Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 2, 1994 TAG: 9403020107
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
After enjoying his customary pregame hot dog Tuesday night, Brubaker's stomach had to churn as he watched the first-place Monarchs come up empty for the fourth time in as many games this season at the civic center, 5-2 to the Roanoke Express.
Like in the earlier three wins in Roanoke, the Express didn't do it with a lot of fancy stuff. Roanoke broke open a 2-2 game in the third period the old-fashioned way - with hard work.
"I think we won it by working our rear ends off in the third period," said Roanoke coach Frank Anzalone. "I told the guys we've got to outwork them in the third . . . we can't out-talent them. We just worked and worked and worked and got a couple of breaks. It's a big two points for us."
The victory shoved Roanoke (32-23-3) back into a fifth-place tie with South Carolina (30-22-7) in the East Division of the East Coast Hockey League.
Despite the loss, Greensboro (34-17-6) maintained its one-point lead on second-place Hampton Roads (33-16-7), which blew a 6-3 second-period advantage en route to a 9-7 loss in Toledo on Tuesday.
That result did little to console Brubaker, whose club has won at least once in every East Division building - except the Roanoke Civic Center. The Monarchs are out of chances this season, barring a possible meeting in the playoffs, which Brubaker considers somewhat of a lock.
"We'll see Roanoke again in the playoffs," Brubaker assured.
Roanoke fought off a potential game-wrecker - a goalie interference penalty on Ilja Dubkov that wiped out Kyle Galloway's goal at 3:50 of the third period - to score two times in the final 6:46.
Tony Szabo's rebound of Claude Barthe's blue-line drive off the pads of Monarchs goalie Patrick Labrecque snapped a 2-2 tie with 6:46 left.
Dubkov put it away 2:25 later, corraling a rebound with his skate in the slot and beating LaBrecque. Roger Larche added the finishing touch with 47 seconds left, sending home a 45-foot empty-netter.
Larche, who has three goals and five assists in five games against his former club, got Roanoke going, beating Tom Newman with a 15-foot wrist shot at 2:11 of the first period.
Roanoke made it 2-0 seven minutes later when Chris Potter, off a nice pass from Oleg Yashin, beat Newman from the right slot.
Roanoke's second goal on only five shots made for a short night for Newman, who was yanked by Brubaker in favor of Labrecque.
\ ICE CHIPS: Roanoke captain Dave "Moose" Morissette, still suffering soreness in his left knee, didn't dress Tuesday. Morissette, who had played five games since returning from arthroscopic surgery on his left knee eight weeks ago, said he simply can't perform at a capable level. . . . Forward Keith Cyr, picked up on waivers Tuesday afternoon from Erie, made his Express debut. Cyr had four goals and five assists in 10 games with the Panthers. . . . The clubs meet for the third time in six days tonight in Greensboro.
by CNB