ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, January 29, 1997 TAG: 9701290016
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: EXPRESS NOTES
SOURCE: RALPH BERRIER JR. STAFF WRITER
Now that he's established a franchise record with 38 victories during his Roanoke Express career, what's next for goaltender Dave Gagnon?
``I'd like to win about 30 more,'' he said.
Thirty happens to be the number of games the Express has remaining on its schedule this season.
Certainly, Gagnon really doesn't expect to run the table the rest of the way. Does he?
``He goes out there expecting to win,'' said Express coach Frank Anzalone. ``The record's big, sure, but it's almost bigger news when he doesn't win.''
That's what he's been doing in the East Coast Hockey League for years. Gagnon, who played two games for the NHL's Detroit Red Wings during the 1990-91 season, won ECHL championships with Hampton Roads in 1991 and Toledo in 1994 and owns a luminous 22-3-0 record in the ECHL playoffs.
He set the Express career record with a 34-save performance Saturday in a 7-2 rout of Charlotte. While the game did not provide the drama of, say, a 40-save, 1-0 shootout thriller, Gagnon didn't mind.
``I've seen guys break [scoring] records with bad goals, goals that shouldn't have gone in, so I'll take it,'' he said. ``All I want to do is win. I don't think about the individual stuff.''
In addition to the career mark, Gagnon should shatter the Express single-season record for victories. His next win will be his 23rd and will tie the record set by Dan Ryder in 1993-94 and equaled by Daniel Berthiaume last season. With 30 games left, Gagnon (21-10-3) has a chance to have one of the winningest seasons in ECHL history.
The league record for most victories in a season is 38, set by Hampton Roads' Mark Michaud in 1993-94. Next is Nick Vitucci's 35 with Toledo in 1994-95 followed by a trio of goalies with 32.
Now 29 years old and a father of three daughters, Gagnon was invited to return and provide stability and leadership to the Express. After 11/2 seasons with a poor Minnesota Moose squad in the International Hockey League, Gagnon was ready to come back to a team with whom he earned ECHL All-Star honors in 1994-95.
Unlike two years ago, when he repeatedly was called up and reassigned by Minnesota before joining the Moose for good after midseason, Gagnon appears ready to stay in Roanoke for a while. Whether it's just for one season or more is a decision that will come another day.
``I've got a wife [Stephanie] and three kids, so I just live from day-to-day,'' he said. ``I don't like to look too far into the future. If you do, it'll come around and bite you.''
ICE CHIPS: Of all the players who have appeared in at least 65 percent of Roanoke's games, Ilya Dubkov, Jeff Jablonski and Jeff Loder are averaging more than a point per game. Dubkov is averaging 1.88 ppg (49 points in 26 games), Jablonski 1.43 (56 points in 39 games) and Loder 1.11 (29 points in 26 games). Additionally, center Wayne Strachan has 10 points (five goals, five assists) in eight games for a 1.25 average. ... Gagnon made 71 saves on 74 shots in Roanoke's victories over Raleigh and Charlotte last weekend, raising his save percentage to .902 and dropping his goals-against average to 3.27. ... A couple of franchise-record streaks ended recently for the Express. Its six-game road winning streak, which ended Jan.18 at Raleigh, was the longest in the team's 31/2-year history. When it lost three consecutive home games from Dec.29-Jan.14, it marked only the third time an Express team had a three-game home losing streak.
LENGTH: Medium: 66 linesby CNB