Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, October 24, 1993 TAG: 9310240185
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Staff report
DATELINE: CHARLESTON, S.C. LENGTH: Medium
South Carolina, which lost 5-4 on Tuesday at the Roanoke Civic Center in the Express' home opener, posted the first victory its history. Like the Express, the Stingrays are an ECHL expansion club.
South Carolina (1-1-1), which scored four goals in the second period to break a 2-2 tie, appeared to be coasting after Tim Holderman's goal 2 minutes, 53 seconds into the final period gave it a 7-2 lead.
But the Express (2-1-0) refused to quit. Power-play goals by defensemen Mike Smith and Chris Potter, coming 53 seconds apart, pulled Roanoke to 7-4 with 13:15 to play. The Express made it 7-5 with 8:36 left on forward Gerry Daley's goal. Then, Daley scored again with 1:45 left, cutting the Express' deficit to one goal.
In the final minute, Express goalie Bryan Schoen skated off, leaving Roanoke with an extra attacker.
With 15 seconds left, Smith unleashed a drive from the point. Potter got his stick on the shot, deflected the puck up in the air, where it struck Stingrays goalie Francis Ouellette in the face mask. The puck landed on the goal line and was swatted away by a South Carolina defender before it could cross the line.
Chris Bright led the Stingrays' attack with his first hat trick of the season. Dan Ruoho added two goals for South Carolina.
Besides Daley's two late goals, forward Conrade Thomas led the Express with a goal and three assists. Forward Tony Szabo scored his first goal of the season and assisted on two.
Dan Ryder started in goal for Roanoke, but was yanked by Express coach Frank Anzalone in favor of Schoen after Bright's goal at the 9:55 mark of the second period made it 4-2.
The game attracted 9,393 fans, the largest crowd for any game in the opening week of the ECHL season.
\ ICE CHIPS: Despite losing in its ECHL road game, the Express did get some good news Saturday. Anzalone said a deal to sign veteran defenseman Will Averill is imminent. "[Averill] will be here next weekend," the Roanoke coach said. Averill played in Richmond last season and was selected by Roanoke in the June expansion draft. . . . Saturday's game launched a string of four road contests for Roanoke. The Express plays at Charlotte on Thursday, Richmond on Friday and Hampton Roads on Oct. 31. Roanoke's next home game is Tuesday, Nov. 2 against Erie. . . . Owner Larry Revo cited poor attendance as the primary reason for moving the Roanoke Valley Rampage to Huntsville, Ala., in the spring. Revo's Blast drew 2,114 fans at the 6,582-seat Von Braun Civic Center for its home opener Friday against Knoxville. The crowd figure was by far the smallest for any ECHL home opener to this point. \
see microfilm for box score
by CNB