Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, January 8, 1994 TAG: 9401080230
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Staff report
DATELINE: ERIE, PA. LENGTH: Medium
Szabo, who five weeks ago predicted he would break out of his offensive doldrums in a big way, continued his recent scoring tear Friday night, rallying the Roanoke Express to a 5-4 East Coast Hockey League victory over the Erie Panthers.
Szabo scored the tying and winning goals in the third period as Roanoke (18-16-1) handed Erie (12-19-0) its sixth consecutive loss.
Szabo extended his club-record points streak to 14 games. He has collected 15 goals and 16 assists during the run to burst into the club scoring lead with 52 points (21 goals, 31 assists).
The Express overcame some steep odds in posting its sixth road victory in 19 tries. Not only had Roanoke been 1-13-0 on the road when trailing after two periods, but the Express won for the first time this season without the services of Dave "Moose" Morissette.
Morissette, the Express' captain and inspirational leader, underwent arthroscopic knee surgery Thursday in Roanoke and will be sidelined for two to five weeks, according to T.K. Miller, a physician at the Roanoke Orthopedic Clinic.
Morissette, 22, has eight goals, nine assists and 221 penalty minutes in 32 games.
Express coach Frank Anzalone said the club decided it would be best for Morissette to get his knee fixed now so he can be ready for the stretch drive.
"Dave's knee has been aggravating him [over] the course of a year-and-a-half," Anzalone said. "When I saw the pain that that man was going through to lace 'em up for us . . . I said to myself at that point, `We're damaging this man's career.' "
Gordie Pell, signed by the Express on Friday, replaced Morissette on the club's 18-man active roster and contributed immediately, assisting on Szabo's two goals.
Trailing 4-3 entering the third, Roanoke applied continuous pressure on Erie goalie Vern Guetens. With Szabo, Pat Ferschweiler and newcomer Pell wreaking havoc in the Panthers' zone, Szabo beat Guetens from 30 feet with 17 minutes, 45 seconds left to tie it.
After Roanoke killed its fifth consecutive penalty with 5:07 left, Szabo continued his heroics, taking a pass from Ferschweiler and blasting a 45-foot rocket between Guetens' legs with 3:12 remaining.
Erie took a 3-1 first-period lead, getting goals from Jim Peters, John Vary and Jeff Whittle against a lethargic Express defense.
\ ICE CHIPS: Roanoke's Lev Berdichevsky, who scored his 26th goal in the first period, has 11 goals in his past 10 games. . . . Erie failed on its five power plays, ending Roanoke's dubious streak in which it had given up at least one power-play goal in 16 consecutive games. . . . After the game, the Express traveled to Johnstown, Pa., where it faces the red-hot Chiefs tonight. Johnstown picked up its ECHL-leading 10th consecutive victory, winning 4-3 at Richmond on Friday. \
see microfilm for box score
by CNB