THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, December 1, 1994 TAG: 9412010621
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HARRY MINIUM, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 67 lines
The Hampton Roads Admirals, who led all of minor league hockey in attendance five years ago, are 12th nationally so far this season, according to statistics compiled by The Hockey News.
However, the Admirals haven't fallen because of an attendance decline. They are averaging 7,486 through 10 games, slightly ahead of last season's pace and just a little less than their record pace.
They've fallen because others have risen, especially the International Hockey League, which expanded by four teams and has minor league's top four draws.
All four are in major markets, where the IHL gambled successfully that they would prosper by offering hockey at less than half the average NHL ticket price of more than $35. Detroit (13,792 fans per game) and Chicago (11,293) lead in part because the NHL lockout has left them as the only games in town.
Denver (11,264) and Houston (11,057) are next with Oklahoma City of the Central Hockey League fifth at 10,069. The Admirals are just behind No. 11 Atlanta (7,836) of the IHL.
``The growth of minor league hockey has been phenomenal,'' Admirals president Blake Cullen said.
Cullen said the Admirals would fare much better with a larger arena. Scope seats 8,990 and can't be expanded.
The Admirals are averaging 96 percent capacity on Friday nights.
``I'd like to have 12,000 or 14,000 seats,'' Cullen said.
On the other end of the spectrum, pity poor Cornwall of the AHL, which is averaging just 1,758 per game, last for any team in the four largest minor leagues.
ADMIRALS ALUMNI: Former Admirals star Steve Poapst leads the AHL with a plus-minus average of plus-20 for the Portland Pirates. He has nine points in 25 games.
Andrew Brunette, another former Admiral, has nine goals and 11 assists in 24 games and has two game-winning goals for the Pirates.
Defenseman Brian Goudie, called up from Hampton Roads earlier this season, has an assist in six games and 16 penalty minutes.
Matt Mallgrave, called up from Hampton Roads Monday, will play Friday when the Pirates (15-5-1) visit Springfield.
REMEMBERING ABE: The Admirals held a moment of silence just before the national anthem for Virginian-Pilot and Ledger-Star sports writer Abe Goldblatt, who passed away last weekend.
Goldblatt covered three hockey teams during his 63 years as a sports writer - the Virginia Red Wings, the Tidewater Sharks and the Hampton Gulls. He covered John Brophy both as a player and coach.
``Abe was a great guy with a great sense of humor,'' said Brophy, the Admirals coach. ``At our first (Admirals) press conference, he got up and said, 'I don't care what you're going to call your team or who the coach is going to be. Just tell me, what kind of hors d'oeuvres are you going to serve to the media?' Everyone broke up.
``He was a class guy.''
FIRST GOAL: Bill Kendra, a Pittsburgh native stationed at the Little Creek Amphibious Base, hit a puck for the first time in his life Wednesday and won $402.
Kendra smacked the puck from the red line through a tiny hole in a sign in front of the goal during the first period intermission. The prize was a $402 check and dinner for six at The Spaghetti Warehouse in Norfolk.
RADIO REPORT: After a week off, the WTAR-radio Admirals Report returns tonight at 7:05 on AM-790. by CNB