ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, March 12, 1996 TAG: 9603120115
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By RALPH BERRIER JR. STAFF WRITER
TWELVE GOALS in two games is just what Roanoke needed to break out of its scoring slump.
So, is this Roanoke Express scoring surge a brief breakout or a breakthrough?
The Express, which was in a scoring slump for most of two months, has scored six goals in back-to-back games heading into tonight's game against the Johnstown Chiefs.
Following a 6-4 win over South Carolina on Friday and Sunday's 6-3 victory over Hampton Roads, the Express is coming off its best two successive scoring outputs in four months, when it beat Raleigh and South Carolina by 6-3 scores on Nov.4 and 7, respectively.
``The same plays we've been running in the past that have produced only shots or shots that hit the posts were finding the net,'' Express coach Frank Anzalone said. ``The guys made some nice plays, they really did.''
The numbers are beginning to add up for the Express. The 12 goals Roanoke scored in its past two games surpassed the total of its previous six games combined. From Dec.30 until Saturday night, the Express had not scored more than four goals in a game. On Sunday, it scored four goals in the second period.
``I think we're finally getting some breaks,'' Express forward Jeff Jestadt said. ``I don't exactly know what it is. Whatever it is, we're not complaining.''
Several struggling players appear to be playing out of slumps. Jestadt, who had gone 11 straight games without a goal, scored twice in three games over the weekend. All-Star Tim Christian hadn't scored a goal in 19 straight games before netting two against Hampton Roads.
``The thing with the guys is they need to [continue to produce] over the course of five or six games,'' Anzalone said. ``Doing that would make a lot of guys feel better about themselves. The key thing is to keep it going.''
Jestadt was so elated to break his scoring drought with a goal against Charlotte on Friday, he danced and flailed on the ice as if he had discovered a scorpion in his trousers.
``That's the way I used to score 'em,'' he said. ``I just hope more are on the way.''
Just as spectacular was Chris Potter's end-to-end goal against Hampton Roads. Potter, who has scored a goal in consecutive games for the first time since Jan.3-5, left teammates shaking their heads after he raced across all three lines, lifted the puck between two defenders as he hurdled over their sticks like Edwin Moses striding over a high hurdle, then beat goalie Corwin Saurdiff to make it 5-0.
``Some of the guys said it was a nice goal,'' Potter said modestly. ``I think it surprised them. Things like that haven't happened that much to me.''
STEWART'S STATUS: Team captain Dave Stewart probably will return tonight from a wrist injury. Stewart, a defenseman whose right hand was swollen for several days after a slash, had played in 129 consecutive games before missing three straight games.
``It's pretty much for sure I'll be back,'' Stewart said. ``I can't stand sitting out.''
Potter, a former defenseman converted to right wing, shifted back to defense to fill in for Stewart although he has played several shifts at wing in the past three games.
ICE CHIPS: Ilya Dubkov has scored a point in 15 of the past 19 games. ... Roanoke's 22 home victories are fifth-most in the league. ... Former Express goalie Mike Parson, who was traded to the Chiefs after Roanoke signed Daniel Berthiaume, left Johnstown after a dispute with coach Nick Fotiu and was suspended.
LENGTH: Medium: 69 linesby CNB