Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, January 19, 1994 TAG: 9401190198
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The Roanoke Express' 54-day walk on hard water at home is over.
The Express' nine-game home winning streak - the fourth-longest such run in East Coast Hockey League history - went slip-sliding away on an icy Tuesday night before a crowd of 2,892 at the Roanoke Civic Center.
The Johnstown Chiefs, who 11 days ago saw their 10-game winning streak halted by Roanoke, rode a stellar effort by goalie Rob Laurie and a four-goal third period to stun the Express 6-2.
The loss was the first at home for Roanoke (21-19-1) since Nov. 25, when Hampton Roads turned the trick 3-0.
"Give Johnstown credit," said Frank Anzalone, the Express' coach. "They came in here and did what they had to do to win. They played solidly, got good goaltending, got some breaks and capitalized on them."
With the score tied at 2, Johnstown (23-15-4) seized control in the third period.
The game's key play came at the 5-minute, 57-second mark of the period, when Johnstown's Jason Jennings picked off a Will Averill pass at center ice and skated in, setting up Matt Hoffman's spinning rebound goal.
The Chiefs put away the Express with two goals in the next 6:02 - a rebound by Cory Banika at 7:59 and a Dennis Purdie slap shot at 11:37 set up by a giveaway by Mike Smith, Roanoke's All-Star defenseman.
Purdie's empty-net goal with 38 seconds left sealed Roanoke's fifth loss in 18 home games.
"It was one of those nights where we needed somebody to step up with a great game and we didn't get it," Anzalone said.
"We needed to be strong in the third period, as far as not giving up any goals. The mistake by Averill was the game. It was going to be a one-goal game until that happened. Before we could get things turned around, the puck was in our net and the game was over."
In an ironic twist, it took a former Roanoke Valley Rampage goalie to stop the Express' home success. Laurie, who spent two months with the moribund Rampage last season, stopped all but two of 49 Roanoke shots.
"It's nice to come back to Roanoke and play well," said Laurie, who got some help from the posts. "It's nice to help end Roanoke's streak. They ended ours, so turnabout is fair play, right?"
Going in, it appeared the Express was catching Johnstown at just the right time. First, the Chiefs were without three of their top guns - ECHL All-Stars Bruce Coles (right wing) and Bob Woods (defenseman) and veteran defenseman Perry Florio - all injured. Plus, the Chiefs didn't get into town until 4:45 a.m. Tuesday after busing all night after a 3-2 loss at Columbus on Monday.
"None of our players knew they were missing some guys until they got to the rink today," Anzalone said. "Yes, it did look like the perfect setup. But sometimes it's the wrong team that gets set up in a situation like that."
Express center Pat Ferschweiler said he and his teammates will have to come out with renewed vigor Friday when they take on Greensboro at the civic center.
"We'll just have to start another streak at one," Ferschweiler said. "That's all we can do now, go back to work and build another [streak]."
\ ICE CHIPS: Lev Berdichevsky's goal was his ninth in five games and his Express-leading 35th of the season, only one off the ECHL lead of 36 by Wheeling's Darren Schwartz. . . . Not everyone in the crowd was pulling for Roanoke. Henry Brabham, the longtime Roanoke hockey baron and former owner of the Chiefs, was decked out in a Chiefs jersey. "I had some people give me some [grief]. But they all know better than to give me too much," Brabham said. . . . Considering the ice conditions outside, Express officials were elated with the crowd figure. It was only the third time in 18 games the Express has failed to draw 3,000.
by CNB