By Tim Panaccio, Inquirer Staff Writer
For the third consecutive year, the Philadelphia Wings – two-time defending Major Indoor Lacrosse League champions – open the season with a new goalie in the nets.
Not that there was anything wrong with last year’s playoff hero, Dwight Maetche, or his backup, Kevin Bilger.
Maetche got a better job in Vancouver, British Columbia, got married and bought an expensive house. He simply couldn’t afford to leave all that for the league’s new highest salary of $300 a game.
“It didn’t seem realistic for Dwight to come back,” said Wings coach Dave Evans, whose club opens the season tomorrow in Detroit at 8 p.m. “His sales job is pretty good.”
As for Bilger, he requested – and got – a trade to Pittsburgh, where he’ll probably be a starter this season.
“Kevin was sort of jolted, because he filled in last season when Dwight got hurt and then Dwight comes back to play in the playoffs,” Evans said. ”As a former goalie, I can understand that. But I didn’t trade Kevin by choice.”
The Wings open their home schedule next Friday at the Spectrum against the New England Blazers, the team they beat for the MILL title last season.
The new face in the nets, collecting a rookie salary of $125 a game, will be Dallas Eliuk, who was the MVP in last year’s Western Lacrosse Association playoffs for Burnaby. The winning goalie in those Canadian box-lacrosse playoffs was none other than Vancouver’s Maetche.
“Dallas got the MVP, and Dwight got the victory,” Evans said. “Dallas is our No. 1 goalie, but I am concerned about depth there.”
With good reason. Backup Mark Moschella has been with the Wings since 1987 as a third-string goalie but has yet to step onto the Spectrum carpet in a game.
Besides Maetche, another face absent from the roster this season is face- off specialist Bill Dirrigl, who retired to accept the head coaching job at Franklin and Marshall College.
Dirrigl holds the league record for face-offs won in a season (91), set last year.
Chris Flynn will handle most of the face-offs this season, with Scott Gabrielsen filling in on occasion.
Evans has juggled his lines and elevated Brad Kotz’s line to No. 1, with Gary Martin, Tony Resch, Andy Wilson and Mark Hahn.
Kotz was second on the team in goals last season (11) and third in points (20). Wilson was second in points (22) and tied for the club lead in goals (13) with John Tucker, who led in points (23).
Tucker’s line has two new faces in Paul Deniken and John Holthaus. The rest of it remains intact, with Gabrielsen and Greg Manley.
Evans expected – even would have welcomed – more retirements by his veteran players.
“I’m surprised so many came back,” he said. “I was sort of hoping a half-dozen might retire and get some younger guys in there. After two championships, there is a contentment that sets in.
“On the other hand, you can’t substitute for experience in this league. Veterans have such a tremendous edge on rookies. So I couldn’t clean house.
“They’re going for three in a row, and no one has done that, so I guess there is a motivation factor.”
(Philadelphia Inquirer, January 4, 1991)