ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, April 22, 1997 TAG: 9704220062
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: JACK BOGACZYK
SOURCE: JACK BOGACZYK
The buffet starts here:
Dave Gagnon got a just - if unexpected - reward for his success on the ice this season. The goalie, who won a Roanoke Express-record 34 East Coast Hockey League games in 1996-97, finds himself in the American Hockey League for the first time in four years.
Gagnon signed Friday with Rochester after the Americans' coach, John Tortorella - another familiar local hockey name - called Express coach Frank Anzalone looking for a back-up goaltender for the AHL playoffs.
Gagnon's Roanoke season ended two weeks ago, when the Express was eliminated from the ECHL playoffs and he was hobbled by a strained groin. An Americans spokesman said Monday that Gagnon has a pro-tryout contract, which is equivalent to a 25-game agreement.
Rochester is the top seed in the Northern Conference bracket of the AHL playoffs. It is likely Gagnon will stay with Rochester at least as long as Buffalo lasts in the NHL playoffs, because the Sabres have regular Amerks goalie Steve Shields. Rookie Frederic Deschenes has won Rochester's first two playoff games against Syracuse. When Buffalo is eliminated, Shields will return to the AHL affiliate.
Gagnon played 24 AHL games for Adirondack (N.Y.) in 1990-91, then one with the Red Wings in '92-93. Asked if Gagnon is expected back in Roanoke next season, Express general manager Pierre Paiement said Monday that the goalie ``has given us every indication that if he continues to play next year, he'd like to come back here.''
Tortorella, a former player and championship coach in hockey's LancerLot days who guided Rochester to the Calder Cup last year, finds his name in the news for another reason. ``Torty'' has been mentioned as a candidate for the Boston Bruins' head coaching job, which opened this past week with the firing of Steve Kasper.
SADDENING: Hampton Roads defenseman Chris Phelps beat Gagnon with a Game 4 goal with six seconds left to eliminate the Express on April 6. Eight days later, his 16-month-old daughter died at a Norfolk hospital.
Calah Marie Phelps was born with a congenital heart defect. She had undergone surgery several times. Chris Phelps had made the AHL's Portland (Maine) club this season, but put his career advancement on hold and returned to Norfolk in November to be with his wife and daughter when the child fell ill with a respiratory ailment.
Tragedy makes a big goal seem awfully small.
LAP DOGS: The past two Winston Cup races at Martinsville Speedway have had four different leaders each, lows for NASCAR's big league in the two seasons. In the races this past September and Sunday, back-to-back winner Jeff Gordon and Bobby Hamilton, who has finished third and second, respectively, have led a combined 944 of 1,000 laps.
Meanwhile, in a fact that seems incredible, points leader Dale Jarrett - 16th in Sunday's Goody's 500 - is 0-for-82 in short-track races, and has finished in the top five in 14 of those.
PROSPECTS: Antoine Womack, the Virginia football recruit whose courtship was anything but smooth, didn't listen to his Phoebus High School coach, Bill Dee, who recommended Womack go to Penn State because it would improve his chances of playing in the NFL.
Well, Virginia had six picks in the NFL draft this past weekend, Penn State three. Five schools had more picks than UVa: Miami, Nebraska, Arizona State, Florida State and Ohio State.
GOOD FIELD: The Greater Greensboro Chrysler Classic later this week won't include Tiger Woods, but the PGA Tour stop at Forest Oaks Country Club does have a good field, with 14 of the top 25 and 30 of the top 50 on this week's money list. Among non-majors, only three tournaments exceed Greensboro's $1.9 million purse.
LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines KEYWORDS: AUTO RACING GOLFby CNB