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

DATE: WEDNESDAY, November 15, 1995                   TAG: 9511150071
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
DATELINE: RALEIGH, N.C.                                LENGTH: Medium

ICECAPS BOTTLE UP EXPRESS 5-2

Jay Neal scored two goals and added an assist as the Raleigh IceCaps defeated the Roanoke Express 5-2 on Tuesday night in an East Coast Hockey League game at Dorton Arena.

After a scoreless first period, Neal broke the ice at the 4:44 mark of the second. Raleigh's Jeff Gabriel won a faceoff deep in the Roanoke zone and drew the puck back to Neal at the right point. The ECHL All-star defenseman ripped a 55-foot slap shot past Express goalie Matt DelGuidice through heavy traffic.

That goal was the first of four in the second period by the IceCaps, the lowest-scoring team in the ECHL (2.67 goals per game) heading into the contest.

Steve Potvin set up three-on-two rushes by Raleigh (3-9-1) less than five minutes apart in the second period. Lyle Wildgoose corralled Potvin's pass in the slot and beat DelGuidice high on the stick side at 8:16 of the period. Potvin then raced into the Roanoke zone, hugging the left-wing boards, and his centering feed was redirected home at the edge of the crease by Bill Lang to make it 3-0.

Exactly one minute later, with the Express' Marty Schriner off the ice for unsportsmanlike conduct, Gabriel tipped in another 55-foot bomb off the stick of Neal for a 4-0 lead.

Roanoke (8-7-0) countered with a power-play goal of its own near the end of the second period, as Dave Holum tapped the rebound of John Larson's left-point drive past Raleigh goalie Brad Mullahy.

Neal put away the game for Raleigh early in the third period with another long drive 16 seconds into an IceCaps power play, with Dave Stewart off for roughing. Raleigh converted on each of its first two power-play opportunities in a total of 31 seconds.

Roanoke's Craig Herr completed the scoring with a breakaway goal midway through the third period. The Express (8-7-0) outshot Raleigh 34-23 in the game, and in addition, hit three goal posts. The IceCaps (3-9-2) won their second straight and evened the season series with Roanoke at 2-2.

Daniel Berthiaume was in goal in the third period for the Express, stopping four of five shots.

NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.

by CNB