ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, March 13, 1996 TAG: 9603130054
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RALPH BERRIER JR. STAFF WRITER
Since the Roanoke Express was without two of its on-ice policemen, Craig Herr played rent-a-cop in order to keep the peace.
Herr didn't have a goal and didn't register an assist in Roanoke's 4-1 win over the Johnstown Chiefs, but he left his mark on Tuesday's hockey game. When the going was about to get rough for the Express, which was playing without enforcer Jason Clarke and steel-fisted defenseman Dave Stewart, Herr got going.
He fought, tussled and brawled to protect his teammates, who in turn protected the lead.
``That team knew we were without two of our toughest players,'' Herr said. ``Some guys were trying to push us around.''
Johnstown had clobbered the Express 7-2 on Feb.24, so the Chiefs knew they could beat the Express without playing rough. Still, with Clarke serving the first game of a three-game suspension for an incident in Hampton Roads on Sunday and with Stewart out of the lineup for the fourth straight game with a sore right wrist, the Express expected a physical game.
``We talked before the game and I told the guys, `Be ready to rumble,''' said Express coach Frank Anzalone.
Herr was. When former Express defenseman Nick Jones gave former roomate Mike Stacchi a shove in front of the Chiefs' net late in the second period, Herr stepped in and wound up fighting Jason Weinrich.
In the third, with the Express leading 4-1, Herr went after Billy Tibbetts, who applied a vicious cross-check to Dave Holum with 5:23 left. Herr got roughing and unsportsmanlike penalties on the play.
Other than those episodes and a scrap between Roanoke's Ilya Dubkov, a noted non-fighter, and Johnstown's Rick Boyd in the second period, the game was played roughly but cleanly.
``They beat us with their skills the last time,'' said Herr. ``Once we were up 3-1, they tried to push us around a little.''
Thanks to Karry Biette's two goals, the Express tied a franchise record with its 23rd home win of the season. Roanoke (35-26-4), which leap-frogged idle Hampton Roads into the No.4 spot in the East Coast Hockey League's East Division, has not lost in regulation in its past 11 home games (10-0-1).
Biette became the latest Express player to snap out of a scoring slump. The rookie center had not scored a goal in nine games before wristing a shot through the skates of Johnstown goalie Peter Skudra on the power play at 4:46 of the first. In the third, he took a great centering pass from Jeff Jestadt, who was racing down the left side after Tim Christian had stolen the puck, and one-timed a quick shot past Skudra while on the fly.
``It has been very frustrating,'' said Biette, who came to Roanoke from Erie in a January trade. ``Some of the guys have struggled, especially me. I hope this is a sign of better times.''
Roanoke, which squeezed off a season-high 47 shots, went up 2-0 at 15:20 of the first when Chris Potter left a back pass through his legs for Jeff Jablonski, who beat Skudra on the stick side.
Michael Smith made it 3-0 by tipping in Christian's shot with 12:15 left in the second, just 40 seconds before Ted Russell scored a power-play goal for Johnstown (19-37-9).
It was the only one of Johnstown's 33 shots that Roanoke goalie Daniel Berthiaume didn't stop.
Now, the Express has three days off before playing host to Charlotte and Raliegh this weekend. The game with the Checkers could be a playoff preview if the Express holds its current position in the standings.
``From the first day of the season, we knew anybody could get those top four of five spots in the division,'' said Herr. ``Everybody's solid. We are, too.''
ICE CHIPS: Clarke's suspension resulted from a rulebook technicality. Clarke came off the bench during a stoppage in play and lined up for a faceoff. Before the puck was dropped, Clarke fought with Hampton Roads' Aaron Downey, which, technically, was interpreted as coming off the bench to fight, an offense that carries a three-game suspension. Roanoke general manager Pierre Paiement said the team was sending a tape of the incident to ECHL commissioner Pat Kelly in hopes of getting the suspension reduced. ... Sunday's game with Raleigh has been changed to 6 p.m.
Johnstown||-0--1---0-1
Roanoke||-2--1--1-4
First period-1, Roanoke, Biette 11 (Jestadt, Smith), 4:46, (pp); 2, Roanoke, Jablonski 38 (Potter, Dubkov), 15:20. Penalties-Boyd, Jo (holding), 4:24; Weinrich, Jo (interference), 10:03; Harmer, Ro (slashing), 12:51; Harmer, Ro (boarding), 18:23.
Second period-3, Roanoke, Smith 8 (Christian), 7:45; 4, Johnstown, Russell 6 (Parsons, Krayer), 8:25, (pp). Penalties-Hanley, Ro (holding), 8:09; Boyd, Jo (slashing), 12:41; Herr, Ro, major (fighting), 18:49; Weinrich, Jo, major (fighting), 18:49.
Third period-5, Roanoke, Biette 12 (Jestadt, Christian), 10:04. Penalties-Dubkov, Ro (roughing), 3:10; Dubkov, Ro, major (fighting), 3:10; Boyd, Jo (roughing), 3:10; Boyd, Jo, major (fighting), 3:10; Russell, Jo (hooking), 3:35; Savchenkov, Jo (elbowing), 6:04; Christian, Ro (roughing), 16:04; Savchenkov, Jo, double minor (spearing), 10:55; Savchenkov, Jo (misconduct), 10:55; Tibbetts, Jo (cross-checking), 14:37; Herr, Ro (roughing), 14:37; Herr, Ro (unsportsmanlike), 14:37.
Shots on goal-Johnstown 8-15-10 33. Roanoke 17-19-11 47.
Goalies-Johnstown, Skudra L 13-18-3 (47 shots-43 saves). Roanoke, Berthiaume W 21-11-13 (33-32).
Power-play opportunities-Johnstown 1 of 4. Roanoke 1 of 7.
Referee-Ian Walsh. Linesmen-Dana Hall, Mark Hamlett.
A--3,813.
LENGTH: Long : 106 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: ERIC BRADY/Staff. Roanoke's Chris Potter follows hisby CNBshot as Johnstown's Peter Skudra tries to cover it during action in
the second period Tuesday night. The Express defeated the Chiefs
4-1. color.