THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, December 21, 1994 TAG: 9412210620
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HARRY MINIUM, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 75 lines
Hampton Roads Admirals coach John Brophy has issued a stern warning to the rest of the ECHL: Quit taking cheap shots at John Porco or risk receiving the same.
Porco, the Admirals' leading scorer, is a diminutive finesse player who has used a quick stick and smooth skaking to score 42 points in 26 games. But in recent weeks sticks, fists and elbows have left his boyish-looking face pocked with cuts and bruises.
Saturday, in the waning minutes of a 4-3 victory at Charlotte, Checkers defenseman Travis Tucker cornered Porco away from the puck, grabbed his arms and landed three punches in a row on Porco's face. No penalty was called.
``I've seen a lot worse than that,'' Brophy said. ``People are slashing him, going after his ankles.
``He's one of the best players in the league, and that's the price you have to pay for that - but only up to a point. I don't mind them going after him. But going after him to hurt him, that's a different story. And that's what people are doing.''
That generally wasn't the case when Porco played on a line with Trevor Halverson, one of the Admirals' biggest and toughest players. However, Brophy moved Halverson to the second line to make way for Rod Taylor, who was in a scoring slump.
The move helped Taylor break the slump, and that played a key role in sparking a six-game non-losing streak. But with Halverson rarely on the ice at the same time as Porco, opponents began going after Porco. The trend accelerated this weekend, after Halverson went down with an ankle injury.
``He's our top scorer,'' Brophy said of Porco. ``It's the responsibility of the players (on that line) to take care of our top scorer.''
Brophy might call upon Jason MacIntyre, who leads the team in penalty minutes and recently was moved from defenseman to forward, to join the first line as Porco's protector.
``I've got a couple of guys in mind,'' Brophy said. ``We've got to do something.''
RECOVERING: Greensboro defenseman Dwayne Gylywoychuk, who suffered a spine injury Sunday in a 3-1 victory over the Admirals at the Greensboro Coliseum, has regained feelings in his extremities and is scheduled to be released from the hospital this week, Monarchs spokesman Mark Mead said.
Gylywoychuk had no feeling from his neck down after taking a routine check from MacIntyre. It is the second time he's suffered temporary paralysis in a game. The same injury occurred last season in a Western Hockey League contest.
One Monarchs official, who asked not to be identified, said that even if Gylywoychuk fully recovers, the team might encourage him to retire.
QUICK STICKS: Former Admirals star Victor Gervais scored two goals and added an assist to lead the Cleveland Lumberjacks past Cincinnati, 6-5, Sunday in an IHL game. Gervais had nine goals and seven assists after 18 games. . . . Halverson says his ankle is healing nicely. ``It's better,'' he said Tuesday while soaking it in a bucket of ice. ``But not enough yet for me to go on the ice.'' Halverson is eligible to come off injured reserve on New Year's Eve, when the Admirals host Raleigh. . . . Dennis McEwen, who had a goal and an assist against Charlotte in his first game back after being on injured reserve for two months, says he's quickly gotten into the flow of playing. ``It took me about two periods to get back into it,'' he said. ``You can practice all you want, but after not playing in a game for so long, it took a while. It was a great feeling to be back on the ice.'' McEwen will be on Scope ice for only the second time this season when the Admirals host Charlotte on Friday. . . . Richmond has added former Admirals goalie Duane Derksen to its roster. . . . Charlotte's Darryl Noren had three consecutive hat tricks before being shut out by the Admirals last Saturday. . . . Charlotte's eight-game home winning streak, also snapped by the Admirals, was the league's longest of the season. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
John Porco
by CNB