NORFOLK, Va. — The ECHL holding its 15th annual hall of fame induction ceremony in downtown Norfolk on Monday. It was fitting for former Admirals Mark Bernard and Victor Gervais. The two teammates of four seasons were enshrined and brought the number of former players with the franchise to 13 total for the hall of fame.
Gervais racked up 462 points in 266 ECHL games in his career. Both he and Bernard were apart of the Admirals championshp teams of the 1990s. Bernard who was goaltender for the back to back Riley Cup titles, got MVP in 1992 and joked how he found out.
"It was really humbling and numbing", he said. "I was on the road with my team at the time and I got the phone call from Pat Kelly the former commissioner of the league and I thought they did the books and I had an old fine or something that was due".
Meanwhile Gervais reacted in a traditional way. "I was shocked", he said Wednesday. "I didn't expect to go into the hall of fame. Very honored and very lucky to get into it".
The two joined Scott Bertoli who played all but 13 of his 520 career professional games in the ECHL with the Trenton Titans. There was also Dana Heinze who was the first ECHL equipment manager to advance to the National Hockey League when he was hired by the New Jersey Devils in 1992 after four seasons with his hometown Johnstown Chiefs.
Bernard, who considered Hampton Roads a second home, was thrilled to share the experience. "It was a surreal moment. You know something really cool to celebrate with my family".
As for the all-star game itself, current Admirals took part in the four team tournament style competition and were split into the Cruisers and Destroyers and it was the Destroyers that beat the Western Conference All-Stars 2-0.