[Reprinted without permission from page 6B from the Wednesday, January 19 1994
               Dallas Morning News                                            ]
 
           FREEZE TO GIVE OPPORTUNITY TO FEMALE GOALIE WHITTEN
 
By Mike McAllister
  Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News
 
     The Dallas Freeze willl sign female goaltender Erin Whitten to an extended
tryout contract Wednesday and may give her playing time during home games on
Friday and Saturday at Fair Park Coliseum, the club announced Tuesday.
 
     Whitten, the first female goaltender to win a professional game, was
released by Toledo of the East Coast Hockey League last Friday.  This is her
first pro season.
 
     Although the Freeze's avarage attendance (just more than 3,200) is the
lowest in the Central Hockey League, coach Ron Flockhart said signing the 5-6,
140-pound Whitten was not done purely for publicity reasons.  No. 1 goaltender
Greg Smith has a groin injury and may be placed on the 15-day disabled list,
leaving the club with only one goaltender, recently acquired Yannick Gosselin.
 
     "I'm not denying that there's a little publicity involved here,"  Flockhart
said.  "But this is definitely not a sideshow.  We're looking for anything to
make our team more successful, and she has the numbers to back up what we're
trying to do.  We'll give her a week or two of practice, and maybe throw her
in some games."
 
     Whitten was 2-0 in four apearances in Toledo, including an 11-10 win over
Louisville.  She has not played since Nov. 20.
 
     "I really haven't played in two months, so I'm excited to see what I can
do,"  Whitten said.  "I just want a chance to play.  Wherever I've gone, the
team wants me more than just for the publicity.  Still, it's something I have
to deal with."
 
 
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