Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 8, 1995 TAG: 9502080091
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RALPH BERRIER JR. STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
A few hours after Gagnon was signed to a contract by the Minnesota Moose of the International Hockey League, the Express folded in the last two periods of regulation and was handed a 4-3 overtime loss to the Tallahassee Tiger Sharks at the Roanoke Civic Center on Tuesday night.
Roanoke (24-14-8), which picked up one point in the East Coast Hockey League's East Division standings, scored three goals in the game's first 14 minutes, 1 second, then hardly threatened the rest of the way.
It was fitting the Civic Center played host to the circus during the weekend, because Tuesday's game might be better remembered for its sideshows.
About six hours before Tallahassee's Greg Hagen rocketed a 40-foot slap shot past Roanoke goalie Dan Ryder with 23 seconds left in overtime, the Express was trying to replace Gagnon, an ECHL All-Star who was called up by Minnesota for the third time this season.
On Tuesday, the Express backed up Ryder with Roanoker Rick Kelley, a veteran of the city's adult hockey leagues. Today, they will announce they have signed former NHL goalie Daniel Berthiaume, who attended Tuesday's game.
``How is this team?'' Berthiaume asked an observer before the game. Later, he confided, ``They look pretty good.''
That was after the Express bolted to a 3-1 lead. Tallahassee (23-21-5), which traces its ancestry back to the ill-fated Roanoke Valley Rampage, had given up three or fewer goals in nine consecutive games before Tuesday. The Tiger Sharks extended that streak by dominating the last two periods to hand the Express its fourth loss in its past six home games.
``They outplayed us,'' said Frank Anzalone, the Express' coach. ``They deserved to win. If we had gotten out of here with two points [from a win], it would have been miraculous. We weren't in the same building as they were. They outplayed us, outworked us, outhustled us, out-talented us.''
The Tiger Sharks, third place in the South Division, controlled the puck in the third period and tied the score at the 13:27 mark when Wade Gibson one-timed a pass from Greg Geldart to Ryder's right side from 50 feet.
The game appeared headed for a shootout until Tallahassee's Todd Reirden stole a clearing pass along the side boards from Roanoke's Mark Luger and centered the puck to Hagen, who blasted the game-winner past Ryder.
``Those [last two Tallahassee] goals are difficult saves,'' said Terry Christensen, the Tiger Sharks' coach. ``Neither team got high-quality chances. We're two very similar teams - same style, good defense.
``I'd say that we did a good job keeping the puck in the zone. In terms of territorial advantage, we did well in that area.''
Roanoke led 1-0 when Craig Herr took the rebound of Jeff Jestadt's shot and wristed a drive from the right corner by Tallahassee goalie Mark Richards.
The Tiger Sharks' first goal may have been its most important, as Don Parsons scored short-handed at 8:51. It was only the third short-handed goal Roanoke has given up this season, and it came when Express defenseman Jon Larson fell while trying to stop Parsons' breakaway.
Tony Szabo gave Roanoke a 2-1 lead by stealing the puck and sending a slap shot from the right circle past Richards at the 10:50 mark.
Oleg Yashin made it 3-1 with his team-leading 24th goal of the season. Yashin captured the puck behind the net, came out to his left and backhanded the puck into the net.
The Express got few offensive opportunities after that and was outshot 32-26 for the game.
``The overtime should never have happened,'' said Herr, who was traded to Roanoke from Tallahassee in November. ``We should have won in regulation, but they took it to us. This is tough.''
ICE CHIPS: Berthiaume, 29, has played with five NHL teams since the 1985-86 season. He began his career with Winnipeg and later played for Minnesota, Los Angeles, Boston and Ottawa. In 215 NHL games, he compiled an 81-90-21 record, a goals-against average of 3.67, and posted five shutouts. He played one minute for the Senators last season - giving up two goals - and bounced around the ECHL and IHL this season. He had a 6-1-1 record and a 4.10 GAA in 10 games for Wheeling, then joined Providence in the AHL. He practiced twice with Greensboro last week, then his rights were acquired by Erie, which sent him to Roanoke for cash. ``It's been a weird year,'' Berthiaume said. ``I've bounced around. Now I just want to play again.'' When asked if he would change his goalie rotation, Anzalone said, ``I haven't even thought about it.'' ... Gagnon was called up when Minnesota goalie Frank Pietrangelo experienced more knee trouble. Pietrangelo may be done for the season, which means Minnesota likely would keep Gagnon.
by CNB