Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, October 16, 1993 TAG: 9310160180
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The Roanoke Express' final preseason game tonight at the Roanoke Civic Center will be more important for some players than others.
Coach Frank Anzalone said Friday that he considers at least five spots on the East Coast Hockey League club's 18-man roster still open heading into the 7:30 p.m. matchup with the Knoxville Cherokees.
"Obviously, there are some players here who are starting to get concerned about who's going to be here and who's not," Anzalone said, before an afternoon workout at the civic center.
"It's going to be a close call on a few spots. Plus, there's a chance that another player or two could be coming in. So right now, I haven't made up my mind. I've got a lot of big decisions to make by Monday."
Anzalone, who had 24 players left in camp Friday, must submit his final 18-man regular-season roster to the ECHL office by 5 p.m. Monday. The Express opens the 68-game regular season at the civic center Tuesday against the South Carolina Stingrays.
Anzalone is expected to keep 10 forwards, six defensemen and two goaltenders.
Besides the three Russians - forwards Lev Berdichevsky, Oleg Yashin and Ilja Dubkov - who already have signed contracts, forward Dave "Moose" Morissette, Czech forward Ladislav Svoboda, defenseman Michael Smith, defenseman Hughes Bouchard and San Jose Sharks-contract goalie Dan Ryder figure to be roster locks.
Goalie Bryan Schoen, the other San Jose farmhand in camp, is battling Rocco Trentadue and Pat McGarry for the final spot in net. Anzalone said Friday that he is not obligated to keep both San Jose goalies, but "if they're the best two, you pretty much have to."
The expansion Express is 1-1 in the preseason, beating Raleigh 6-5 in an overtime shootout Tuesday at home before losing 6-4 to Greensboro in Winston-Salem, N.C., on Thursday.
\ ICE CHIPS: The power play has hurt Roanoke in its first two exhibitions. The Express yielded three short-handed goals against Raleigh and two against Greensboro, including one in the final minutes that sealed the Monarchs' victory. . . . No definitive word Friday on whether goalie Manon Rheaume will see action or even suit up for the Cherokees tonight. Rheaume, 21, became the first woman to to play pro hockey last season when she saw action in an exhibition game for the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning. . . . The expansion Huntington Blizzard apparently has some work to do. The Blizzard was blitzed 12-1 by Wheeling in its preseason opener Thursday.
by CNB