Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, March 18, 1995 TAG: 9503210056
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RALPH BERRIER JR. STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
With points precious as diamonds at this juncture of the East Coast Hockey League season, perhaps the Roanoke Express should be content with its 3-2 shootout loss Friday to the Charlotte Checkers.
Perhaps not.
The Checkers outscored the Express 2-0 in a shootout, as Charlotte goalie Rob Tallas, who played with a pulled thigh muscle, capped a gutty performance by stopping Roanoke's four shootout tries.
Darryl Noren and Sergei Berdnikov scored shootout goals against Express goalie Daniel Berthiaume.
Even though the Express picked up one point in the standings for advancing into overtime, Roanoke players were not a cheery post-game bunch. The Express did extend its lead to five points over second-place Richmond, which visits Roanoke tonight after suffering a 2-1 loss at Hampton Roads on Friday.
Not even the realization that a win tonight would clinch the East Division championship could console the Express.
``I'm hopping mad right now,'' said Roanoke wing Jeff Jestadt.
That sentiment was echoed by other players, who felt that Charlotte's game-tying goal late in the third period should not have been allowed.
The Checkers knotted the score 2-2 when Matt Robbins knocked a backhand over Berthiaume's left shoulder. Roanoke coach Frank Anzalone contended that Charlotte's Dan Murphy was offside when Charlotte brought the puck into the zone. Linesman Grant Morley did not agree.
``On the tying goal, the guy was 10 feet offside,'' Anzalone said. ``That linesman missed a couple of offside calls. Who's to say that Charlotte wouldn't have won it anyway? But that no-call killed us.''
Of course, Charlotte coach John Marks had his own complaints about the officiating, specifically the fact that the Checkers had three power-play chances and the Express had seven. Neither team converted.
``Come on, they're no angels,'' Marks said.
Tallas was definitely the Checkers' savior. He made 42 saves, as the Express outshot Charlotte 44-24. Tallas had to be pulled from a game earlier this week after injuring his leg, but Marks wasn't about to pull him on Friday.
``Robby was outstanding,'' Marks said. ``He wouldn't come out.''
Jason Clarke, who broke the ECHL record for most penalty minutes in a season by getting 18 penalty minutes Friday (giving him 454 on the year) gave the Express its first lead when he poked a rebound past Tallas to make it 2-1 with 7:22 left in the third period.
Mike Krygier outskated a Checkers defender and fired a shot that Tallas blocked. Clarke emerged from a flock of players in front of the crease to convert the rebound.
That goal came 25 seconds after Ilya Dubkov apparently had given Roanoke the lead by shoveling the puck into the net while lying on his back in front of the goal. However, referee Paul Mariconda had blown the play dead after Dubkov, Tallas and two Charlotte players got piled up in the crease.
Roanoke finally pierced Tallas' brick wall on Dave Stewart's slap shot from the right point that tied the score 1-1 with 4:04 left in the second period. Stewart dropped the hammer after taking a beautiful drop pass from a streaking Tony Szabo.
Former Express gunner Oleg Yashin, who was traded from Roanoke to Charlotte on Feb. 9, made himself at home by scoring a goal 1:35 into the game.
NOTE: PLease see microfilm for scores.
by CNB