Overcoming adversity brought 'sweet' win

Down 2-0 to Huntsville on Saturday, in a rink they had never won in and with a goaltender making his first start of the season, the Richmond Renegades' chances of ending a six-game losing streak didn't look promising.

But the Renegades, behind the netminding of Jay Chrapala, caught the Havoc in regulation and pulled out the 3-2 victory in a shootout. Richmond had been 0-8 at the Von Braun Center dating to last season.

"To come back and beat them in that building was pretty sweet," said Richmond coach Brian Goudie.

Chrapala, who had appeared only once in relief since joining the Renegades in mid-January, made 37 saves, including a breakaway in overtime.

Goudie said he started Chrapala in place of Ryan Senft "more to give the guys a different look back there. Maybe a jump start, playing for somebody different. Somebody they could rally around. They might have figured maybe they had to play a little harder or a little better defense with Chaps in there rather than Senft."

Chrapala is expected to get another start tomorrow night (7:35) when the Renegades play Twin City at the Coliseum.

Richmond was without forward Donald Melnyk for the trip to Columbus and Huntsville. Melnyk went home to The Pas, Manitoba, for the birth of his first child, which happened Monday. Goudie said he wasn't sure if Melnyk would be back by this weekend. The Renegades play Fayetteville at home on Saturday night.

Wrobel is waived; Knoxville picks him up

The Renegades waived forward J.J. Wrobel on Monday, and the veteran was picked up by Knoxville the next day. Goudie had sent Wrobel to the locker room on Saturday after he had been given an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty early in the second period for knocking the puck out of the official's hand.

But that wasn't the main reason he was released, said Goudie, who had sat Wrobel for two games earlier in the season.

"It was an overall thing," Goudie said. "He's supposed to be one of the best players in the league. Performance-wise, he hasn't been up to the game. When he gets paid what he gets paid, you expect him to be one of the top guys in the league."

In 36 games, Wrobel had 13 goals and 28 points, a far cry from last season when he led the team with 28 goals and 64 points in 56 games. Wrobel missed five games with an eye injury this season.

Richmond 'Legends' will meet on the ice

The Renegades have announced plans for a "Legends of Richmond Hockey" game on March 22, prior to Richmond's final regular-season game vs. Twin City. Faceoff is 5:30 p.m. at the Coliseum.

The Legends affair will feature players from any of the pro hockey teams that have been based here, dating to the Robins in the early-to-mid 1970s. Among those who have committed are Goudie, Scott Gruhl, David Brosseau, David Hymovitz, Richard Pittirri, Chris Puscian, Derek Schutz, Chad Ackerman, Bob Jones, Rod Taylor, John Lovell and Bryan McKinney.

Former Renegades' coach John Brophy will direct one of the squads. --John Packett