Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 27, 1994 TAG: 9403260138
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RALEIGH, N.C. LENGTH: Medium
Roanoke's inaugural season was derailed at the North Carolina Fairgrounds, where the Raleigh IceCaps turned Dorton Arena into a circus shooting gallery, gunning down the outmanned Express 7-2.
The victory gave Raleigh a two-game sweep of the best-of-three ECHL first-round playoff series. While the IceCaps advance to next week's second round, Roanoke will pack up and wait for next season.
"We gave it all we had, but Raleigh is just a better team. We were outclassed, that's all there is to it," said Frank Anzalone, the Express' coach. "If we would have won the home game [a 5-2 loss Wednesday at the Roanoke Civic Center], it might have been different. But let's be realistic: Raleigh had too much for us. They've got too many players, too many pros [NHL-contract players]. We just didn't have enough to stay with them."
The IceCaps, seeking a sweep to earn some rest for the second round of the playoffs, didn't waste any time getting out the brooms.
After a scoreless nine minutes in which Roanoke had the only good opportunity - Raleigh goalie Chad Erickson stopped Keith Cyr point-blank at the seven-minute mark - the IceCaps broke loose for four goals in the period's final 10 minutes, 35 seconds.
All four Raleigh goals were set up by Express defensive miscues.
Mike Lappin got it started at the 9:25 mark, unleashing a left-handed wrist shot from the left circle. Roanoke goalie Paul Cohen trapped the puck momentarily between his pads, only to see it slide through and trickle slowly over the goal line.
Thirty-five seconds later, Raleigh struck while Roanoke was on the power play. Rick Barkovich, taking advantage of an opening created when Express defenseman Trevor Burgess got tangled in his own skates and fell, blasted a 20-footer past Cohen from the right faceoff circle.
Another Burgess error, this time a turnover in his own end, set up the IceCaps' third goal, at 16:40. Raleigh's Kevin Malgunas picked off an errant Burgess pass and fed teammate Jeff Jablonski, who beat Cohen from the slot.
"Once we got up early, we really had them pinned to the wall," Jablonski said. "We just wanted to pound them after that.
"The biggest difference between these two clubs was our defense. We're much better defensively than Roanoke. Cohen is a great goalie, but he didn't have any help either game."
The IceCaps put the lid on the period, not to mention the Express' season, with 1:38 to go as Barry Nieckar hammered a wide-open, 20-foot rebound past Cohen.
"Three of the goals were brutal," Anzalone said. "Burgess fell down, Lappin scored through [Cohen's] pads . . . they just put so much pressure on you that they wear you down. We couldn't play from that far behind and still have a chance to beat that club."
Roanoke closed to 4-1 on Tony Szabo's goal 1:38 into the second period, but Raleigh restored the four-goal margin on Jimmy Powers' stuff shot from the left of the net at 15:17.
Burgess scored on a rebound from the slot with 43 seconds left in the period to make it 5-2, but that was as close as the Express would get the rest of the way.
The 'Caps iced it in the third period on goals by Jablonski and Steve Mirabile.
"I think Raleigh can go a long way [in the playoffs]," Anzalone said. "I just love what they do out there. I think Raleigh's going to be there somewhere in the hunt."
While Raleigh hunts for its first Jack Riley Cup, the Express is left to ponder what might have been.
"To be honest, I'd have rather played any other team in the first round," Cohen said. "I've played with 50 percent of those guys in the American Hockey League. They're such a talented team.
"But, hey, we tried our best, and that's all you can do."
\ ICE CHIPS: Barkovich's short-handed goal was his third and Raleigh's fourth against Roanoke in eight games during the regular season and playoffs. Meanwhile, the Express power play - 0-for-4 on Friday - produced three goals in 27 opportunities against the IceCaps. Translation: Raleigh outscored Roanoke 4-3 while the Express had a manpower advantage. . . . The IceCaps, who outshot Roanoke 91-41 in the two playoff games, will head into the second round having won 12 in a row at home and seven consecutive games overall. . . . The next home game for Roanoke will be in October. Anzalone will be back for his second season of a two-year contract. How many players return with him is another matter.
by CNB