Richmond’s professional ice-hockey team went out of business in late March, but the Richmond Renegades are still supplying some excitement for local charities. Founder and owner Allan B. Harvie Jr. has donated exercise equipment used by the hockey players to Virginia State University and furniture from six team apartments to the CARITAS Furniture Bank.

After failing to find enough money to remain financially viable, the Richmond Renegades announced last night that they’re going out of business effective immediately. Allan B. Harvie Jr., president and general manager of the3-year-old Southern Professional Hockey League franchise, made it official in a press release. “I have delayed making this announcement for as long as possible while my investors and I looked at every possible alternative,“ Harvie said in a statement.

An announcement regarding the future of the Richmond Renegades will be made in the near future, according to Allan B. Harvie Jr., president and general manager of the Southern Professional Hockey League team.

The Richmond Renegades’ season has been over since Saturday’s 4-3 overtime victory against Knoxville at the Coliseum and “nothing has changed” regarding their future in the Southern Professional Hockey League. That’s what Allan B. Harvie Jr., president and general manager, said yesterday about whether the team will be asking the league permission to suspend operations for the 2009-10 season.

The Richmond Renegades completed their season last night with a dramatic 4-3, overtime victory over first-place Knoxville. Despite a 30-27-3 record, the Renegades failed to make the playoffs because Fayetteville (30-25-5) lit up Twin City 9-0 to finish two points ahead of Richmond for the fourth and final postseason spot in the Southern Professional Hockey League.

Gades fade down stretch Two late goals by Cyclones deal blow to Gades’ playoff bid Given the opportunity to put themselves in position to qualify for the playoffs, the Richmond Renegades let it slip through their hands in the third period last night in Winston-Salem, N.C. Richmond gave up two goals—one of short-handed—in the last nine minutes and dropped a 5-3 decision to last-place Twin City.

Renegades beaten in overtime The Richmond Renegades lost to Huntsville 3-2 in overtime last night but kept their faint playoff hopes alive by securing one point in Huntsville, Ala. Trailing 2-0 entering the third period, the Renegades got goals from Justin Joy (even strength) and Trevor Karasiewicz (power play) to force OT. But a tripping call on Jason Price led to a power-play goal by John Ronan 1:07 into the extra session that gave Huntsville (29-23-6) the victory.

Two teams were on the ice last night at the Coliseum, but only one of them resembled a playoff squad. That would be the visiting Fayetteville FireAntz, who handed the Renegades their worst home loss of the season, whipping them 6-1 in front of a restless crowd of 4,595. It was Fayetteville’s third win over Richmond in as many games, and the Renegades’ fifth loss in six outings overall.

Forward Jason Price has 15 goals and 16 assists in 55 games for the Renegades this season. Price paying dividends Solid two-way play gives Gades a push toward postseason When the Richmond Renegades picked up Jason Price off waivers late last season, coach Brian Goudie didn’t get a good look at the big winger. That’s because the 6-3 200-pounder suffered a broken finger after three games and sat out what was left of the season. But Price has come back strong this year, and Goudie has used him at both ends of the ice.

Just when it appeared the Richmond Renegades were going to end their long road trip on a successful note, disaster struck last night. Fayetteville scored twice in a span of 1:09 late in the third period to come from behind and beat the Renegades 5-4 in Fayetteville, N.C. A three-goal uprising in the second period had given Richmond a 4-3 lead entering in the final 20 minutes, and goaltender Ryan Scott (41 saves) preserved it for most of the period.

Joe Curry highlighted a five-goal barrage in the third period by scoring twice in his first game as a Renegade, and Richmond stormed to a 6-3 win over the Twin City Cyclones in Winston-Salem, N.C., last night. The Renegades (28-23-2), who snapped a two-game losing streak, moved into a tie with Huntsville for second place in the congested Southern Professional Hockey League standings with 58 points. The Gades, however, have two more wins.

Richmond’s third-period surge fell short as a four-goal defict proved too much to overcome in the Renegades’ 5-4 loss to the Columbus Cottonmouths last night in Columbus, Ga. It was the Renegades’ second loss in as many nights to the Cottonmouths, who skated off with a 5-1 win Friday night. Last night’s rematch had a similar feel, with Columbus ahead 5-1 through two periods. But Bill Zalba scored twice—bookending a goal by Matt Withers—as the Renegades closed to 5-4 with 5:49 to play. They couldn’t get the equalizer, however, despite an 18-6 advantage in shots the final 20 minutes.

A former NBA Development League leader yesterday was named president of SportsQuest LLC, the Chesterfield County company developing a 35-acre, $100 million sports and family entertainment center at Powhite Parkway and state Route 288. And among his goals are to bring professional hockey and basketball to Chesterfield as soon as 2011. Philip G. Evans, who served as president of the NBA’s minor-league program from 2002 to 2007, said yesterday he hopes to bring a Washington Wizards farm team to the arena planned at the SportsQuest facility, as well as hockey team from the ECHL, a AA league affiliated with the NHL. Both teams would play in a 6,000-seat arena planned for the site.

It’s hard to beat a well-played hockey game. Hockey does not lend itself to television, but in person it offers not only tension and thrills but beauty and grace. According to a joke, a fan went to a boxing match and a hockey game broke out. The conclusion to this editorial will elaborate on the point. The 1980 Olympic semi-final game between the USSR and the United States rates as the most vivid in the nation’s collective memory. U.S.A.! U.S.A.! A chant was born.

So how much money is it going to take to rescue the financially struggling Richmond Renegades and keep them afloat for another season? According to Allan B. Harvie Jr., president and general manager of the Southern Professional Hockey League franchise, from $250,000 to $280,000. Harvie announced at a press conference Tuesday at the Coliseum, where the team plays its home games, that he would ask the SPHL permission to suspend operations for one year—unless it received an infusion of capital from a major investor or the sale of the team in the next few months.