Not bad for old guys

There’s nothing like hearing Elvis standards belted out with the hint of a French-Canadian accent.
Of all the highlights from the Columbus Cottonmouths’ Legends Game Saturday night, including the mock fights and the attempts by former coach Bruce Garber to broadside a referee with a well-thrown water bottle, the best moment came when former goaltender and permanent Elvis enthusiast Frankie Ouellette borrowed a microphone and sang a pair of The King's hits to the crowd.
That moment helped explain why the Cottonmouths and, particularly, their 1997-98 Levins Cup team are so beloved by Columbus sports fans.
The Legends Game, featuring old-timers the same age as yours truly, offered a chance to appreciate the retired players who helped hockey find a foothold on the Chattahoochee. Ole Kjenstad and Mike Martens still looked like they could play for pay if given a week or two to work their way back into game shape. Cottonmouths' coach and general manager Jerome Bechard didn't look too shabby either, although he'll never win a race on the ice.
In fact, my friend and former Ledger-Enquirer co-worker John Vogl wrote an excellent blog entry about the beloved Bechard. It can be found at:

http://buffalonews.typepad.com/sabres/2008/01/ill-take-jerome.html

You might remember John from his days covering the Cottonmouths at the Ledger-Enquirer. He now writes for the Buffalo News, covering the Sabres. He passed through town Saturday night to catch up with the Snakes before covering the Sabres in Atlanta on Sunday.