ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, December 10, 1995 TAG: 9601020162
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C12 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: Hockey
SOURCE: RALPH BERRIER JR.
When Jeff Jablonski ripped the November page off his 1995 calendar, he probably put a match to that sucker.
That might explain why Jablonski has been melting the ice recently. The veteran left wing for the Roanoke Express has been on fire, scoring seven goals in four games to send memories of a horrible slump drifting away like chimney smoke.
Jablonski had a hat trick and an assist in Roanoke's 11-3 pummeling of Wheeling on Tuesday. That was a game in which several players poured it on, but Jablonski had shown signs he was ending a scoring slump that lasted most of November.
Only college boys with Sports Illustrated swimsuit calendars were happier to watch the calendar flip because Jablonski had only three goals and one assist in 12 November games.
``I had hit rock bottom,'' said Jablonski, who had a team-leading 14 goals heading into the weekend. "I had to wake up and realize the things I wasn't doing. I lost confidence.''
After the Express lost to Toledo 6-3 on Nov. 28 Jablonski and Express coach Frank Anzalone had a closed-door meeting. Jablonski exited the meeting and immediately went on a goal-scoring binge.
''Jeff's adjusted his game," Anzalone said. ''He was out of sync. He was having trouble taking body checks. He was having trouble handling the puck. We talked. He adjusted things himself."
Jablonski's twin brother, Pat, also had a good week. The day the NHL's Montreal Canadians made their blockbuster trade of Patrick Roy to the Colorado Avalanche, Pat Jablonski started in goal for the Canadians and made 26 saves in a 4-2 victory over defending Stanley Cup champion New Jersey.
NO BLOOD: Early last week there was talk the Roanoke-Wheeling game would be a bloodbath because of the hard feelings over the incident on Oct. 29 In which Wheeling's Brock Woods struck Express rookie Brian Gallentine in the right eye with a high stick.
Gallentine has not played since then and he still is without much of the sight in the injured eye. The word on the street was the Express would retaliate against Woods when the Thunderbirds came to Roanoke.
It never happened.
According to the Roanoke players, retaliatory measures weren't considered at all.
"We never talked about any of that," said Express captain Dave Stewart, who played three years of junior hockey with Woods. "That was never going to happen. I don't know where [the talk] was coming from-maybe from fans-but it wasn't from us.
"I've known Brock Woods and played with him. I don't think anyone on this team really thinks [the high-sticking against Gallentine] was intentional. I don't think he did it on purpose. Woods even went and visited Brian in the hospital. I know he feels bad about it."
Coincidentally, Woods was a prominent participant in an ugly third-period fight involving several players from both teams. Even though Woods was given a match penalty for going after Roanoke's Louis-Phillipe Charbonneau, who was being restrained at the time, the fight started when Roanoke's Jason Clarke and Wheeling's Tony Prpic tangled in front of the team benches.
Anzalone yelled at Woods during the melee because of his attack on Charbonneau, and the Gallentine incident obviously weighed on the Roanoke coach's mind.
"I'm not saying he hurt Brian intentionally Anzalone said. "Not at all. But when he sucker-punched [Charbonneau] like that, it kind of hurts the idea that the [high-sticking against Gallentine] was unintentional."
MINOR GATES: According to a survey in the Dec. 8 issue of The Hockey News, Roanoke is one of only 14 teams in the top four minor leagues (East Coast, International, American and Colonial) that is seeing increased attendance this season.
Through Nov. 21, the Express was averaging 6,098 fans per game, ranking 20th among 73 minor-league teams in average attendance. That's an increase of more than 500 fans from last season's franchise-record average of 5,598.
Of the 17 ECHL teams that played last season (there are four new franchises this season), 12 are down in attendance. Richmond, Columbus. South Carolina, Nashville and Roanoke are the only teams ahead of last season's pace.
The comparison of attendance figures is a bit misleading, however, because this season's numbers are being compared to last season's year-end totals. ECHL teams usually draw their biggest crowds from January through March, so this season's year-end figures may be comparable to last season's totals.
Still some minor-league officials are concerned about the early decline in attendance. especially in the IHL, where some teams figure to lose $1 million to $2.9 million this season. The Minnesota Moose, Roanoke's IHL affiliate, may lose $2 million this season, according to The Hockey News.
The Moose has received approval from the IHL to move to Winnipeg, Manitoba. next season, where it will replace the NHL's Jets if they complete their proposed move to Phoenix.
AROUND THE ECHL: Richmond coach Roy Sommer was suspended for one game for verbally abusing referee Derek Woodworth following the Renegades' 5-4 shootout loss in Roanoke on Dec. 2. Sommer yelled at Woodworth on the way to the dressing room and continued after the official was in the dressing room. Richmond center Mike Taylor also received a one-game suspension for running into and screaming at Woodworth late in the game. Sommer and Taylor felt an interference penalty should have been called against Roanoke when the Express scored the tying goal late in the third period....
Hampton Roads forward Rod Taylor received an eight-game suspension for shooting the puck in the direction of referee Paul Mariconda during a game against the Express on Nov. 22 in Norfolk. ... Defenseman Alexei Krivchenkov called up from Hampton Roads by Cleveland of the IHL last week, apparently won't be coming back. The NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins, who have Krivchenkov under contract, were so impressed with his play in Norfolk they want him to stay with Cleveland. He had a league-best plus-minus of plus-15 when he left Norfolk.... Tallahassee captain John Uniac announced his retirement following a shoulder injury he suffered Nov. 30 against Jacksonville. The Tiger Sharks come to Roanoke on Dec. 17.... The Huntington Blizzard broke a 16-game winless streak with a 4-3 victory over Erie on Dec. 2 ending a streak that tied the ECHL record for futility set by the Roanoke Valley Rampage in 1992-93.
LENGTH: Long : 110 linesby CNB