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

DATE: SATURDAY, October 21, 1995                   TAG: 9510220010
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B7   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: FROM STAFF REPORTS
DATELINE: RICHMOND                                 LENGTH: Medium

RENEGADES DOMINATE ROANOKE

Kurt Mallett, Mike Taylor and Trevor Senn scored in a span of 1:34 late in the second period to break open a close game as the Richmond Renegades defeated the Roanoke Express 8-2 in an East Coast Hockey League game on Friday.

The Renegades, the only team to beat Roanoke this season, thrilled an opening-night crowd of 9,209 with a four-goal, second-period explosion on Roanoke goalie Mike Parson.

A game of weird bounces continuously favored the Renegades, with three goals coming in very unorthodox fashion.

The Renegades surged to a 2-0 first intermission lead on goals by Mallett and Scott Gruhl, with Mallett's coming on a rebound of a botched two-on-two rush.

After Roanoke's Jason Clarke pushed in his league-leading fifth goal early in the second, Richmond's Mike Burman responded with a blue-line bomb for a 3-1 lead.

Jeff Jestadt ended an 0-for-14 power play drought against Richmond by sliding in a backhand with Richmond goalie Grant Sjerven out of position at 13:05 of the second period.

Richmond's generous ways continued, as Mallett slapped home an errant bounce after Express defender Mike Smith blocked Greg Hadden's right wing blast.

Mike Taylor scored :59 seconds later, after a Richmond dump-in caromed wildly off the end boards behind Parson. Taylor nudged in his first goal of the season with Parson behind the net.

Senn padded the lead to four by converting a two-on-one with Dmitri Pankov at 17:48.

Defenseman Lou Body and winger Todd Sparks added third-period tallies for the Renegades.

Richmond (2-0) plays host to South Carolina tonight.

Mallett opened the scoring for Richmond late in the first period. Daren Wetherill's long right wing feed resulted in a two-on-two with Mallett and Greg Hadden. Mallett's centering feed for Hadden hit an Express defender's skate, popped right back to Mallett and beat a surprised Parson through the skates at 15:54.

After a roughing minor on Clarke, Gruhl one-timed a behind-the-net centering feed from Brendan Flynn at 16:57 for a 2-0 lead.

ICE CHIPS: The Express plays host to the Hampton Roads Admirals tonight at the Roanoke Civic Center at 7:30 ... The first 700 fans 12 and older, plus 300 fans throughout the game will receive a 32-ounce sports bottle ... Scratched from the Express lineup were defenseman Nick Jones and forward Chris Potter.

see microfilm for box score

by CNB