Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, December 3, 1994 TAG: 9412220072
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DWIGHT FOXX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The Express ended its streak of six home games without a regulation win (0-5-1) against Raleigh with a 3-2 East Coast Hockey League victory at the Roanoke Civic Center. Roanoke used a three-goal second period to take a 3-1 lead and ended the streak. The Express did manage a shootout victory over Raleigh on Nov. 5.
Defenseman Dave Stewart scored his fourth goal of the season at the 3-minute, 36-second mark of the second period with an assist from Pat Ferschweiler to tie the score at 1.
The Express took its first lead of the night with 7:52 gone, when left wing Oleg Yashin scored Roanoke's second goal of the period and his 11th of the season. The assists went to Russian linemates Ilya Dubkov and Rouslan Toujikov.
Dubkov had the most impressive goal of the period, when he went around the net and slapped a shot through the legs of Raleigh goaltender Brad Mullahy to give Roanoke a 3-1 lead with 1:17 remaining in the period. It was the center's 10th goal of the season.
A potential fourth Express goal in the period was nullified when the officials ruled the net was off its moorings before the puck crossed the goal line.
``We played well,'' Roanoke coach Frank Anzalone said of the second period. ``I thought we played well in the first period. That goal they scored at the end of the [first] period was a little disappointing, but we upped the tempo a little bit and were able to beat them for once.''
Raleigh closed to 3-2 in the third period on a goal by Anton Fedorov with 15:58 remaining. But it would be the IceCaps' only serious threat of the period for and Roanoke moved five points behind league-leading Richmond in the ECHL's East Division. Richmond, which visits the civic center for a 7:30 p.m. faceoff today, lost 6-3 at Charlotte.
``I like goals against to be low,'' Anzalone said. ``I like to win 3-1 and 3-2. [As for Richmond] we just want to finish off the week with a win.''
Stewart said the Express treated the game like a road contest, and that helped - particularly in the second period.
``We were pretty flat in the first period,'' Stewart said. ``I don't know what it is; maybe we're just too comfortable at home.''
The IceCaps scored the first goal of the match with 31 seconds remaining in the opening period on a shot by forward Alexandr Chuncukov.
Roanoke bounced back and won the game for all intents and purposes in the second period.
Raleigh defender Brett Duncan got into the holiday spirit 2:30 into the game when he ``decked the Hall,'' accidentally nailing linesman Dana Hall with a left hook while exchanging greetings with Roanoke right wing Jason Clarke.
Each player received a five-minute major penalty for fighting, and Duncan also received a game misconduct and was ejected, largely because of his Grinch-like punch.
ICE CHIPS: Darwin McClelland, acquired from Columbus for forwards Andrew Dickson and Robin Bouchard, is expected to make his Express debut tonight. ... Roanoke and Raleigh will meet five more times this season, but only one of those encounters will be at the civic center. ... Express defender Stephane Desjardins was placed on the 14-day injured list Friday with a leg injury. ... IceCaps captain Jim Powers is likely out for the season after suffering a knee injury against Greensboro on Nov.25 in Raleigh, N.C. That game was Powers' first off the injured list after recovering from a back problem. ... Raleigh leads the ECHL in road victories (eight), but the IceCaps have lost five of seven home games. ... The Express (10-2-3) and Richmond Renegades (10-1-4) head into tonight's game with the best records in the league since Oct.27.
by CNB