ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, February 10, 1996 TAG: 9602120082
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-5 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: NORFOLK
SOURCE: RICH RADFORD LANDMARK NEWS SERVICE
Quality beat quantity Friday night as the Roanoke Express downed the Hampton Roads Admirals 3-2 at Scope.
The Express was outshot 38-16, but Karry Biette's goal with 3:05 left improved Roanoke's record against the Admirals this season to 5-2-2.
Biette, acquired a month ago in a two-for-two trade with the Erie Panthers, got free in front of the net and buried a crossing pass from Tim Christian for the game-winner.
``We're trying to get it going and we're better than our record shows,'' Biette said. ``We're not happy with mediocrity.''
But in the tough, six-team East Division of the ECHL, Roanoke's record (27-21-2) translates into fifth place. How Roanoke currently stacks up against the best will be better known tonight as the Express returns to the Roanoke Civic Center to host the East Division-leading Richmond Renegades.
The Express got on the board early when Jason Clarke lifted a crossing pass over the stick of defender Bob Woods and onto the stick of hard-charging, unmarked Jeff Jestadt who poked it home.
One of the few mistakes by goalie Daniel Berthiaume, who stopped 36 shots, came late in the opening period when he failed to successfully clear the puck from behind Roanoke's goal. Hampton Roads' Rod Taylor pinched the puck along the back boards, then beat Berthiaume in a race around the opposite posts, wrapping a backhand shot past Berthiaume as both fell down.
The Express took advantage of a 4-on-4 situation to take the lead again. Mike Smith, trailing a rush down ice, found himself all alone in the left circle and snapped off a quick wrister that eluded goalie Todd Hunter for a 2-1 advantage.
Hampton Roads (25-14-12) once again evened matters, this time on a power play when Taylor scored on a vertical crossing pass from Sergei Voronov before Berthiaume could cover from the opposite post.
But Berthiaume stopped the Admirals' other 20 shots of the final period.
``They had the power plays tonight [5-to-1] and got the rubber going,'' said Roanoke coach Frank Anzalone. ``But they're supposed to, it's their building. Bert just made five really good saves in the third period.''
Berthiaume, who two weeks ago blanked the Admirals in a 1-0 victory in Roanoke, had to weather a 6-on-5 attack for the final 1:43 after Hampton Roads pulled Hunter.
``They were chopping sticks and getting the puck back and dumping it in front of the net,'' Anzalone said. ``But Bert really held up.''
Biette said the 38-16 shot count was a bit misleading because ``they had so many more power plays.
``They were popping off four and five shots a power play,'' Biette said. ``When we were skating 5-on-5 and going back and forth we more than held our own. And Bert stood in there for us again.''
Roanoke 1-1-1-3
Hampton Roads 1-0-1-2
First period- 1, Roanoke, Jestadt 18 (Clarke), 3:34; 2, Hampton Roads, Taylor 27 (Selmser), 18:04. Penalties-Gibson, R (holding the stick), :58; Kostuch, HR (interference), 3:41; Hanley, R (interference), 7:53; Majic, HR (unsportsmanlike conduct), 10:08; Clarke, R (unsportsmanlike conduct), 10:08.
Second period- 3, Roanoke, Smith 4 (Dubkov, Jablonski), 10:03. Penalties-Harmer, R (interference), 2:36; Christian, R (high-sticking), 8:51; Voronov, HR (interference), 8:51; Clarke, R (holding), 13:18; Taylor, HR (roughing), 13:18.
Third period- 4, Hampton Roads, Taylor 28 (Voronov, Woods) ppg, 2:53; 5, Roanoke, Biette 9 (Christian, Clarke), 16:55. Penalties-Murphy, R (hooking), 2:37; Kowalsky, HR (roughing), 13:16; Murphy, R (roughing), 13:16; Stewart, R (hooking), 14:10; Clarke, R (interference), 19:59.
Shots of goal-Roanoke 7-6-3-16; Hampton Roads 7-10-21-38. Goaltending-Roanoke, Berthiaume (16-9-0) 38 shots-36 saves; Hampton Roads, Hunter (5-3-3) 16-13. Power-play opportunities-Roanoke 0-of-1; Hampton Roads 1-of-6. Officials-Tod Anderson (referee), Kevin Kierst, Tim Morris. T-2:36. A-8,090.
LENGTH: Medium: 78 lines KEYWORDS: HOCKEY MICHAEL SMITHby CNB