Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, October 15, 1995 TAG: 9510160116
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RALPH BERRIER JR. STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Goalie Mike Parson, who 24 hours earlier had given up six goals in a 6-3 opening-night loss to Richmond, made several key saves after coming in during the second period as the Express posted its first victory of the East Coast Hockey League season before a Saturday night crowd of 5,540.
Roanoke (1-1) was down to 13 skaters after center Marty Schriner's three-game suspension for fighting in the penalty box during a preseason game was upheld by commissioner Pat Kelly and after forward Jason Clarke was ejected for fighting Raleigh's Howie Rosenblatt only 1 minute, 14 seconds into the game.
``All the credit goes to these players,'' said Frank Anzalone, the Express' coach. ``When you're down two players and can beat a team like Raleigh, that's something. That was a tremendous display of character.''
After Clarke received a game misconduct, he joined Schriner and three other players who could not dress for the game in the press box, leaving only a few guys to do the bulk of the work.
Guys like Jeff Jestadt, for example. He netted the game-winner with 11:48 left when he soared down the ice and drove a rebound past Raleigh goalie Brad Mullahy after teammates Mike Staachi and Tim Hanley had poked at the puck in the crease.
``I really don't know what happened there,'' Jestadt said. ``It was a scrum in front of the net. A couple of our guys got their sticks on it. It wasn't a great shot.''
It was good enough to make a winner of Parson, who was sitting out in favor of Matt DelGuidice. But after DelGuidice slashed Rosenblatt late in the first period and set up a Raleigh two-man advantage that resulted in Steve Potvin's goal that gave the IceCaps a 2-1 lead, Anzalone made a change.
``Things were just wacky out there,'' Anzalone said. ``It just popped into my mind to do it [bring in Parson].''
Parson was surprised to get the call.
``I was a little upset with how things went [on Friday],'' said Parson, who played behind Washington Capitals goalie Jim Carey when the two were with Portland (Maine) of the American Hockey League last season. ``Matt made some great saves in the first [period]. I'm just glad we won.''
Parson, who played one game for Portland and two for Wheeling in the ECHL last season, saved 13 of the 14 shots he saw, including a great stop of a screened shot by Kyle Kirkpatrick with 1:50 left.
``I never saw it,'' he said. ``Somehow, I got my pad on it and covered it.''
The Express also survived Curt Regnier's final drive that sailed just right of the goal as the final horn sounded.
Roanoke came back from a 2-1 deficit after one period to take a 3-2 lead late in the third on goals by Brian Gallentine and former IceCap Jeff Jablonski. The Express led for all of 20 seconds before Spencer Meany beat Parson low to the stick side.
Roanoke trailed 1-0 after Regnier scored on a blast from between the faceoff circles four seconds into Raleigh's second power play. The Express tied it at the 15:59 mark when Tim Christian scored off a Dave Holum assist.
``We've got some young defensemen who we will be patient with,'' said Raleigh coach Kurt Kleinendorst, who made his return to the IceCaps' bench after a year in the International Hockey League. ``Frank has put together a good team here with experience and some solid defensemen. They're very effective. ... But I like my team, too.''
ICE CHIPS: Hampton Roads' Jason MacIntyre was given a five-game suspension for his role in the fight with Schriner. After MacIntyre and Schriner had fought on the ice, MacIntyre carried the fight to Schriner's side of the penalty box. ... Former Express defenseman Stephane DesJardins, who scored two goals last season, netted two goals for Nashville during the Knights' 5-1 victory in Tallahassee on Friday.
see microfilm for box score
by CNB