Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, October 8, 1995 TAG: 9510090113
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B9 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RALPH BERRIER JR. STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Even though the Roanoke Express has won more regular-season and playoff games than any of the other expansion teams that joined the East Coast Hockey League in 1993-94, this might be the season when the Express finally arrives.
The Hockey News has tabbed the Express as the favorite to win the ECHL East, which is only the toughest division in the 21-team league.
This year's Express could be bigger, faster and stronger than the team that advanced to the second round of the playoffs last season. After following up a 33-victory expansion season with 39 wins, great things are expected of the Express.
Don't think for a second that Roanoke coach Frank Anzalone doesn't know it.
``There are no guarantees from year to year,'' Anzalone said. ``We won 33 games our first year. We won 39 last year. Does that mean we should win 44 or 45 games this year? Not necessarily.
``I think, yes, we could have a better hockey team than the one we had last season. But will we win more games? That's a statistical fact that remains to be seen.''
The Express should be as good offensively and defensively as it was last season, when it went 39-19-10 and finished second in the East Division, one point behind the Richmond Renegades, who beat the Express three games to one in the second round of the playoffs and went on to win the Riley Cup.
That Roanoke team had two outstanding goalies - Dave Gagnon was an ECHL All-Star before being called up by the International Hockey League's Minnesota Moose; his successor, Daniel Berthiaume, won a league-record 12 consecutive games and is with Detroit in the IHL this season.
This team also has two proven goalies in Matt DelGuidice (who played briefly with the NHL's Boston Bruins) and Mike Parson (who has played in the American Hockey League), two guys who are looking to regain their old form after a couple of down years.
``Dave Gagnon was a stud,'' Anzalone said. ``He may have won 11 of those games all by himself last year. He was such a presence on our team. Can a Mike Parson or a Matt DelGuidice be like that? I hope so.''
Anzalone expects at least seven players back from last year's squad, including leading scorer Ilya Dubkov (28 goals, 47 assists) and two-time ECHL All-Star defenseman Michael Smith (six goals, 40 assists).
Big things are expected from Dubkov, a soft-spoken Russian who enters his third season with the Express. While Roanoke doesn't have one go-to guy offensively, returning players Dubkov, Craig Herr, Jeff Jestadt and Marty Schriner are proven lamplighters.
Those players will be joined by a group of rookies who bring a missing element to the Express: speed.
Tim Christian, Dave Holum, Michael Staachi, Andrew Sherman and Brian Gallentine are burners who are battling for forward spots.
``I'd definitely say we're going to be faster this season,'' Herr said. ``We've got some guys who can really skate. It looks like we've got some good, young players.''
If the Express goes to more of a speed game, look for second-year pro Schriner to have big season. He began 1994-95 as a wing and was overmatched until Anzalone switched him to center. One of Roanoke's fastest skaters, Schriner was coming into his own when he suffered a knee injury in the final week of the regular season that kept him out of the playoffs.
Chris Potter, a defenseman last season, is trying to make the team as a forward. Also back is strongman Jason Clarke, who set a league record with 467 penalty minutes last season.
``Jason Clarke is a pugilistic specialist who can play hockey,'' Anzalone said.
Herr (who scored 24 goals in 48 games after being acquired in an early-season trade), Jestadt (26 goals, 44 assists) and ECHL veteran Jeff Jablonski bring experience to the ice.
Jablonski hasn't played since leading the Raleigh IceCaps to the Riley Cup finals in 1994, but he came back to play for Anzalone, who coached him at Lake Superior State in the late 1980s and again with the Nashville Knights in 1991-92.
Early reports from training camp indicate Jablonski has shaken off any rust he might have developed during his sabbatical.
``Talk about a guy with character,'' Anzalone said. ``Jeff Jablonski is a great asset.''
Also back is Smith's blue-line mate, Dave Stewart, who led Express defensemen in scoring with 14 goals and 46 assists last season. Smith and Stewart were expected to play in the International Hockey League this season, but Smith came back to Roanoke after being left off the Milwaukee Admirals' 23-man roster, and Stewart left the Indianapolis Ice's training camp because he thought he would see more playing time with the Express.
Jon Larson (11 goals, 17 assists) also is back on defense and could be paired with rookie Duane Harmer, who has looked sharp in training camp after contributing 10 goals and 33 assists with Detroit in the Ontario Hockey League last season.
Once final cuts are made, Anzalone likely will have kept at least six defensemen. Mike Larkin, who played at the University of Vermont last season, and Trevor Dodman, an alumnus of Dartmouth, will vie for blue-line spots.
by CNB