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Saturday, October 2, 1999

Hall moving forward with tough decisions
IceRays coach charged with difficult task of narrowing field of talented forwards
By Mark Button
Caller-Times

Taylor Hall's toughest job during the IceRays' training camp will be deciding which forwards to keep and which to cut.
   The second-year Corpus Christi coach wants a healthy 18-man roster when the season starts Oct. 13. Two of the spots will be taken by goalies, and he'll keep either five, possibly six, defensemen.
   That leaves room for 10 or 11 forwards.
   "I would not like to be Taylor Hall in that situation," said Geoff Bumstead, who scored 70 points for the IceRays last year, second only to league Most Valuable Player Chris Robertson.
   Plan on Robertson and Bumstead taking two of the forwards spots. Save another spot for veteran Mike "Chicken" Tomlinson, one of the Western Professional Hockey League's best penalty-killers.
   Other forwards who should have IceRays jerseys after camp ends: Tobin Praznik, who nearly made the International Hockey League's Manitoba Moose; Brad Wingfield, one of the WPHL's toughest players; Dave Shute, one the league's fastest and a capable 40-goal scorer as he was in the Central Hockey League four years ago; and Kurt Wickenheiser, a sniper who scored 46 goals for Hall in New Mexico three years ago.
   That's seven.
   Then there's Roger Lewis, last year's fan choice for unsung hero, who has stepped up his offensive game with a team-high seven points in the three IceRays' scrimmages; and Pavel Evstigneev, who led the WPHL in goals scored at Christmas last year before he suffered a groin injury.
   That's nine.
   So if Hall goes with 10 forwards and six defensemen, all the other forwards in camp are battling for a single job. That group includes Brent Hoiness, who played with the IceRays last season and looks much quicker as he came into camp in shape; Alain Savage, who has made two trips to the IHL and scored 48 goals in the West Coast Hockey League two years ago; Dustin McArthur, who recorded 50 points for Monroe two years ago; and Quinten Van Horlick, a tough-as-nails fan favorite who has improved his skating.
   Count them up, and that's 13, which is either two or three too many.
   "It's going to be hard," Hall said. "But that's good, too. It makes it competitive. If I didn't want to cut anyone, I would have invited 18 guys to camp. This is the nature of the business."
   IceCubes
   A 'RAYS_HIRE_VOICE: The IceRays have hired Michael Modugno as their new public relations director and radio play-by-play announcer, the team announced late Friday. Modugno previously worked as a sports commentator for WMCR Radio in New York. The IceRays' games can be heard on 107.3-FM, beginning with the 7:05 p.m. home opener on Oct. 13.
   A SCRIMMAGE_RESULTS: It took sudden death overtime, but Roger Lewis netted the game-winner for Team Black, who won the three-game series, 2-1. Lewis scored four goals and had three assists to lead all scorers in the three games.



Staff writer Mark Button can be reached at 886-3613 or by e-mail at buttonm@caller.co, m

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