ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, April 4, 1996 TAG: 9604040044
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: ANALYSIS
SOURCE: RALPH BERRIER JR. STAFF WRITER
A FIRST-ROUND LOSS to Raleigh in the ECHL playoffs signals the end of an era for Roanoke.
When a defenseman like Dave Stewart has an emotional outburst on the ice, it usually manifests itself with flying fists and bloodied noses.
For Stewart, it was a different emotion that enveloped him as he skated toward the door from the Roanoke Civic Center ice.
Stewart, the strapping, scrapping captain of the Roanoke Express, felt tears stream down his face Tuesday night following Roanoke's elimination from the East Coast Hockey League playoffs. He found it hard to keep it all in when the Express fell 3-2 to the Charlotte Checkers, who swept the Express in three games.
``I only cry once a year,'' said Stewart, referring to his annual sadness at seeing the hockey season end. ``I was kind of choked up skating off the ice.''
There was another reason for Stewart's tear-stained departure. Tuesday night probably was the end of an era for an Express team that has played together for much of the past two seasons.
Roanoke, which began the season with 10 players from the East Division's second-place club in 1994-95, almost certainly will have a different look next season. Many of the team's veterans will not return.
Current ECHL rules allow teams to carry up to four veteran players - three position players and one goalie. The ECHL defines a veteran as a player with three or more years of professional experience, although league owners have agreed in principle to a proposal from the Professional Hockey Players Association to change the veterans definition slightly.
The PHPA proposal would define a veteran player as one who has played at least 200 professional games. Even though a player such as Roanoke's Jason Clarke would not be considered a veteran under that definition, many of Roanoke's older players still would be unlikely to return.
Express coach Frank Anzalone and general manager Pierre Paiement will meet within the next few days to determine the team's personnel needs.
``We know there are some players we would like to keep,'' Paiement said. ``Some of our decisions are subject to change depending on how the recruiting goes this summer. We may end up taking some [veteran] players to training camp before we make any final decisions.''
The Express, which began the season with high hopes before finishing fourth in the East, was winless in its last seven games (including the playoffs) and won only six of its last 20.
It was a definite step backward for a team that had improved in its second season. After being swept by Raleigh in the 1994 playoffs, the Express advanced to the second round last year before losing to eventual Riley Cup champion Richmond.
This team also lacked consistency, despite the fact that many of the players had been together before.
``We had a lot of ups and downs,'' said Express forward Craig Herr. ``Some of the older guys had tough years. I think it was the players' fault, really. We take full responsibility. We'd come to play and hear the home fans boo Coach [Anzalone] ... that was disappointing. It wasn't his fault. For some reason, we never clicked at the same time. Sometimes it's hard to keep 20 guys going in the same direction. There are no excuses.''
Herr most likely will not return to the Express, which is expected to try to re-sign leading scorer Ilya Dubkov (72 points) and leading goal-scorer Jeff Jablonski (39 goals).
Expectations were raised in the preseason, when The Hockey News picked the Express to win the East Division. The truth is the Express never was that good.
Even though the bulk of last season's team returned - including standout goaltender Daniel Berthiaume, who signed in November - it was the player or players who didn't come back that may have made the biggest difference between last season and this season.
The team did not have a sniper, a guy who could score a goal from any place at almost any time. Tony Szabo filled that role nicely for most of two seasons, but he bolted for Europe during the summer. This team needed a Szabo, an Oleg Yashin or a Lev Berdichevsky, guys who had pumped in goals in the past.
Only three teams in the 21-team ECHL scored fewer than Roanoke's 231 goals this season. After outscoring opponents by 32 goals last season, Roanoke was outscored 260-231 in 70 games this season as many of the experienced players had tough years.
Dubkov, the team's all-time leader in points, and Jeff Jestadt, the team's all-time leading goal-scorer, slumped this season. Dubkov's 20 goals and Jestadt's 21 were the lowest totals of their careers.
The team was beset with injuries. Herr played the last half of the season with a serious back injury. Chris Potter, who enjoyed his best season as a pro with 15 goals, injured a wrist and missed the last two playoff games with a broken rib. Stewart and Clarke both missed games with injuries.
This team also could have used Brian Gallentine, the speedy rookie center who suffered a career-ending eye injury when he was struck with a stick in Wheeling, W.Va., in the eighth game of the season. Gallentine appeared to be the best of the rookie crop before his injury. After that, Tim Christian emerged as the top rookie, with 24 goals and a spot in the ECHL All-Star Game.
Most, if not all of the rookies - forwards Christian, Dave Holum, Karry Biette and Mike Stacchi and defensemen Tim Hanley and Duane Harmer - should be back in training camp in the fall.
Berthiaume says he wants to re-sign with the Express, meaning goalie Matt DelGuidice probably will not elect to return. If the Express re-signs Berthiaume, Dubkov and Jablonski, there will be only one spot open for a veteran player.
Stewart and Herr, both of whom reported to the Express just a few days before training camp, may be considering retirement. Two-time ECHL All-Star defenseman Michael Smith has said he will not return to Roanoke. Clarke, the popular on-ice enforcer who scored 20 goals this season, probably has played his last game in an Express jersey.
Jestadt has said he would like to return. Potter, Wade Gibson, Dan Murphy and Chris Tschupp are questionable.
Get ready for the Roanoke Express youth movement next year.
``We said we were going to have a young team this year,'' Paiement said. ``Then, we got some of the old guys back who we didn't feel we could turn down. Next year, we could have a pretty young team.''
LENGTH: Long : 119 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: WAYNE DEEL/Staff. Roanoke's Jeff Jablonski (right)by CNBprotects the puck from Charlotte's Kevan Rappana on Tuesday at the
Roanoke Civic Center. The Express' season ended with a 3-2 loss to
the Checkers. color.