL's expansion draft. Expansion teams New Orleans and Chesapeake each selected 10 players left unprotected by established teams.

Chesapeake took L.P. Charbonneau of Wheeling, a tough guy with 400 penalty minutes last season, with the draft's first pick. Hampton Roads lost right wing Jimmy Provencher to New Orleans with the fifth pick.

Ross tied for the league scoring title last season with 110 points in 70 games. He was named the league's most valuable player and player of the year, and won the league sportsmanship trophy.

Whether he will report to Chesapeake remains to be seen. He may have been left unprotected by South Carolina in part because he is expected to retire. Around the ECHL

Columbus Chill president David Paitson says the team likely will play two more seasons in Columbus, then move elsewhere in 1999, a year before the city is scheduled to receive an NHL expansion franchise. . . . Raleigh won't be home to the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes for two more seasons, but the IceCaps say they'll move to another city in 1998. The Hurricanes will play two seasons in Greensboro while their new arena is being completed in Raleigh.

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