DATE: Wednesday, October 29, 1997           TAG: 9710290523

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C3   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: HARRY MINIUM

                                            LENGTH:   66 lines

ADMIRALS REPORT [BRIEFS]

Goaltender Saurdiff is traded to make room for Charpentier

The Hampton Roads Admirals traded goaltender Corwin Saurdiff to Jacksonville Tuesday for cash and future considerations, general manager and assistant coach Al MacIsaac said.

Saurdiff was dealt to make room for Sebastian Charpentier, who was optioned on Monday by the AHL's Portland Pirates. Charpentier will start tonight at Scope against the Chesapeake IceBreakers of Upper Marlboro, Md., MacIsaac said.

Saurdiff played in one game for the Admirals, collecting 16 saves and allowing no goals in Sunday's 4-2 loss to Wheeling. Saurdiff starred for the Admirals during the 1994-95 season, when he became the first ECHL goalie to score a goal. He sat out most of the last two seasons with a digestive ailment that required surgery.

MacIsaac said Saurdiff got caught up in a numbers game. Jason Saal, 2-2-1 with the Admirals this season, is under contract to Portland. Charpentier is under contract to the Washington Capitals, for whom he is the No. 4 goalie and considered a future star. Charpentier played last season for Shawninigan of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, where he was 37-17-4 with a 3.04 goals-against average.

``Corwin has played well,'' Mac-Isaac said. ``It's a matter of who's holding the ticket and there are two guys holding tickets.

``We'd love for him to be part of our organization, but he knows he needs to play. He's happy with the trade because he knows he will play in Jacksonville. We wish him all the best.''

Charpentier was 1-0 in Portland, registering 32 saves in a 4-1 victory over Hartford last week. He was supposed to begin the season in Hampton Roads, but was retained in Portland because the Caps called up Martin Brochu when Bill Ranford was injured.

Ranford is again healthy and Brochu returned to the Pirates Monday.

Another Caps' signee, defenseman Joel Theriault, might also be activated tonight by the Admirals after being released by Portland.

Brunette and Mulhern called up by Washington

Former Admirals Ryan Mulhern and Andrew Brunette were called up by the Caps from Washington after dominating scoring statistics in Portland's first eight games. Brunette had four goals and seven assists; Mulhern four goals and five assists.

Mulhern, who starred at Brown two seasons ago, began last season in Hampton Roads and went to Portland in December, meaning he has gone from the ECHL to the NHL in less than a year.

The callups leave former Admiral Steve Poapst tied for third in scoring in Portland with two goals and two assists.

Brophy and Taylor make ECHL anniversary team

John Brophy was named coach and Rod Taylor a second-line forward on the ECHL's 10th Anniversary Team. This is the ninth season for the Admirals, but the 10th for the league.

On the first line are Trevor Jobe, the ECHL's career scoring leader; Phil Berger, who is second to Jobe and played briefly for the Admirals last season; and Darren Schwartz. David Craievich and Rob Dumas are the defensemen.

Nick Vitucci, who played on two ECHL champions in Hampton Roads and two in Toledo, is the goalie.

The second-line forwards are Darryl Noren, Sheldon Gorski and Taylor. Former Admiral Bob Woods joins Perry Florio as second-line defenders. The second goalie is Rob Laurie.

Ironically for Brophy, who won two ECHL championships, he was tabbed coach of the decade in spite of never being named coach of the year.

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