ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, March 9, 1996 TAG: 9603120040
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RALPH BERRIER JR. STAFF WRITER
ROANOKE'S EIGHT-GAME home winning streak ends in 3-2 shootout loss.
The Charlotte Checkers once again proved to the Roanoke Express that it's not how you start, it's how you finish.
The hottest team in the East Coast Hockey League broke the Express' heart with a 3-2 shootout win Friday night at the Roanoke Civic Center that served as a metaphor for both teams' seasons.
The Express, which began the season strong before a midseason slump dropped it to fifth place in the East Division, skated to a 2-0 lead before 6,515 spectators. But the Checkers (41-16-4), who were buried in last place in the division for a month before running off to a record-breaking season, came back to steal a win.
The loss broke Roanoke's franchise record eight-game home winning streak.
J.F. Aube's goal in the sixth round of the shootout was the game-winner, but Darryl Noren's game-tying power-play goal with just 2:05 left in regulation was huge, as was Shawn Wheeler's goal 39 seconds into the third period that cut Roanoke's lead to 2-1.
The Express has seen this from Charlotte before. On Dec.29, the Checkers rallied for two late goals, then beat the Express in a shootout by the same 3-2 score. Three of Roanoke's four shootout losses have come to the Checkers.
It was a game the Express seemed to control heading into the third period, but Wheeler's 50-foot screened snap shot got by two defenders and surprised Roanoke goalie Daniel Berthiaume, who did not seem to see the puck.
``The first goal killed us,'' a depressed Berthiaume said.
Suddenly, it was a game again.
``It was a soft third period,'' said Express coach Frank Anzalone. ``No hitting. No care. No concern or intensity to do better. It was a total lack of hungriness on our part.''
The only good news for Roanoke (32-26-4) was that it gained a point with the shootout loss, pulling within three points of fourth-place Hampton Roads. The Express is seven points behind third-place South Carolina, which beat Richmond 5-4 on Friday and plays in Roanoke tonight at 7:30.
``We'll try to find something positive in this,'' said Roanoke's Jeff Jestadt, who scored his first goal in 11 games.
The Express was clinging to a 2-1 lead when Roanoke defenseman Dan Murphy was called for cross-checking Darcy Mitani while battling him for the puck with just 2:09 left. It was only the fourth penalty of the game, the third on the Express.
Four seconds into the power play, Noren deflected Phil Berger's shot past Berthiaume to tie it.
``I don't think you can blame the ref [for the penalty],'' said Anzalone, who added that he thought Mitani should have been penalized along with Murphy. ``You have to blame the true losers, and that's the Roanoke Express hockey team. It was a disgrace, shameful.''
Each team got two goals in the first five shootout rounds - Jeff Jablonski and Craig Herr scored for the Express; Mitani and Eric Flinton for Charlotte. After Aube scored in round six, Charlotte goalie Paul Krake turned aside Karry Biette's attempt and gave the Checkers their franchise-record 41st victory.
``The team doesn't quit,'' said Checkers coach John Marks, whose team is suddenly just nine points behind East-leading Richmond. ``We've been a third-period team all year.''
The Express owned the second period. Roanoke hit Krake with a seemingly continuous volley of shots - 14, all told - and scored twice to take a 2-0 lead into the third.
``They had some flurries, but we had some chances, too,'' said Marks. ``During a game, you have lapses or the other team has good shifts. You just have to play through.''
The Express had several odd-man breakaways and finally scored on one when Jestadt corralled his own rebound, took it behind the net, then banged a wraparound that hit Krake's skate and slipped into the net at 5:27.
After several more great chances, including three more missiles from Jestadt that sailed wide, Chris Potter threaded the needle and put an outlet pass on Herr's stick. Herr walked in and slid a backhand wide-side past Krake at 15:03.
``It hurts to lose like this,'' said Jestadt. ``I feel like we played well [for] most of the game, but they scored when they had to.''
ICE CHIPS: Tim Woodburn, who has been the broadcaster in each of the Express' three seasons, will be leaving Roanoke next season to become the play-by-play man for the Lexington (Ky.) ThoroughBlades of the American Hockey League. Lexington, which will be an expansion club next season, hired Woodburn on Wednesday, but won't announce it until next week. ... Express defenseman Dave Stewart was scratched from the lineup with a sore right wrist. It's the first time in two seasons with the Express he has missed a game.
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
LENGTH: Medium: 87 linesby CNB