
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, April 2, 1995                   TAG: 9504040035
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B-7   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: RALPH BERRIER JR. STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND                                LENGTH: Medium

EXPRESS DID EVERYTHING EXCEPT WIN

The Roanoke Express played well Friday night.

Too well to lose, the players told themselves. It was tough to swallow a 4-3 loss to the Richmond Renegades in Game 1 of a best-of-five East Coast Hockey League quarterfinal series at the Richmond Coliseum.

The Renegades, who poured in 25 goals in their three-game sweep of Columbus in the first round of the Riley Cup playoffs, scored twice in the opening 2:40. The blowout never materialized, though, as Roanoke fought back and had several opportunities to tie the score in the third period.

Though the Express could console itself knowing it had given a solid effort, the loss went down as easily as a dose of castor oil.

``This is a tough loss,'' said Roanoke defenseman Dave Stewart. ``We played well enough to win.''

The Express must pick itself up off the ice before the teams meet in Game 2 at 6:05 p.m. today at the coliseum.

Frank Anzalone, Roanoke's coach, was upbeat after Friday's game.

``We played a great game here tonight,'' Anzalone said. ``I don't know what else to say.''

The Express did everything Anzalone asked. He wanted the team to stay disciplined. It did. He wanted his players to stay out of the penalty box. They complied.

Roanoke gave the Renegades only two power-play opportunities in Game 1 and killed both penalties. The Express, meanwhile, was 3-for-7 with a manpower advantage, including Darwin McClelland's power-play goal with 31 seconds left.

``The key was the referee called the stuff that was being done,'' Anzalone said. ``We were more disciplined. Our guys did a good job of turning the other cheek.''

Express players had been upset with the amount of clutching and grabbing that had occurred during Richmond's 5-0 victory in Roanoke on March 18. Friday's game was called fairly tightly by referee Kevin Lehman.

``We've got to use our heads,'' said Roy Sommer, the Renegades' coach. ``We didn't play a smart game. We took too many bad penalties.''

ICE CHIPS: Roanoke defenseman Jon Larson injured a knee late in Friday's game. He is listed as questionable for today's game. Larson crashed into the boards behind the Express goal while battling Richmond's Trevor Senn for the puck. ... Renegades defenseman Shawn Snesar returns from a three-game suspension tonight. Snesar and Pat Meehan of Columbus were suspended for fighting before the start of the second period in Game 1 of their first-round series. ... Richmond defenseman Rod Langway, a former NHL star, will miss this series with sprained knee ligaments.

by CNB