John Purves

VS. NEWMARKET SAINTS* WHEN: Tonight, 7:30.* WHERE: Baltimore Arena.* RADIO: WLIF-AM 1300.* OUTLOOK: The Jacks (21-16-2), now three points behind division-leading Rochester, got some great front-line defensive help from the Caps yesterday with the assignment of center Rob Murray and right wing Tim Bergland. Both players, known for their checking game, had to clear waivers to make it to Baltimore. Meanwhile, the defensive unit of the Jacks continues to suffer with Kent Paynter and Chris Felix missing.

ST. JOHN'S, Newfoundland -- If you've seen the old western about the lone trooper who holds the fort until the cavalry shows up, you know the story of the St. John's Maple Leafs' 6-1 win over the visiting Skipjacks last night. Maple Leafs goaltender Damian Rhodes played the lead role, turning aside chance after scoring chance by Baltimore, allowing his teammates time to regroup and score five unanswered goals after the teams found themselves tied at 1 late in the second period.

The Skipjacks and the Washington Capitals each earned their first victories of the season over the weekend.For the Caps, it took two home games, as they lost to Pittsburgh Friday, 7-4, before returning for a 6-4 victory over Detroit on Saturday with Mike Liut in net for both games.With goalie Don Beaupre back with the Caps as a backup, the Jacks reaped the benefit of the return of Jim Hrivnak, who was excellent in a 5-3 win in Hershey on Saturday. After falling behind 2-1, the Jacks rallied on a pair of goals from John Purves and one each from Reggie Savage and Alfie Turcotte.

HALIFAX, Nova Scotia -- Last night's Skipjacks' loss was followed by a players-only meeting in the locker room, as team members apparently discussed whether they are playing out the string instead of going for the final Calder Cup playoff spot in the AHL Southern Division.Skipjacks coach Barry Trotz left his players in the room more than 20 minutes to talk about a flat performance in a 7-4 loss to the Halifax Citadels. It was the third straight setback for Baltimore, which has 10 games left to catch the fourth-place Utica Devils.

Opponent: New Haven NighthawksSite: Baltimore Arena, 7:30Radio: WITH (1230 AM)Tickets: Many remainOutlook: The Skipjacks and Nighthawks play tonight and tomorrow at the Arena. Baltimore, coming off a 2-1 road trip, will be without RW Bobby Reynolds (knee), RW Steve Seftel (knee) and D Bobby Babcock (hand). The parent Capitals have assigned RW Jeff Greenlaw to the Skipjacks. Baltimore also recalled D Jiri Vykoukal from ECHL Hampton Roads. RW John Purves (11 goals, 12 assists), who has a point in 8 straight games, and C Simon Wheeldon (8, 11)

The Skipjacks' roster surely must be complete with the heavy list of 30 players the AHL team received after the Washington Capitals' 6-3 exhibition win over the Whalers last night in Hartford, Conn.But, alas, more changes are sure to be coming by the end of the weekend.The current list includes four goalies -- Shawn Simpson, Olaf Kolzig, Alain Harvey and Byron Dafoe. At least one will be off to Hampton Roads of the East Coast Hockey League, while two could go if the Caps' No. 1 goalie, Don Beaupre, decides to re-report to camp from Minnesota, where he is holding out for more money.

Terry Murray plans to use a blend of veterans and rookies when his Washington Capitals open their exhibition season Friday at 7:35 p.m. against the New York Rangers at the Baltimore Arena.Murray, whose team has been practicing since Sunday in Lake Placid, N.Y., said he plans to have veteran Mike Liut, acquired from the Hartford Whalers late last season, and rookie Jim Hrivnak, share the goaltending against the Rangers, the team the Capitals defeated in the Stanley Cup playoffs last spring to win the Patrick Division championship.

