Evening star., 1940-11-26
Hot New York Rover,
Foes Tonight, Only
Game Off Lead
Polished Recruits Fill
Ranks of Districts
Eastern Loop Club
BY BURTON HAWKINS.

The Washington Eagles, robust
collection of youthful Canadians, will
exhibit their 1940-41 Eastern Anna
teur Hockey League edition before
a home crowd tonight at Riverside
Stadium, meeting the perennially
polished New York Rovers at $3.50
O'Clock. III
Before a crowd expected to test
Riverside's $500 capacity, the gaudy
Eagles will display their eight new
members and seven holdoyers, a COM
bination which has snatched five
victories in six road games to grasp
the lead in the six-team circuit.
Washington, which has crushed
Boston, Baltimore, Atlantic City and
River Vale entries and fallen only to
New York, must whip the Rovers to
retain undisputed possession of first
place. Under the Eastern Leagues
system of awarding a winner two
points and participants in a tie one
each the Eagles have compiled 10
points agains the Rovers' eight.
Recruits are Outstanding.
Hal Dewey, WaShington's leading
scorer on its second-place team last
season, Is likely to see little, if any,
action due to lame leg. but Center
Russ RoSSignol, one of the more
promising newcomers, will return to
duty after inactivity against River
Vale and New York because of a
damaged leg.
Outstanding among the Eagles
recruits have bsen Goalie Gordon
Hemming, a fugitive from the Skeet-
ers' lnept outfit of last season, and
Center Norman Burns, who per-
formed both with Atlantic City and
the Skeeters in 1939-40 campaign.
Hemming. who was supposed to
share assignments with Les Colvin.
has been so sizzling that Coach
Redvers Mackenzie hasn't felt the
urge to remove him. Colvin, the
only spare goalie carried by an
Eastern League team, will receive his
chance If and when Hemming shows
signs of relapse.
New Team is Hefty. --.
A larger, heftier team than last
season, the Eagles apparently are
equipped with tighter defense,
headed by the smooth Len Burrage
and weaker offense which won't
be distressing providing defensive
units continue to click. Holdover
defensemen, in addition to Bur-
rage, are Johnny McTeer and Ross
Knipfel, both of whom seem to be
improved, while Jimmy McCurry is
a welcome rookie.
Centers Burns, Rossignol and Roy
Mcbride all are new to the Wash
lngton club, as are Wings Gordon
Pranschke, Frank Mailley and Jack
Macbeth. The fiery Paul Courteau.
Mike Germann and Dewey are left
over wings from last seasons squad.
Stripped from the club for various
reasons have been Roy Covert, Alan
Kuntz.t Bill Davies. Bunny McKfllop,
Ken PARTS, Alan Foster, Gordon Lee,
Bill Cairns, Les Ramsay and Bill
Lahti. The reason for the release
OF some Of them, admits Mackenzie,
was friction. - ,
+. New York Club Revised.
The game looms as a battle be-
tween the leagues finest defensive
team, Washington, and the loops
highest scoring club, New York. The
Eagles have yielded only II goals in
six games. while scoring 20, while the
Rovers have produced 81 goals and
allowed 81.
New York's team also has been
altered considerably, but familiar
figures to local fans will be Frank
Parker, Bob Brownridge, Julie Saw
buck, Howie Hollinger and Joe
Patrick.
The entire Georgetown University
football team will attend and will
be introduced, with Augie Lilo, all
America guard candidate, facing off
the opening puck. Also guests of
Owner S. G. Leoffler will be the Dis
trict's first 81 draftees under the
Selective Service Act.