DATE: Thursday, October 9, 1997             TAG: 9710090692

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C5   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY HARRY MINIUM, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: YORK                              LENGTH:   45 lines

ADMIRALS PLAY FIRST EXHIBITION GAME TONIGHT THEY'LL BE HOSTING RICHMOND AT THEIR TINY TRAINING FACILITY.

The Hampton Roads Admirals play the first of four straight exhibition games at 7 tonight against Richmond in the smallest arena in which they've ever played - the Ice Palace, where there's standing-room-only for 500 spectators.

Because Scope is booked with a food show, the Admirals will host two exhibitions at their training facility, which has no seating and features spartan facilities for fans, off-ice officials and the media.

``It's going to be old-time hockey,'' business manager Brian Kelley said.

A handful of tickets remain, all priced at $5. They are on sale today only at the Admirals' Scope office. If any tickets remain, they'll be placed for sale tonight at the Ice Palace.

On Friday the Admirals host the Chesapeake (Upper Marlboro, Md.) Icebreakers at the Ice Palace, travel to Richmond on Saturday and Sunday to Roanoke.

Coach John Brophy and general manager Al MacIsaac say they plan to cut the 33-man roster to the ECHL limit of 19 on Monday.

``Every player will play in a couple of games,'' Brophy said. ``They've all earned that. They've worked hard in practice. We'll give them all a look.''

While the Ice Palace may be hard on spectators, Brophy said the facility, which opened a year ago, is perfect in other ways for an exhibition.

``The ice surface here is great,'' he said. ``The boards are great. That's really all the players need. They'd like to have the crowd too, but there will be some people here.''

The Admirals gained a player Wednesday, but apparently lost two more. Curtis Ricci, a defenseman from Hornings Mills, Ontario, left camp. Ron Majic, the Admirals' enforcer from 1995-96 who had agreed to return, has not reported and Brophy says he hasn't heard from him.

The Admirals picked up a solid addition in Marty Clapton, a late cut from Hershey of the AHL who led Brown University in scoring last season with 11 goals and 19 assists in 29 games. He played at Brown with Ryan Mulern, who after 22 games as a rookie last season in Norfolk was called up by Portland.

With talented, experienced returnees, Hampton Roads was picked to finish first and Richmond second in the Northeast Division by The Hockey News. However, both are expected primarily to use newcomers tonight.

Saturday's contest in Richmond is the only exhibition that will be broadcast on radio (WTAR, AM-850).

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