ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, March 29, 1997 TAG: 9703310148
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RALPH BERRIER JR. THE ROANOKE TIMES
Red-hot Jeff Jablonski scores all three goals as Roanoke looks for home-ice advantage in the playoffs.
In the recent weeks that saw Roanoke Express players sucked up by higher leagues like ping-pong balls in a lottery machine, there was one key player who stayed home.
The Express was thanking its lucky stars and thanking its star in Jeff Jablonski, who netted a hat trick and became the first player in Express history to reach the 50-goal plateau in leading Roanoke to a 3-2 win over the Raleigh IceCaps in an East Coast Hockey League game at the Roanoke Civic Center on Friday.
Jablonski scored goals number 50-52 to keep the Express in the hunt for third place in the East Division and possible home-ice advantage in the first round of next week's playoffs. No.52 was the winner, and it came just 2:55 to play. The Express trails Richmond, which beat Charlotte 4-3 in a shootout Friday, by two points.
The Express needed every last goal from a veteran who is, at the moment, playing the best hockey of his best season. Jablonski, 29, never had scored 40 goals in his seven-year professional career, but he surpassed Roanoke's previous single-season record when he scored No.44 on March 15.
``No more numbers, now, please,'' said Jablonski. ``I'm not shooting for any more numbers. Right now, we're just trying to get on top of our game.''
Jablonski is certainly on top of his. He has nine goals during a six-game goal-scoring streak and has scored 21 goals in Roanoke's last 19 games.
``He was the story,'' said Express coach Frank Anzalone. ``It's pretty simple, really.''
The win was the 38th of the season for Roanoke (38-24-6), one short of the franchise record for single-season victories set two years ago in a 68-game schedule. ECHL teams now play 70 games.
The Express can notch No.39 tonight when the Hampton Roads Admirals come to town for a 7:30 p.m. game. The Admirals, who have clinched second place in the East, are a possible first-round opponent for Roanoke. The Express closes the regular season Sunday at Raleigh.
Jablonski, who had a chance to join the American Hockey League's Baltimore Bandits in November but turned it down in order to spend the season here, is picking up the slack for an offense that is missing key contributors.
Wayne Strachan was recalled by the International Hockey League's Manitoba Moose and defenseman Michael Smith and forwards Jeff Cowan and Eric Landry were recalled by the AHL's Saint John Flames.
``Sometimes it's hard if you think about the players we don't have,'' said Anzalone. ``Other players are getting their chances to score. You just have to keep pulling for them.''
Roanoke trailed 1-0 and 2-1 to Raleigh, a team that was down to just 12 skaters after injuries and call-ups. The IceCaps (28-33-7) will miss the playoffs for the third straight year after advancing to the ECHL finals in 1994.
Kory Karlander put Raleigh up with a power-play goal at 7:51 of the first. Jablonski tipped in a rebound of a Dave Stewart power-play shot to tie it at 9:06 of the second.
After Steve Potvin re-directed a Rod Parmenter shot past Roanoke goalie Dave Gagnon to make it 2-1 with 9:55 left in the game, Jablonski tied it by tipping in another Stewart power-play shot with 5:57 left.
He netted the game-winner, when the IceCaps lost the puck near their net and Jablonski hammered it in at 17:55. Even though the IceCaps had a 6-on-4 after Radford's Doug Searle was penalized for interference and after pulling goalie Trent Cavicchi, Gagnon was strong.
He finished with 29 saves on 31 shots.
ICE CHIPS: Anzalone said it is possible that Landry could return to Roanoke today from Saint John. It is appearing unlikely that either Smith or Cowan will be back. ... Gagnon, who broke most of the Express' goaltending records this season, was named the team's Most Valuable Player in a pre-game presentation by the Roanoke Valley Hockey Boosters. In other awards, Jablonski was named offensive player of the year, Dave Stewart was defensive player of the year, Jeff Loder was rookie of the year and Chris Lipsett was given the unsung hero award. ... The Express added defenseman Chris Wismer, 19, from Owen Sound of the Ontario Hockey League on Thursday. see microfilm for box score
LENGTH: Medium: 86 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: DON PETERSEN THE ROANOKE TIMES Roanoke's Todd MacIsaacby CNB(center) keeps his eye on the puck as it is deflected by Raleigh
goalie Trent Cavicchi during the second period. The IceCaps' Kris
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