ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, January 21, 1996 TAG: 9601230045
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C7 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: HOCKEY
SOURCE: RALPH BERRIER JR.
Charleston, S.C., never has been considered a haven of winter sports activities. That is, unless one counts sailing and golfing as winter sports.
Yet, last week the old Southern city where Confederate soldiers fired the first shots of the Civil War practically became the frozen North when compared with Roanoke. Charleston announced plans to build an indoor ice rink, where local folks can skate and the East Coast Hockey League's South Carolina Stingrays can practice.
Coincidentally, last week Roanoke's City Council tabled a plan to build a field house with an ice rink, making it unlikely that the Roanoke Valley will have a usable ice facility anytime soon.
City Council has enough on its hands trying to figure out what to do with Victory Stadium. Council's vote to make improvements to the stadium essentially forced the field house/ice rink idea to be shelved for the time being.
If the frozen-out ice skaters of Roanoke didn't know it already, they know now that a skating facility never will be a high priority for local governing bodies. The next Ice Age probably will begin before Roanoke Valley's governing bodies get around to building a skating rink.
Just last spring, a joint effort between the Roanoke County School Board and a pair of private individuals to build a rink near Northside High School fell through when a dispute arose over who would own the property.
That's not to say that a rink won't be built in the near future. There are a couple of separate projects underway trying to find investors for a rink. Roanoke Express president John Gagnon even has looked into purchasing ice-making equipment for a rink of his own.
Recently, Gagnon was close to buying a vacant department store that would house a rink for the Express to use. Another group eventually purchased the property.
Last week, the Express was frozen out of the Roanoke Civic Center for a couple of days of practice because workers had to put down the basketball floor for Monday's Virginia Tech-George Washington basketball game.
But the Express played so poorly in Tuesday's 6-2 loss to the Charlotte Checkers that a whole month of practice may not have made much difference. However, it's tough to get ready for a big game simply by working out at the YMCA. You can't work on your power play in the weight room. Can't practice your slap shot on the Stairmaster.
Contrary to what the kids might be singing at hockey games these days, it's not always fun to stay at the YMCA. Especially when you're a hockey team that needs to practice on ice.
HELPING HAND: This weekend in Boston, an ECHL representative will present a check for $25,000 to the family of Travis Roy, the Boston University hockey player who was paralyzed from the neck down when he crashed into the boards during his first collegiate game on Oct.20, 1995.
A fund-raising drive was held in all 21 ECHL cities throughout November and December. Responses were overwhelming in nearly every town.
``There was something about Travis and what happened to him that struck a cord in everyone,'' said Jana Spaulding, the league's director of communications. ``As soon as we heard about his injury, there was an immediate feeling that we, as a league, needed to do something. ... Even though Travis never played in the ECHL, hockey is a very tight-knit community, and we consider every player a member of that family.''
With fund raising for Roy continuing, the ECHL needs to do something for another ``member of that family.'' The ECHL needs to begin raising money for former Express forward Brian Gallentine.
Gallentine's promising professional hockey career ended in its eighth game, when he sustained a serious eye injury after getting hit with the blade of a stick on Oct.29. Gallentine probably never will regain more than 10 percent of the vision in his right eye.
Most of Gallentine's medical expenses will be covered by the team's worker's compensation insurance. Other than that, the only fund for Gallentine is one created by the Express to help him finish his college education. Last week, the team raised $676 for that fund.
Roanoke officials inquired about the possibility of the league creating a Gallentine fund. After all, Gallentine was an ECHL player who was injured by another ECHL player in an ECHL game.
Apparently, the league reacted coolly toward the idea.
Truthfully, it is not the league's responsibility to take care of every player who gets injured and who is forced into retirement. But now that it has set a precedent with Roy, how can it say no to one of its own?
Gallentine will be featured on a commemorative program that will be on sale into early February. Donations can be sent to the Brian Gallentine Trust Fund, c/o Roanoke Express, 4502 Starkey Road SW, Suite 211, Roanoke, Va., 24014.
L.P. ROUGHING IT: Former Express forward L.P. Charbonneau made quite an impact in his debut with the Erie Panthers. He received 36 penalty minutes, a game misconduct and was suspended during the Panthers' 7-3 loss to South Carolina on Jan. 12.
Judging by what happened in Erie's 9-4 loss to Hampton Roads last Tuesday, it's probably a good thing that Charbonneau didn't play. The Admirals and the Panthers combined for 277 penalty minutes, 11 minor penalties, 13 majors, five 10-minute misconducts, 13 game misconducts and one match penalty.
TICKETS ON SALE: Express general manager Pierre Paiement said that season tickets for 1996-97 will go on sale Jan. 26 and there will be no price increase.
``We felt that in order to maintain a quality and affordable outlet for family entertainment in this market that our current price structures were sufficient for another successful season,'' Paiement said.
For the first time, season ticket holders will have the option of buying a parking pass that will guarantee a reserved parking space.
For more information call 981-4625.
AROUND THE ECHL:Hampton Roads defenseman Jason MacIntyre, who fought Roanoke's Marty Schriner in the penalty box during an exhibition game, underwent shoulder surgery last week and will miss the rest of the season. ... At 25, Toledo general manager Pat Pylypuik is the youngest GM in the history of professional hockey. Pylypuik, the first player signed by the Storm after it joined the ECHL in 1991, is Toledo's third general manager in five years. Toledo for rookie goalie Bob Bell.
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