THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, October 21, 1995 TAG: 9510210429
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HARRY MINIUM, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 69 lines
When he was goaltender for the University of Cape Breton last season, Darryl Paquette relished facing 60 to 65 shots a night. It seems the Nova Scotia college had a reputation for playing lousy defense, and Paquette went there figuring he'd get lots of saves.
It turned out to be great practice for Paquette's first game at Scope. Starting in place of Corwin Saurdiff, who was sidelined by illness, Paquette recorded a franchise-record 49 saves Friday to lift the Hampton Roads Admirals past the Charlotte Checkers 4-3.
The 49 saves surpassed the previous record of 46, set in February 1993 in Dayton by Nick Vitucci, who was on the Charlotte bench Friday.
``Only one guy played tonight,'' Admirals coach John Brophy said. ``The goaltender won it for us. You don't deserve to win when you give up 50 shots unless your goaltender plays great, and that he did.''
``I guess,'' Brophy added, alluding to Paquette's experience at Cape Breton, ``he feels right at home.''
Indeed he does.
``Things just went my way tonight. I felt very comfortable,'' he said. ``They had a lot of shots, but I was able to see the puck. Our guys did a great job of keeping the crease clear so that I could see.''
Brophy saw little that could be termed great in the Admirals' defense, particularly the failure of his forwards to forecheck.
``We were running all over the place doing stupid things,'' he fumed. ``I'm sure they tried to play, but we can't play like that and expect to win many more hockey games.''
Nonetheless, the Admirals moved to 3-0, their best start since 1993, when they won 41 games and the East Division title.
Trevor Halverson, Dominic Maltais and David St. Pierre, who man the Admirals' first line, continued to have hot hands. Halverson had a goal and three assists and Maltais and St. Pierre a goal and two assists apiece. They have 18 points among them in just three games.
Alexi Krivchenkov, a 21-year-old Russian defenseman optioned to the Admirals earlier this week by the Pittsburgh Penguins, scored his first goal on American soil. His slap shot from just inside the blue line gave the Admirals a 3-2 advantage in the second period, one in which Paquette blocked 20 of 21 Charlotte shots.
The Admirals appeared to take control when Halverson's look-away pass led to a breakaway Maltais goal that gave Hampton Roads a 4-2 lead at 5:06 of the third period. But seconds after the goal, Halverson and Charlotte's Scott Campbell scuffled.
``He was going after Maltais,'' said Halverson, who took a swing at Campbell to move him away from Maltais. Though no other punches were exchanged and no gloves were dropped, referee Chris Cozzan gave Halverson a major for fighting and a game misconduct. Charlotte was not penalized.
That resulted in a five-minute power play and a Charlotte goal, when Jeff Connally slapped in his first of the season at 5:49.
The Admirals played defense most of the rest of the game, relying a lot on Paquette and a little on Lady Luck. A Charlotte shot nicked the top of the cross bar at 17:00 with Paquette sprawled across the ice.
The Checkers twice pulled goaltender Ken Shepard in the final 1:05, but the Admirals' defense finally stiffened. Even with a man advantage for the last 40 seconds, the Checkers were unable to get off a shot.
Paquette, his pads and uniform dripping with sweat, was mobbed by his teammates at game's end.
``He won this one for us,'' forward Rick Kowalsky said. ``It wasn't just that he stopped 49 shots. He must have stopped 20 point-blank shots. We definitely owe him one.'' by CNB