Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, January 22, 1995 TAG: 9501260031
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RALPH BERRIER JR. STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Paiement, the Express' general manager, was scheduled to meet with Doug Soetaert, the Kansas City Blades' general manager, this weekend to discuss the possibility of the Express actually receiving players from one of its International Hockey League affiliates.
That was supposed to be the deal: The Blades would call up a player from Roanoke, then assign the Express a player as compensation. It hasn't worked that way. Player shortages, injuries, financial restraints and the uncertainty regarding the NHL lockout are some of the reasons the Blades and the Minnesota Moose - Roanoke's other IHL affiliate - have been taking players without returning the favor.
Still, Paiement isn't ready to disassociate the Express from its affiliates. He holds out hope that the Blades (who like Roanoke are affiliated with the NHL's San Jose Sharks) and the Moose will be able to help Roanoke the rest of the season.
``So far, we've been very helpful to Minnesota and Kansas City,'' Paiement said. ``The season's only halfway through, so there's plenty of time for them to help us out. I'm going to Kansas City because I want to talk to Soetaert face-to-face and see what the situation is.''
If there ever was a time when the Express needed some aid, it's now. Roanoke's roster has been depleted by call-ups and injuries to Jeff Jestadt and Darwin McClelland, and Jon Larson is skating on an injured ankle.
The Moose have been recalling goalie Dave Gagnon and defenseman Michael Smith and reassigning them ad infinitum. Each has signed a 25-game tryout contract with the Moose, so it's unclear how much help they'll be to the Express during the last two months of the season.
Then again, when it was reported last week that Gagnon might be gone from Roanoke for the rest of the season, Minnesota returned him and Smith that night. Of course, that was only because the Moose was on the IHL All-Star break and found it could spare the two for a while.
Gagnon and Smith played one game for the Express before being recalled.
``When people see us high in the standings [the Express was in second place in the ECHL's East Division two weeks ago], they start looking at your players seriously,'' Paiement said.
If its affiliates don't do a better job of supplying players, the Express won't have to worry about being high in the standings again.
EXPRESSIONS: Not to deter anyone from attending Express home games, but it is worth noting the team does not perform well in front of large crowds at the Roanoke Civic Center. Including a 6-5 loss to Hampton Roads before a crowd of 8,258 on Jan.14, the Express is 3-5-8 in games viewed by more than 6,000 spectators at the civic center. ... Johnstown will become the first non-East Division foe to visit Roanoke this season when the Chiefs come to town Friday. The Express entertains three consecutive non-division foes in Johnstown, Wheeling (Jan.28) and Huntington (Jan.31).
STARS ON ICE:The Johnstown Chiefs and Wheeling Thunderbirds recently appeared in a different sort of game film. On Tuesday, players from both teams were used during a scene for the upcoming Jean-Claude Van Damme movie ``Sudden Death.''
The players impersonated the Pittsburgh Penguins and Chicago Blackhawks. Penguins chairman Howard Baldwin is one of the picture's financial backers. The movie's climactic scene occurs during the seventh game of the Stanley Cup finals.
``It was great,'' said Johnstown forward Dennis Purdie, who wore Joe Mullen's Penguins uniform. ``Everyone wanted to wear the NHL jersey and just pretend for one night.''
About 2,000 to 3,000 fans showed up, lured by free admission, a 90-minute practice by the real Penguins, discounts on parking and food, raffles and a chance to appear in the movie. Cardboard cutouts filled many of the empty seats at the 17,323-seat Civic Arena in Pittsburgh.
``Sudden Death'' is scheduled to be released in the fall, and the impersonators will be the first in line to see it.
``I imagine we'll have a big video session,'' Purdie said.
by CNB