Published: October 14, 2008 11:57 pm            

Chiefs beef up blue line

The already solid Johnstown Chiefs’ blue line became stronger on Tuesday as the Lake Erie Monsters assigned Ray Macias to the ECHL team.

In five regular-season games last season, Macias had five assists for Johnstown. The 6-foot-2 defenseman also had a goal and four points in six playoff games with the Chiefs.

“He’s down here to get some playing experience,” Chiefs coach Ian Herbers said Tuesday. “If he was up there (in the AHL) he would be in and out of the lineup. He wouldn’t be playing in every situation. He’s down here to keep improving his game and play with consistency that he needs to play at the American Hockey League and National Hockey League level. They want to round out his game.”

Macias, 22, appeared in 42 AHL games with Lake Erie last season. He had four goals and 13 points. The Long Beach, Calif., native made an immediate impact with the Chiefs and was a big boost to the postseason roster.

His near end-to-end rush after the opening face-off set up captain Randy Rowe’s goal 39 seconds into Game 1 of a North Division quarterfinal series at Dayton. The Chiefs won that game 3-1 and swept the best-of-3 series.

“His skating is a strongpoint,” said Herbers, whose team opens at Trenton on Friday and hosts Wheeling the next night. “He’s a good quarterback on the power play. He’s got a good shot and good vision. He’s got good skating ability. At the same time, he had the ability to get back when it was time to get back because he’s such a good skater.”

The Chiefs will need points from their defensemen to compete in the North.

“Ray is going to help our offensive production from the back end,” Herbers said. “In today’s game that’s a huge thing. Now it’s so much about mobility. With the new rules, you need to have mobile defensemen to get to the puck.”

Macias joins seven other Chiefs defensemen: Jon Landry; Mike Knight; Greg Gallagher; Brian Deeth; David Schulz; Kyle Bushee; and Trevor Hendrikx. Knight, Gallagher and Deeth are returnees.

The Chiefs officially announced that enforcer Mike Sgroi re-signed, a transaction first reported on Oct. 3. Sgroi broke a bone in his hand during an AHL exhibition game fight while competing for a lineup spot with the Syracuse Crunch.

He is on the 30-day IR after initially being listed as out for six to eight weeks from Oct. 1.

“Mike brought a lot of energy to the building,” Herbers said. “Other teams knew when he was on the ice. Fans knew when he was on the ice. He had a presence out there. He had a reputation, not only with his toughness, but he also was able to produce offensively for us. He was one of the older guys, one of our leaders.”

The Chiefs waived forward Domenic Maiani on Tuesday and traded Brock Wilson to Augusta on Sunday.

“Domenic is a great kid. We enjoyed having him last year and the beginning of this year,” Herbers said. “Just with the numbers, it didn’t work out for him here. ”

        

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