The Washington Capitals have called up five players from the Baltimore Skipjacks for a game tonight (7:35) against the United States Olympic team at the Capital Centre in Landover.Those joining the Capitals for this game, then returning to the American Hockey League are goalies Jim Hrivnak (9-5-2, 3.27 goals-against average) and Ollie Kolzig (3-7-2, 3.45) and right wings Jeff Greenlaw (one goal, five assists in 11 games), John Purves (23, 27 in 44) and Reggie Savage (27, 16 in 44)."This will give us a chance to get a look at some of our younger players and also give us an opportunity to give some of our veterans some more rest," said Capitals coach Terry Murray.

John Purves' goal on a penalty shot with 54 seconds remaining in regulation enabled the Baltimore Skipjacks to play a 2-2 overtime tie with the Newmarket Saints last night in an American Hockey League game before 3,829, the largest Sunday night crowd of the season, at the Baltimore Arena.Jeff Serowik's goal with 3 minutes, 33 seconds remaining, gave Newmarket a 2-1 lead. Jim Hrivnak never had a chance on the go-ahead goal as Serowik wristed a shot from the right circle past the Baltimore goalie who was screened on the play.

The Washington Capitals have called up five players from the Baltimore Skipjacks for a game tonight (7:35) against the United States Olympic team at the Capital Centre in Landover.Those joining the Capitals for this game, then returning to the American Hockey League are goalies Jim Hrivnak (9-5-2, 3.27 goals-against average) and Ollie Kolzig (3-7-2, 3.45) and right wings Jeff Greenlaw (one goal, five assists in 11 games), John Purves (23, 27 in 44) and Reggie Savage (27, 16 in 44)."This will give us a chance to get a look at some of our younger players and also give us an opportunity to give some of our veterans some more rest," said Capitals coach Terry Murray.

ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- For Skipjacks goalie Jim Hrivnak, the difference between last night's 3-1 victory over Rochester and the 6-4 loss he suffered the previous week at the hands of the Americans was a matter of a bounce or two."I don't where I really played that much different tonight than last week," Hrivnak said after providing 36 saves, and 58 minutes of shutout goaltending, to give the Jacks their first victory since Dec. 13 and return them to sole possession of first place. "I saw the puck just as well last week, but the luck went our way this time."

VS. CAPITAL DISTRICT ISLANDERS* WHEN: Tonight (7:35) and tomorrow night (7:35).* WHERE: RPI Field House, Troy, N.Y.* RADIO: WITH-AM 1230 tonight; WERQ-AM 1010 tomorrow (11 p.m. tape delay).VS. HERSHEY BEARS* WHEN: Sunday, 7 p.m.* WHERE: Hersheypark Arena.* RADIO: WERQ-AM 1010.* OUTLOOK: The Skipjacks (10-6-1) are still in first place in the Southern Division, two points ahead of Binghamton and Hershey (7-8-5). The Jacks play four in a row and five of their next six on the road. John Purves (11-13--24)

Opponent: New Haven NighthawksSite: Baltimore Arena, 7:30Radio: WITH (1230 AM)Tickets: Many remainOutlook: The Skipjacks and Nighthawks play tonight and tomorrow at the Arena. Baltimore, coming off a 2-1 road trip, will be without RW Bobby Reynolds (knee), RW Steve Seftel (knee) and D Bobby Babcock (hand). The parent Capitals have assigned RW Jeff Greenlaw to the Skipjacks. Baltimore also recalled D Jiri Vykoukal from ECHL Hampton Roads. RW John Purves (11 goals, 12 assists), who has a point in 8 straight games, and C Simon Wheeldon (8, 11)

For many teams in the American Hockey League, winning means being able to answer one question successfully: "Do you have a line that can score when you need it?"The teams that bring home Calder Cups always seem to have three forwards -- the No. 1 line -- to lead the way.They log the most ice time. They are the first team off the bench on the power play. They get the big goal when it's necessary.Skipjacks coach Robbie Laird sincerely believes he has one of those lines this year, and through the first four games, they've yet to disappoint.

Let the good times begin.That was the word from Baltimore Skipjacks coach Rob Lairyesterday, as he sent his team through its final workout in preparation for tonight's American Hockey League season opener against the Hershey Bears at the Baltimore Arena."