Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, November 12, 1993                   TAG: 9311120223
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B-7   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: RANDY KING
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

ECHL TO RULE TODAY ON BAN ON MORISSETTE

Kelly suspended Morissette indefinitely on Wednesday for what was ruled a "premeditated" attack on Charlotte's Jason Clarke in the Checkers' 3-1 win over the Express on Tuesday at the Roanoke Civic Center.

Morissette received a game misconduct for jumping and then pummeling Clarke, who had injured the Express enforcer with a slash last week in a game in Charlotte. Morissette sat out Roanoke's 11-6 loss in Richmond on Wednesday because of the suspension.

Kelly's ruling will determine whether Morissette suits up for Roanoke's game tonight at East Division-leading Raleigh.

Meanwhile, the Express announced Thursday it has signed left wing Dan Dorion to an ECHL contract.

Dorion, 30, who played in four games with the NHL's New Jersey Devils in 1985-86 and '87-88, had a goal and an assist Wednesday in his ECHL debut in Richmond, where the Express lost to the Renegades 11-6.

To make room for Dorion on the 18-man active roster, Roanoke placed center Ladislav Svoboda on waivers Thursday.

Dorion, who becomes one of the oldest players to ever skate in the ECHL, was a 13th-round draft choice by New Jersey in the 1982 NHL entry draft. He had a goal and one assist in his four NHL games.

Dorion, a first-team NCAA All-American in 1986 at Western Michigan, played in the American Hockey League for Maine and Utica for parts of four seasons from 1985-89. He has spent the past three seasons playing in Europe.