Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, April 5, 1995 TAG: 9504080012
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RALPH BERRIER JR. STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The assignment for the Roanoke Express has been simplified to one chore.
Win the next three hockey games over the Richmond Renegades or take a six-month vacation.
The Express was left with that unenviable task after losing the first two games of its Riley Cup Playoff series last weekend in Richmond. After making a good showing in a 4-3 loss on Friday night, the Express was swept away like ice chips beneath a Zamboni in a 4-0 loss on Sunday to fall behind 2-0 in this best-of-five East Coast Hockey League quarterfinal series.
Richmond can clinch the series with a win tonight at the Roanoke Civic Center. Game 3 is at 7 p.m.
According to Roanoke coach Frank Anzalone, reality hit his team like a puck to the head last weekend.
``I don't think there is really a lot to say,'' Anzalone said. ``Richmond is better than we are. It's real simple. It might bother some people to hear that. It doesn't bother me to say that. They've played like a championship team. I've said all along that this is a team that can win it all.
``It will take a supreme effort by our guys to be competetive with them. We need to worry about playing one great game [tonight]. If you play one great hockey game, you never know what can happen after that.''
Richmond won the first two games with a brutal hat trick of speed, power and goal-tending. The Renegades limited the Express to an ECHL record-low 11 shots in Sunday's game with a tight-checking defense that knocked Express players off the puck. Roanoke generated five shots on six power plays.
``They took the stick out of our hands,'' said Anzalone.
Even when it has squeezed off a shot, the Express has had a difficult time putting the puck past David Littman, Richmond's goalie. Littman, who shut out the Express for the second time in two weeks, has stopped 31 of 34 shots.
``The way we're limiting other teams' scoring opportunities is great,'' said Roy Sommer, Richmond's coach. ``We're not giving up the big rebound. We're clearing the front of the net. What we're doing real well is picking and holding. Once they do get the puck in our zone, everyone's winning the one-on-one battles. You've got to do that.''
If the Express can win tonight, Game 4 will be Friday in Roanoke.
``I'm expecting the worst going into Roanoke,'' said Sommer. ``It isn't going to be easy. If I know Frank, he'll have them ready.''
Offensively, burners like Jan Benda, Blaine Moore and Andrew Shier have been difficult for Roanoke to detain in the open ice. Moore has scored eight goals in five playoff games.
The Renegades are basically injury-free, although Rod Langway, the former NHL all-star, has had knee problems and only played sparingly in Game 2. When the Express vaulted to the top of the ECHL East Division standings earlier this month, it vaulted past an injury-riddled Richmond team.
AROUND THE ECHL: Hampton Roads coach John Brophy was accused of making racist comments to a black player for the Tallahassee Tiger Sharks during the first round of the ECHL playoffs. Brophy denied the allegations made by Tallahassee general manger Tim Mouser, who said Brophy threatened forward Tom Haddock and called him ``Buckwheat'' after Tallahassee's 3-2 overtime victory on March 28. Mouser said he would file a formal complaint with ECHL commissioner Pat Kelly. Brophy called the allegation a ``dirty, rotten lie.'' ... As expected, Hampton Roads owner Blake Cullen announced last week that he would not be moving his team to the American Hockey League.
by CNB