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

DATE: WEDNESDAY, November 1, 1995                   TAG: 9511010082
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
DATELINE: ERIE, PA.                                LENGTH: Medium

EXPRESS DERAILS ERIE 4-1

Jason Clarke continued his torrid scoring ways with a goal and an assist, and Matt DelGuidice stopped 29 of 30 shots as the Roanoke Express defeated the Erie Panthers 4-1 in an East Coast Hockey League game on Tuesday night.

Clarke, who had several quality scoring chances, rifled home his team-leading seventh goal of the season on a give-and-go feed from Marty Schriner at 9:28 of the first period, which proved to be the game-winner.

The Express outshot the Panthers 22-6 in the first period. Craig Herr opened the scoring early. With a sixth attacker on the ice due to a delayed penalty on Erie, Herr converted a centering feed from Ilya Dubkov through the legs of Erie goaltender Peter Skudra at 5:39 for a 1-0 lead.

Erie scored its only goal with the team skating at 4-on-4 late in the second period. Chris Johnston tucked Kerry Biette's left-wing centering pass just inside the left post with :48 remaining in the period to cut the Express' lead to 2-1 after two periods.

Roanoke, which also led 2-1 after two periods in each of the past two games against Huntington and Wheeling, was able to hold on this time.

Jeff Jestadt rekindled the Express two-goal lead early in the third, corralling a Clarke drop pass and sniping a 30-footer through Skudra's legs 40 seconds into the third period.

Jeff Jablonski added an empty-net goal with :30 remaining for the final tally.

The Express (5-4-0) finished the four-game road trip at 2-2 and takes on Raleigh at the Roanoke Civic Center on Friday at 7:30 p.m.

ICE CHIPS: DelGuidice improved to 4-0-0 ... The Express power play went 0-for-5 Tuesday and finished the road trip at 0-for-13. ... Express winger Tim Christian was scratched Tuesday.

NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.

by CNB