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January 20, 2008

MIKE MASTOVICH | Sgroi opens ice, lifts line

By MIKE MASTOVICH The Tribune-Democrat Sun Jan 20, 2008, 12:14 AM EST

Jean Desrochers’ two goals in a 5-1 victory over Dayton provided the most obvious evidence that the fourth-year Johnstown Chiefs center had played a solid game Friday at Cambria County War Memorial Arena.

What didn’t appear in the game report were the three or four noticeably solid checks Desrochers delivered to multiple Bombers players throughout the evening. Also missing from the statistics sheet was the intensity the former ECHL all-star displayed.

Credit the arrival of diverse and sometimes colorful eighth-year pro Mike Sgroi for at least part of this boost in Desrochers’ play – and certainly in his confidence level.

With Sgroi and prospect Tyler Hirsch as his linemates the past week, Desrochers had four goals in two wins, then added another in Saturday night’s 5-4 overtime loss at Reading.

At 6-foot-5, 230 pounds, Sgroi provides both muscle and an ability to score points. He and Hirsch assisted on Desrochers’ goal 59 seconds into Friday’s win over Dayton.

Sgroi is among the ECHL’s best known fighters. He has 1,328 career penalty minutes mostly in the ECHL and AHL. In the offseason, Sgroi is a devoted participant in mixed martial arts. He’s dabbled in boxing, kick-boxing and jujitsu.

“Sgroi will open up the ice for a lot of guys,” Desrochers said after Friday’s win. “He’s so big. No one wants to come near him. No one wants to start anything.”

That’s the type of impact that only a player can truly appreciate.

If that intangible elevated Desrochers’ confidence level, then last week’s trade that brought Sgroi to Johnstown already is paying dividends.

Additionally, Hirsch has injected offense into the Chiefs’ attack since his arrival. The former University of Minnesota star has five goals and 14 points in 13 games.

“Hirsch is a creative guy and a great passer,” Desrochers said. “I just plug away. I think right now we balance each other out. We just have to keep going.”

The Desrochers-Hirsch-Sgroi combo should only get better in time.

“They’ve played three games together and had a week of practice,” Chiefs coach Ian Herbers said. “They’re starting to get to know each other better.”

For Sgroi, this is a new look. He’s more accustomed to policing on a second or third line.

Chiefs fans remember Sgroi for his toughness as a Wheeling Nailer. Defensemen Jeff Sullivan, the Chiefs’ all-time career penalty minute leader, broke his hand after punching Sgroi in the head during the 2004-05 season opener.

With the former Lexington, Ky., team, Sgroi had a go-ahead goal and rocked Chiefs enforcer Ryan Shmyr in a win over visiting Johnstown in December 2002. He had a fight and a goal in his home-ice debut for Lexington in a shootout victory over the Chiefs in Nov. 2002.

“We’ve got a little bit of everything on that line,” Sgroi said. “For me it’s easy to play with those guys. I’m not used to playing with guys of that kind of caliber and that kind of skill, so it’s been pretty fun.”

Mike Mastovich is a sports writer for The Tribune-Democrat.

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