ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, February 4, 1996 TAG: 9602050058
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: HOCKEY
RALPH BERRIER JR.
A guy who once nearly upstaged Mark Messier, Matt DelGuidice was worried about being upstaged in Roanoke.
After winning eight of his first 10 decisions in goal this season for the Roanoke Express, DelGuidice almost was rendered goalie non grata after the Express signed crowd favorite Daniel Berthiaume in November. As his playing time dwindled, DelGuidice spent much of his time watching and waiting.
Waiting to play. Waiting to be traded.
Now, it looks as if DelGuidice, a guy who saw some net time with the Boston Bruins in the early 1990s, may be sticking around. After losing seven consecutive decisions, including two shootouts, DelGuidice made 29 saves in a 2-1 victory over Nashville in an East Coast Hockey League game Tuesday night. It was his first victory since Nov.18.
``It's been a weird up-and-down year,'' DelGuidice said.
The goalie has had his share of highlights and lowlights. The lowest may have been in January, when a trade involving DelGuidice seemed imminent. First, he was believed to be headed off to Dayton, then it appeared Raleigh was a potential destination.
Now, DelGuidice, 28, says he's ready to spend the rest of the winter in Roanoke. Conversations with Express coach Frank Anzalone and general manager Pierre Paiement have eased his mind, although he knows trades are part of professional hockey.
``I've talked it over with Frank a lot and with Pierre,'' he said. ``Frank told me he would let me know if any deal came up that was exciting to them. He said they would come to me first. Minor-league hockey is weird like that, where a player can refuse a trade or not report [to a team to which he is traded].
``Basically, I don't think anything is going to happen now. I think I'm definitely staying the season [in Roanoke] now. I think having two good goalies for the playoffs is big. They pay me to do a job here, and I'll do it.''
DelGuidice acknowledges his play declined soon after the Express signed Berthiaume, a popular former NHL goalie who began the season with the International Hockey League's Detroit Vipers after helping Roanoke reach the second round of the ECHL Riley Cup playoffs in 1995.
``I think it played a mind game on me,'' said DelGuidice, who compiled a 2.94 goals-against average with Raleigh in 1993-94. ``I felt intimidated. He was such a big show and everybody here loved him. Bert didn't do anything to make me feel that way. He's been great. We pull for each other in net.''
DelGuidice and Berthiaume had crossed paths before. DelGuidice was called up to the Bruins shortly after Berthiaume was traded to Boston from the Los Angeles Kings in 1991. A year later, both players were in the Ottawa Senators' training camp.
DelGuidice was 2-5-1 during his brief tenure in the NHL. His first start came at the newly remodeled Madison Square Garden against the New York Rangers in 1990, the night Messier was named the team's captain. The game was held up for a ceremony honoring Messier, then DelGuidice nearly stole the spotlight before losing 2-1 in overtime.
He believes he would have played longer in the NHL had a controversy not ensued over his efforts to play in the 1992 Olympics.
DelGuidice had the Bruins' permission to play with the American Olympic team, then the club appeared to back off that when it became apparent DelGuidice would be needed. DelGuidice sniped at general manager Harry Sinden and coach Mike Milbury in the media and soon found himself back in the minors.
``Maybe I said too much in the papers,'' DelGuidice said. ``I was young then. I guess I made Harry Sinden and Mike Milbury look bad. I think they held that against me.
``It's something I don't like to talk about at all. I put it behind me. I just don't understand how I went from playing in the NHL one year to falling off the end of the earth.''
Eventually, he landed in Roanoke after passing through Portland, Ore.; Raleigh, N.C.; Charlotte, N.C.; and Nashville, Tenn.
``Despite everything, I look at my stats and I've played 25 games,'' he said. ``I've enjoyed my time here.''
TRAPPINGS OF SUCCESS: Astute hockey observers probably have noticed Anzalone has modified the team's neutral-zone trap. Instead of going with one forechecker and clogging up the neutral zone, the Express is at times using two forecheckers.
``We had to do something to close the gaps down,'' Anzalone said. ``This team hasn't adapted to the ordinary trap, so we made some changes. It's not a trap anymore. There's a trap moment in it, but it's not a trap.''
The Express had experienced some breakdowns up front in its trap, so Anzalone decided to apply more pressure. That has helped cut down on opponents' odd-man rushes.
``We're going to get burned with this one night,'' Anzalone said. ``You just have to take some chances. The defensemen love this. Now, when the other guy gets the puck, he's right in front of you instead of 10 or 15 feet away.''
KUDOS FOR `BANDIT:' Berthiaume was named the ECHL's player of the week for the period ending Jan.28 after beating the top two teams in the East Division. Berthiaume finished the week with a 1.50 goals-against average and a .943 save percentage.
Berthiaume had 24 saves in a 4-3 shootout victory over the Richmond Renegades on Jan.26, then followed that the next night by stopping all 26 Hampton Roads shots in a 1-0 victory, only the sixth 1-0 game in ECHL history.
Heading into the weekend, Berthiaume was third in the ECHL in victories (15), tied for the league lead in shutouts (two) and sixth in goals-against average (3.23).
SAURDIFF RETURNS: When Hampton Roads played in Roanoke on Jan.27, Admirals goalie Corwin Saurdiff was in uniform for only the second time since Oct.18. Saurdiff had been out since October after suffering from colitis, a painful inflammation of the colon that put him in the hospital for two weeks.
Saurdiff's start against Raleigh on Jan.26 - a 5-3 loss - was his first appearance since Oct.18, when he collapsed after beating the IceCaps 6-4 in the second game of the season.
At that point, Saurdiff was within days of needing surgery to remove part of his large intestine, a procedure that would have ended his hockey career.
ICE CHIPS: Roanoke's Craig Herr hasn't done much scoring lately, but the fact that he's playing at all illustrates why he's known as one of the toughest players on the Express' roster. Herr still is aching from a broken bone in his lower back, an injury he received when he was cross-checked by Hampton Roads' Dominic Maltais several weeks ago. He also hurt his left hand last week in a fight with Richmond's Steve Carpenter. That's the second time in two seasons Herr has injured a hand in a scrap. Last season, he broke a thumb, but kept playing. ... Charlotte and Richmond were involved in a 14-player brawl - including the goaltenders - during the Checkers' 8-2 victory on Jan.30. Eleven game misconducts were assessed. The fight began at 15:03 of the second period and didn't end until after Charlotte goalie Nick Vitucci skated the length of the ice and punched Richmond goalie Sandy Allan. ... The Express is looking for more talent - singing talent, that is. Anyone interested in auditioning as a national anthem singer should call the Express office at 989-4625, extension 211.
NOTE" Please see mcirofilm for statistics.
LENGTH: Long : 131 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: STEPHANIE KLEIN-DAVIS/Staff. The subject of trade talks,by CNBExpress goalie Matt DelGuidice says he now expects to finish the
ECHL season in Roanoke.