Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, March 10, 1994 TAG: 9403100126
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Landmark News Service
DATELINE: GREENSBORO, N.C. LENGTH: Medium
Gairin Smith broke a tie with his first goal in 13 games, and the unlikely scorer added the game-winner with 3 minutes, 30 seconds remaining as the Express edged Greensboro 4-3 in the East Coast Hockey League.
The victory reduced Roanoke's magic number for clinching a playoff berth to eight points. Richmond's victory over Birmingham kept the Express from cutting the number further.
Smith took a pass from former Monarch Trevor Burgess and snapped a quick shot just under the crossbar to win it.
Greensboro peppered the Roanoke net for the rest of the game, but could not beat goalie Paul Cohen.
"They lulled us to sleep, just like every other team that comes into this building tries to do," said Jeff Brubaker, the Monarchs' coach.
The Express scored two quick goals in the third, only to see Greensboro come back with two goals of its own to tie the score.
The score was 1-1 heading into the period. Burgess broke the ice when he ripped a slap shot through a screen and into the net with 1:15 gone.
Smith scored on a screen shot from just inside the blue line to goalie Patrick Labrecque's right at the 3:49 mark to put the Express ahead 3-1.
J.F. Jomphe cut the Roanoke lead to 3-2, lifting the rebound of a Brendan Creagh slap shot over Cohen barely six minutes into the period.
Dan Gravelle knotted the score at the 15:26 mark, when he stuffed a rebound past Cohen.
Roanoke notched the only goal of the second period when Ilja Dubkov brought the Express to a 1-1 tie. Dubkov skated from behind the net on the power play and backhanded his 22nd goal of the season just inside the post on Labrecque's stick side 6:25 into the period.
The Monarchs took a 1-0 lead in a physical first period on Todd Tretter's slap shot at the 10:03 mark.
by CNB