Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, December 22, 1993 TAG: 9312220174
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
In another powerful showing at the Roanoke Civic Center, the Express ran over the Hampton Roads Admirals 5-2 on Tuesday night.
The victory was Roanoke's sixth in a row at home in December, tying it with Toledo for the second-longest home winning streak this season in the East Coast Hockey League.
"We seem to have a real high comfort level at home," said Roanoke forward Jeff Jestadt, who scored two goals. "We've won six in a row here . . . over good teams like Hampton Roads [twice], Greensboro and Toledo.
"Teams are beginning to find out it's tough to win here. And that's we want. We want teams worried about coming to Roanoke."
The Admirals (15-8-1) were glad to skip town. Coach John Brophy's club finished the game with four players on the bench. The rest were either in the penalty box, in the locker room or in street clothes.
Right wing Kelly Malgunas and defensemen Darren Perkins and Stephen Perkovic were ordered by Brophy to get dressed after the second period, in which Roanke scored four goals to take command at 4-1.
"We don't need excess baggage on the ice. Might as well have it off the ice," Brophy said.
"I'm anticipating making some moves now. We can't keep on like this. We can't win on the road anymore. We've turned into a bunch of homers."
The Express knows all about that. Roanoke (13-13-1) is 10-4-0 at home and 3-9-1 on the road.
"We're getting the job done here," said Frank Anzalone, the Express' coach. "It's hard on the road in this league, though. You've got to play harder than the other team to win on the road. We're learning. We played harder than Greensboro did [in Monday's 6-5 shootout loss] and we should have won the game."
Trailing 1-0 after Brendan Curley's power-play rebound goal with 24 seconds left in the first period, the Express came out steaming in the second period.
Manhandling a Hampton Roads club like never before, the Express scored four times in the first 9 minutes, 20 seconds of the period to assume command.
Roanoke got goals from Jestadt, Pat Ferschweiler and Lev Berdichevsky in the first 3:44 to go up 3-1.
Ferschweiler, who had two goals and two assists, made it 4-1 at the 9:20 mark, deflecting defenseman Chris Potter's drive past goalie Mark Michaud.
Jestadt scored on a power play 63 seconds into the third period to make it 5-1. The out-of-sync Admirals made it 5-2 on Ron Pascucci's drive with 6:47 left, but it was too little, too late.
Hampton Roads spent the rest of the game pointing fingers and picking fights.
The Admirals, who had owned Roanoke's ECHL franchises since 1990, going 20-1-3, lost to the Express for the second time in Roanoke in 11 days. Hampton Roads (15-8-1) has played three games since Dec. 11 - all against Roanoke - and lost twice.
"Roanoke played well all night long and we didn't," Brophy said. "Used to be you could come here, not play that hard and win. It's not like that anymore. When you don't play hard, you lose."
The Express hasn't lost at home since Hampton Roads won 3-0 at the civic center on Thanksgiving Night.
"We're feeling pretty good about ourselves right now," Potter said. "Now we have to learn to do it on the road. We can beat these teams. We do it here, don't we?"
\ ICE CHIPS: Roanoke has gone 6-2-1 in its past nine games. The victory moved the Express ahead of Richmond into sole possession of sixth place in the East Division. . . . Goalie Dan Ryder was solid, swatting aside 27 of 29 shots to earn his 10th victory in 18 decisions. . . . Curley's goal was his eighth of the season, five coming against Roanoke. . . . The Admirals are 4-6-1 on the road after three consecutive losses away from Norfolk. . . . Express forward Gairin Smith left the club for Switzerland, where he will play for Team Canada in the Spangler Cup. Smith is expected to miss the next six games, rejoining the squad Jan. 2. . . Kansas City farmhand Stephen Tepper took Smith's spot in the lineup. . . . The Admirals' leading scorer, Victor Gervais, is back with the club at the request of Brophy. Gervais skated in pregame warmups but didn't play because of a back injury. Gervais, called up by Portland of the American Hockey League last week, will return to the AHL team Sunday, he said. . . . The Express concludes its pre-Christmas schedule Thursday at South Carolina. The game starts a rugged stretch in which Roanoke plays 10 of its next 13 games on the road through Jan. 16. The Express' next home game is Dec. 30 vs. Richmond. Hampton Roads 101-2 Roanoke 041-5
First period-1, Hampton Roads, Curley 8 (Taylor), 19:36 (pp). Penalties-Morissette, Rke (boarding), 4:27; Goudie, HR minor-major (roughing, fighting), 9:57; Szabo, Rke major (fighting), 9:57; Chaput, HR (hooking), 14:57; Larche, Rke (hooking), 18:02.
Second period-2, Roanoke, Jestadt 13 (Ferschweiler), :41. 3, Roanoke, Ferschweiler 11 (Szabo), 2:47. 4, Roanoke, Berdichevsky 17 (Larche), 3:44. 5, Roanoke, Ferschweiler 12 (Potter, M. Smith), 9:20 (pp). Penalties-Perkins, HR (high-sticking), 8:41; Wheeler, HR (roughing), 12:36; Barthe, Rke double minor (hooking, roughing), 12:36; Averill, Rke (elbowing), 16:03; Wheeler, HR (roughing), 16:0 3; Snesar, HR (roughing), 18:36.
Third period-6, Jestadt 14 (Ferschweiler, Potter), 1:03 (pp). 7, Hampton Roads, Pascucci 5 (McEwen), 13:13. Penalties-Goudie, HR (holding), :17; Szabo, Rke (tripping), 3:10; Galloway, Rke (hooking), 10:14; McIntyre, HR major (fighting), 13:33; Berdichevsky, Rke major (fighting), 13:33; Goudie, HR double-minor, double-major (spearing, misconduct, game misconduct), 15:18; Walcott, HR (misconduct), 15:18; Galloway, Rke (misconduct), 15:18; Dubkov, Rke (high-sticking), 15:18; Snesar, HR (hooking), 15:55.
Power-play opportunities-Hampton Roads 1 of 5. Roanoke 2 of 7.
Shots on goal-Hampton Roads 10-10-9-29. Roanoke 14-9-15-38.
Goalies-Hampton Roads, Michaud, 15-8-1 (26 shots-21 saves); Gregga (1:03 third, 12-12). Roanoke, Ryder, 10-8-0 (29-27).
Referee-Alex Dell. Linesmen-John Barnard, John Horan.
A-3,005.
by CNB