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NEWSDate: Mar 08, 2010 Gallant Lost His Head; Ice Bears Paid The Price
By Nick Gates, Knoxville News Sentinel Andrew Gallant says goalies aren't really weird. It's playing in goal that makes them weird. That possibly explains the Knoxville netminder's strange behavior during a Jan. 29 Southern Professional Hockey League game against the Louisiana IceGators that has impacted the Ice Bears' season. Knoxville's No. 1 goalie, who was tied for the league lead with 14 wins and had the night off, asked coach Marc Rodgers to replace Chad Collins in the third period and the Ice Bears' well on their way to a 6-2 victory when things got testy. "I turned around and looked at him (Rodgers)," Gallant recalled. "He said, 'Sure' so I jumped in quick." The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Gallant headed for the crease and the 5-8 Collins, who weighs 170, skated towards Knoxville's bench in a tag-team move designed to give the Ice Bears an advantage, if Gallant and Louisiana goalie A.J. Bucchino scrapped. Gallant didn't have to ask to drop the gloves. "I'm pretty sure Bucchino called me out," Gallant said. "I told him I'd see him the next time I played them and he kept waving his hand at me. He challenged me and didn't expect me to do anything." In a matter of seconds, the crowd was on its feet as Gallant and Bucchino dropped their gloves at center ice. Gallant broke Bucchino's nose and his right hand in the one-sided brawl. Bucchino is no stranger to the Ice Bears. Ironically, he replaced Gallant for the President's Cup finals last season after Gallant was struck by a puck during practice and suffered a broken foot. Bucchino never got into a game but he did receive a championship ring. "I'm not really a confrontational guy," Gallant explained. "I guess I got a little worked up." |
