Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, November 2, 1994 TAG: 9411020089
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The American and Canadian flags may hang inside the Roanoke Civic Center, but it was the Russians who brought down the house Tuesday night.
Oleg Yashin tied the score on an acrobatic move with 3 minutes, 23 seconds left in regulation time, then Ruslam Tyzhikov supplied the only goal in the shootout to lift the Express to a come-back-from-the-dead 4-3 victory over the Charlotte Checkers in East Coast Hockey League action.
Roanoke's third consecutive victory snapped its two-game home losing streak and lifted the Express (4-3) back over .500. Charlotte, which had the game in hand until Yashin's late goal, saw its record fall to 3-2-2.
``Thank goodness for the Russians,'' said Roanoke defenseman Chris Potter. ``Offense is those guys' game, and tonight they did it all. It's fun to just give 'em the puck at the blue line and watch 'em go.''
They went, all right. The Russian line of Yashin, Tyzhikov and Ilja Dubkov collaborated for all three Roanoke goals in regulation.
While Express goaltender Dave Gagnon was stoning all five Charlotte shooters in the shootout, Tyzhikov, the third Roanoke shooter, smoked an ankle-high wrist shot past the glove of Checkers netminder Rob Tallas for the game-winner.
``I knew I had to put the puck in the net, so I did,'' said Tyzhikov, speaking through a translator after the game.
The Russians' big night saved a Roanoke club that still is having to scratch and claw for goals. The Express hasn't scored more than three non-empty-net, non-shootout goals in five consecutive games.
Trailing 3-2 late in regulation, Roanoke appeared destined for a franchise record-tying third consecutive home loss.
As some fans filed for the exits, Yashin woke up the house, blowing past Charlotte defenseman Dan Murphy and beating Tallas with a backhand move usually reserved for ESPN highlights.
``We couldn't get through 'em,'' said Frank Anzalone, the Express' coach. ``It had to be a skilled goal. It wasn't going to be a set-up. Thank goodness, Oleg is playing better now and came through for us when he did.''
After a five-minute overtime produced nothing, Roanoke rode Gagnon and Tyzhikov to victory in the first home shootout in Express history.
``Dave Gagnon misplayed a couple of goals, then the team hung in there and got him tied up,'' Anzalone said. ``Then, Dave did the job in the shootout.''
Tyzhikov's first ECHL goal gave Roanoke a 1-0 lead 7:46 into the game. Tyzhikov's score, off a centering pass from Yashin, enabled the Express to cash in on a five-on-three power play.
It didn't take Charlotte long to respond, however. Checkers player-assistant coach Shawn Wheeler evened the score at the 10:02 mark, blowing past Roanoke defenseman Mark Luger behind the Express net and beating Gagnon with a wraparound move.
With only 44 seconds left in the period, Express-killer Murphy made it 2-1, flicking a soft wrist shot from the center point that eluded Gagnon through a screen. It was only the eighth ECHL goal in a season-plus for the Charlotte defenseman, but four have come at Roanoke's expense.
Yashin got the only goal of the second period to draw the Express even. Yashin, whose seven goals tied him for the ECHL lead, pounced on a deflected puck off the stick of Dubkov and beat Tallas from the slot.
Charlotte regained a 3-2 lead 24 seconds into the final period when Gagnon got caught out of position. Wheeler circled the net and fed Dave Robbins, who fired a 15-footer into a wide-open goal.
The Checkers, clutching and grabbing at every opportunity, kept the Express at bay until Yashin came up with the play of the game to force overtime.
``We're lucky,'' Anzalone said. ``We've still got a lot of guys struggling and I don't understand it.
``But we came back, Oleg made the play, Gags turned it out in the shootout and Tyzhikov got the winner.''
ICE CHIPS: Roanoke forward Robin Bouchard suffered a cut over his right eyelid early in the game and was taken to a hospital. The cut, caused by a skate, required 19 stitches. Bouchard is listed as questionable for Friday's game. ... Defenseman Brian Sutton, picked up on waivers from Huntington during last week's road trip, was cut Tuesday. Sutton had one assist, two penalty minutes and a plus-2 rating in three games. ... Anzalone replaced Sutton by activating defenseman Stephane Desjardins from the 14-day injured reserve list. ... Express enforcer Jason Clarke has been cleared to resume play this weekend. ... Roanoke had killed 18 consecutive penalties before Murphy connected on the power play. ... The clubs combined for 12 penalty minutes. Roanoke entered the game ranked fourth in the ECHL in penalty minutes and second in majors (15) and misconducts (five). ... The Express makes its first trip to Greensboro on Friday, before returning home Saturday to face Raleigh.
by CNB