Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, January 2, 1994 TAG: 9401020060
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-9 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Of all the surprise packages riding the first-year Roanoke Express, none has topped left wing Jeff Jestadt.
"If somebody had told me this was going to happen back in training camp, I probably wouldn't have believed them," Jestadt said. "Second on the team in goals . . . face on a Pepsi can - are you kidding me?"
Jestadt's play has been no joke. Through Friday night's 7-4 loss at Hampton Roads, Jestadt's 18 goals ranked second on the club behind Lev Berdichevsky's 21. His four short-handed goals are tops in the East Coast Hockey League.
"Jestadt has been a surprise in a sense," Express coach Frank Anzalone said. "I never thought he would be second in goals. But he keeps gaining experience, understanding his role, and just keeps getting better and better."
It has been an amazing turnaround for Jestadt, who skated on eggshells in training camp, wondering if he would win a roster spot. With Anzalone already committed to keeping two left wings - Russian Oleg Yashin and captain Dave "Moose" Morissette - Jestadt saw the writing on the wall.
"First, I didn't have a very good camp," Jestadt said. "With the Russians and Moose, I knew there was only one left-wing spot open, and there were a lot of good players left. I kind of read into it too much and started pressing myself.
"Yeah, there was a time when I felt I wasn't going to make the club. All through camp, I kept saying to myself that if it's just based on camp alone I really didn't deserve to make the team. I began to wonder what am I gonna do without hockey.
"Then, suddenly, some things happened. A few guys retired right out of the blue, giving me the break I needed."
Anzalone now admits that Jestadt nearly earned a plane ticket home to Hinsdale, Ill.
"Yeah, it was a close call," Anzalone said. "Jestadt was on the fence. But I was going to give him a real long chance because I was so impressed with the 19 goals he scored last year at Ferris.
"Needless to say, I'm glad he's still here."
Jestadt didn't exactly light it up early. He scored a goal only once in the first nine games. It was a tough start for a guy used to turning on the red light regularly.
"I don't think I was ready at first for the different level of play, different style of play," Jestadt, 22, said. "But since then, I've adjusted and started to find the net. I've always been a guy who can score when given an opportunity."
Jestadt has proven that during the past six weeks, scoring 17 goals the past 22 games. The net no longer appears to be the size of a thimble.
"Yeah, the net does look a little bigger when you're hot," he said. "When you get on a run like this, everything goes in, even shots that really shouldn't go in.
"Hey, I'm not complaining. It's just that I'm getting some bounces now."
Jestadt has been bouncing pucks for as long as he can remember. His father, whom he called a "hockey nut," installed a makeshift rink in the family's backyard when he was 3 years old.
"My dad put down some plastic and flooded it with water," Jestadt said. "I really liked it from the start. Being from Illinois, there were few leagues like in Minnesota or Canada. I played any time I got a chance and just kept going from there."
Jestadt was selected by Winnipeg in the 1991 supplemental draft, but he never signed a contract.
"A week before I was supposed to go to their camp, they called and said they have no future plans for me," Jestadt said.
This past summer, Jestadt weighed offers from Greensboro, Columbus and Erie before settling on Roanoke.
"I knew Frank's reputation as a winner and a good coach," Jestadt said. "I knew I needed a good coach to help me out. I needed a lot of work with my game, and I knew he was the best one to do it. Plus, he kept hounding me."
Anzalone said Jestadt, 6 feet 1 and 195 pounds, has a chance to move up to a higher level if he learns to become more aggressive.
"Jeff needs to be more physical if he hopes to get a legitimate shot at the next level," Anzalone said. "He's got an outside shot of moving up. He's not wasting his time here. If he gets more physical and puts some beef on, he could go to camp and surprise somebody."
And become a mainstay, as he has in Roanoke. After all, they just don't put anybody's mug on Pepsi cans, do they?
"I was shocked when I heard about that," Jestadt said. "I don't think I'm the best-looking guy. It's nice, though.
"I called home and told my mom about it. Now I think everybody in Illinois knows about it. I'm sure all my old buddies are surprised to hear that."
Surprising people. Jeff Jestadt is pretty good at that right now.
by CNB