Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, November 4, 1995 TAG: 9511070011
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RALPH BERRIER JR. STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The Raleigh IceCaps hadn't won a game this season, but the Roanoke Express looked like it had never played the game before.
The IceCaps ripped the Express 5-2 Friday night in the Roanoke Civic Center for its first East Coast Hockey League victory in eight games.
Raleigh (1-6-1) may have been winless, but Roanoke (5-5) was clueless. The Express never led and inflicted itself with several wounds by committing several flubs and cough-ups in its own zone. Those, combined with some opportunistic play on the part of the IceCaps, led to the Express derailment.
And if coach Frank Anzalone has his way, some guys may have lost their Express ticket.
``Right now I am very tired of some guys who play [well] for one or two games and tease me,'' said Anzalone. ``I am fed up with some people on our hockey club. If I get permission from our board of governors, I will get rid of some people right now. ... There were a number of guys who shouldn't of come to the rink tonight. They should have stayed home with their wives and girlfriends.''
More than a few members of the 6,030 fans probably felt the same way. Even though Roanoke's Ilya Dubkov scored two power-play goals, Roanoke's first man-advantage tallies in two weeks, there was little else to get excited about.
Roanoke will get another crack at the IceCaps tonight when it travels to Raleigh.
Express goalie Mike Parson lost his fourth straight start, but he didn't lose it by himself.
``From the goalie on out, things were not workable,'' said Anzalone.
Raleigh scored the first two goals and never looked back. The first came when the Express lost the puck to Raleigh's Howie Rosenblatt, starting a two-on-none breakaway. Jeff Gabriel took a feed from Lyle Wildgoose and beat Parson high at the 12:12 mark of the first period.
Jay Neal made it 2-0 at the 8:04 mark of the second with a low wrist shot.
Dubkov brought the Express within a goal twice. He deposited a backhand by goalie Chad Lang to make it 2-1 midway through the second and break an 0-for-15 power-play streak for the Express.
Curt Regnier scored the first of his two goals late in the second to make it 3-1. Dubkov scored another power-play goal early in the third to make it 3-2 but that was it for the Express.
Regnier put it away with a wraparound and Spencer Meany added an empty-netter with 2:12 left.
All that remained was Anzalone's tirade.
``This is a hockey team that won't stay together much longer,'' he said. ``They did not play with pride and I apologize for that. I may just play with 14 guys. That sums it up.''
It was the first pro win for Lang, a former draft choice of the Dallas Stars who made 25 saves. It was also the first win for coach Kurt Kleinendorst since returning to Raleigh from a stint in the IHL.
``I kept kidding and saying we were the best 0-3-1 hockey team,'' he said. ``Then we were the best 0-4-1 team, then 0-5, then 0-6. ... Tonight, we did the little things. It was a huge, huge win, obviously.''
ICE CHIPS: ECHL commissioner Pat Kelly handed Wheeling's Brock Woods a three-game suspension Friday for high-sticking Roanoke's Brian Gallentine last Sunday, a play that severely injured the right eye of the Express rookie left winger (Due to incorrect information, it was originally reported that the injury was to his left eye). Gallentine, who has returned to his native Michigan for further tests, was placed on the 60-day injured reserve list, retroactive to Oct.31. ... Defenseman Paul Croteau, who was playing his first game for the Express after being acquired from Raleigh in a trade, left the game after injuring his shoulder in a first-period pileup behind the IceCaps goal. ... The civic center will be open for public skating on Sunday from 1-3 p.m. Admission is $4, skate rental $2.
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
by CNB