Replacements are on the ice

Thanksgiving is usually the time Augusta Lynx coach Bob Ferguson evaluates his team's progress.

He said by now his teams have usually had an extended road trip, played at home a decent number of times and played all the teams in their division. So far this season, the Lynx have only accomplished one of those three check marks.

They've played eight road games - including five in a row - but have played just four games at home and they have yet to play two of the teams in the South Division.

"I'm still really looking to get a good taste for what our team is like and how we match up against teams," Ferguson said Tuesday morning. "... It's going to be another week or two before we can get a true read on what our team is."

That time frame could be extended now that the Lynx will likely be without nine players, at least through the weekend. Canadian players Joe Pereira, Brian Passmore, Doug Wright, Dan Sullivan, Ryan Lang, Nicolas Corbeil, Phil Cole, Martin Lapointe and Steve LeCuyer were deemed temporarily ineligible to play after the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services denied the team's petition for temporary employment Tuesday.

Seven of the nine players have combined to score 51.5 percent of the team's goals.

Pereira is tied for the team lead with four goals and Passmore leads the team with 11 points and eight assists.

The Lynx re-filed the petition Wednesday, but with Thanksgiving, it might take until next week to get the paper work approved.

"It should be a day-to-day thing," Ferguson said late Wednesday night. "... We're told it's not going to linger."

Until then, Ferguson said he had six players scheduled to fill in Thursday night against Gwinnett, and had the possibility of a couple more for the weekend's home games.

"The reality is, the hockey version of the replacement movie will take place tomorrow night," Ferguson said Wednesday.

The ruling left the Lynx with 12 eligible players. As of Thursday, Ferguson had signed former Lynx defenseman John Whitwell, in addition to forwards David Maracle, Bryan Jaeger, Joey Martin, Brett Roat and defenseman Brennan Lundberg, who is Lynx defenseman Eric Lundberg's brother. Ferguson said all the players have college and/or some professional experience.

"Maybe the good part is we might find a player or two out of it," Ferguson said.

Reach Kristy Shonka at (706) 823-3216 or kristy.shonka@augustachronicle.com.