THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, December 4, 1994 TAG: 9412040244
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C12 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HARRY MINIUM, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHARLOTTE LENGTH: Medium: 65 lines
The head coaches were just about the only participants who didn't land punches in Charlotte's 5-1 victory Saturday over Hampton Roads.
But at game's end, Admirals coach John Brophy and Checkers coach John Marks exchanged verbal jabs worthy of a championship bout.
The teams combined for 39 penalties, including 14 for fighting and three game misconducts, and 184 penalty minutes. It was clearly the most bitter of five games this season between the East Division rivals, in which the Admirals (8-10-2) have lost four.
Marks, whose Checkers improved to 13-6-3, clearly put the blame on the Admirals for the fisticuffs.
``We're one of the least-penalized teams in the league,'' he said. ``If people want to get in a ------- contest, I've got some bullets I can put in my chamber. But that's not my style.
``I'm sure they (the Admirals) are a bit frustrated. But the people who are leaders of that team - and by that I don't mean anyone in uniform - have a responsibility to control things. . . . Going out to purposely spear and stick to vent frustrations is not the answer.''
Brophy said Marks need only look at his own players to find culprits, and he named former Admirals Eric Fenton and Shawn Wheeler, who between them compiled 34 penalty minutes.
``We've got Tom Menicci, who's not a fighter, getting jumped by Wheeler out there,'' he said. ``You've got Fenton running around taking shots at people.
``Tell me, who the ---- is John Marks to tell me how to run my hockey team? How many championship rings does he have? How many flags has he put on this building? Where else has he coached?
``We've put a flag on our building every year except the first year. I want to know how many he's won?"
Menicci, a rookie defenseman, said the fight with Wheeler was the first of his hockey career.
``I've never fought, not in college, not ever,'' he said.
The seeds of discontent may have been sown Friday, when the Admirals were in the stands at Independence Arena to watch the Checkers upend Richmond, 6-3. Words were exchanged between players from both teams, and the emotions apparently carried over 24 hours later.
The tone was set in the first minute. Fourteen seconds into the game, Charlotte's Scott Meehan dropped his gloves and punched Trevor Halverson in a fight that ended with Halverson pounding Meehan and then flipping him on the ice.
Just 19 seconds later, Ken Thibodeau picked off an errant Hampton Roads pass in front of the Admirals' goal and slapped a shot that was blocked by goalie Patrick LaLime. The rebound kicked out to Thibodeau, who backhanded it past LaLime.
It was 4-0, thanks in large part to Andrei Bashkirov, who had a hat trick for Charlotte, when the Admirals scored their only goal - on a Halverson wrist shot following a look-away pass from John Porco at 3:03 of the second period.
The only thing left in doubt by the beginning of the third period was whether the fights would continue, and who would win.
They did, and it appeared to be a draw.
Brophy did not fault his team's effort and promised that the Admirals will overcome their slow start.
``This is not over yet, not by a long shot,'' he said. ``There will be another day.'' by CNB