ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, December 15, 1996 TAG: 9612160135
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RALPH BERRIER JR. STAFF WRITER
Ilya Dubkov, of all people, got tough when it got rough.
One of the most mild-mannered skaters you'll find in the East Coast Hockey League, the Russian center for the Roanoke Express was forced to defend himself when the Knoxville Cherokees pushed him around. That only seemed to make Dubkov mad as he netted his first hat trick of the season in Roanoke's 6-4 victory over the Cherokees on Saturday night.
A Roanoke Civic Center crowd of 5,401 watched the Express gain an early lead, then witnessed the high-scoring Cherokees try to wrestle it away in the second and third periods. Dubkov even was handed a couple of roughing penalties for what appeared to be no other reason than being on the receiving end of a lot of rough-housing by Knoxville.
The only guy Dubkov really roughed up was Knoxville goalie Trent Cavicchi. Shortly after vacating the penalty box both times, Dubkov lit up Cavicchi like a Christmas tree.
``I didn't care'' about the rough play, Dubkov said. ``I played the same.''
It's a good thing he did, or the short-handed Express could have found itself a few goals shy of a victory. Dubkov's line accounted for four of Roanoke's six goals, with Jeff Jablonski netting the other on a Dubkov assist. Jablonski, who has team highs of 17 goals and 33 points, netted three points on the night.
The victory keeps Roanoke (13-10-3) in the middle of the pack in the tough East Division and it was a victory that came under difficult circumstances. The Express was down to 15 skaters after defenseman Michael Smith was called up by the Saint John Flames of the American Hockey League late Friday. It's unclear if Smith will be away from Roanoke for long.
The Express also was without its second-leading scorer, Jeff Loder, who was finishing a three-game stint with the International Hockey League's Manitoba Moose and will come back to Roanoke today before the Moose decides whether or not to keep him for the rest of the season. Roanoke also is without forward Kyle Millar, who has returned home to Kalamazoo, Mich., after sustaining several injuries during the season's first six weeks.
``Right now, I don't know when or if we're getting any of those guys back,'' said Frank Anzalone, the Express' coach.
At least the Express was rested, having played just once in the past two weeks. Dubkov and Jablonski looked especially sharp.
The two combined on one of the game's most important goals late in the second period with the Express leading 3-2. Jablonski carried the puck into the zone on a near-breakaway before Dubkov swooped in and abused Cavicchi with 17:37 left.
Dubkov struck again 55 seconds into the third with a short-handed slap shot from the left faceoff circle that made it 5-2. Knoxville (11-12-1) later sandwiched goals by Jamie Bird and Martin Tanguay (his came with 14 seconds left) around a score from Roanoke's Tim Christian for the final margin.
``You can't give up late goals like that,'' Anzalone said. ``Anytime you give up that many shots in your own building [Roanoke outshot Knoxville 40-39], it's not a great game. I think you do have to give us credit for beating a Knoxville team that can score a lot of goals. It's never easy against them.''
Despite giving up four goals, Express goalie Dave Gagnon was solid when he had to be, as he made several sprawling saves during Knoxville's four empty power plays.
``He made eight or 10 super saves, and we were very opportunistic to score six goals,'' Anzalone said.
The Express led 2-1 after one period on goals from Jablonski and Dubkov. Jablonski's came 1:15 into the game when he took a drop pass from Dubkov and scored from the point with a shot that Cavicchi clearly saw but couldn't stop.
After Knoxville's Tanguay scored on a rebound to tie it, Dubkov scored a goal so soft it made Jablonski's look like a missile. In fact, Dubkov never really got off a shot - he lost the puck while putting a move on Cherokees defenseman Ron Paleczny, but Cavicchi already had dropped to the ice and the loose puck glanced off his right skate and barely slid across the goal line at 15:59.
Roanoke went up 3-1 in the second on Jeff Cowan's unassisted goal at 1:15. Vaclav Nedomansky made it 3-2 with another rebound goal at 16:27.
ICE CHIPS: Matt O'Dette and Jablonski were named Express players of the month for November by the Roanoke Valley Boosters Club. O'Dette, a 6-foot-5 rookie, was named defensive player of the month and Jablonski earned offensive honors. Cowan also was recognized for his four-goal performance Nov.16. Knoxville left wing Olaf Kjenstad, who refused to report to Roanoke after the Express acquired him from Birmingham in a September trade for Jason Clarke, injured his back during Knoxville's 7-1 loss to Richmond on Friday and did not play against the Express. Jablonski has scored a goal in 12 of his past 15 games, netting 14 during that span.
Knoxville 112-4
Roanoke 222-6
First period-1, Roanoke, Jablonski 17 (Dubkov, Landry), 1:15. 2, Knoxville, Tanguay 5 (Chaput, Nedomansky), 13:09. 3, Roanoke, Dubkov 7 (Stewart, Jablonski), 15:59. Penalties-O'Dette, Ro (delay of game), 4:35; Landry, Ro (unsportsmanlike), 18:01; Soulliere, Kn (unsportsmanlike), 18:01.
Second period-4, Roanoke, Cowan 11, 1:15. 5, Knoxville, Nedomansky 8 (Halifax), 16:27. 6, Roanoke, Dubkov 8 (Jablonski), 17:37. Penalties-Vandenberghe, Kn (roughing), 11:12; Tremblay, Ro (roughing), 11:12; J. Brown, Kn (interference), 11:46; Lipsett, Ro (tripping), 12:33; Nedomansky, Kn (roughing), 13:38; Dubkov, Ro (holding), 13:38; Burnett, Kn minor-misconduct (roughing), 16:55; Landry, Ro (roughing), 16:27; Landry, Ro, double minor (hooking, roughing), 19:11.
Third period-7, Roanoke, Dubkov 9 (Jablonski), :55 (sh). 8, Knoxville, Bird 1 (Soulliere, Moore), 8:30. 9, Roanoke, Christian 6 (Lipsett, Harmer), 10:17. 10, Knoxville, Tanguay 6 (Turek, Reeves), 19:46. Penalties-J.Brown, Kn (roughing), 5:24; Dubkov, Ro (roughing), 5:24; Fess, Kn major (fighting), 6:22; O'Dette, Ro major (fighting), 6:22.
Shots on goal-Knoxville 10-9-20 39. Roanoke 13-15-12 40.
Power-play opportunities-Knoxville 0 of 4. Roanoke 0 of 1.
Goalies-Knoxville, Cavicchi L 0-3-0 (40 shots-34 saves). Roanoke, Gagnon W 12-6-3 (39-35).
Referee-Chris Cozzan. Linesmen-Mark Hamlett, Jack Pederson.
A-5,401.
01.
LENGTH: Long : 114 linesby CNB