THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, February 10, 1996 TAG: 9602100420
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 64 lines
The Hampton Roads Admirals' string of frustration and futility grew Friday night as the Roanoke Express posted a 3-2 victory at Scope.
Despite outshooting the Express 38-16, the Admirals came out on the short end for the seventh time in eight games and have lost four of their last five at home.
Hampton Roads (25-14-12) heads for Nashville tonight and Birmingham Sunday before returning to Scope for a Valentine's Day date with Charlotte.
Headed for what looked like a shootout Friday, Roanoke's Karry Biette put a kink in those plans when he scored on a crossing pass from Tim Christian with 3:05 remaining. The Admirals pulled goalie Todd Hunter with 1:43 remaining, but a handful of saves by Roanoke goalie Daniel Berthiaume negated the 6-on-5 advantage.
It also spoiled a fine performance by Rod Taylor, who had two goals to up his season total to 28. And Taylor was a very unhappy camper afterward.
``We can't keep making the mistakes we keep making in the defensive zone,'' Taylor said. ``We made 'em, though, and they capitalized on them. Turnovers and bad, stupid mistakes on defense are killing us.''
Biette, acquired a month ago in a 2-for-2 trade with the Erie Panthers, concurred with Taylor's assessment.
``The defender I went into the corner with didn't jump back into the play,'' Biette said. ``So I was just standing there. It was a tape-to-tape goal, but they're easier when nobody's on you.''
Berthiaume had to stop 21 shots in the third period while the Express attempted only three. And as for the game-winner, Hunter was upset with himself for not being more active.
``I should have taken away everything on the ice,'' Hunter said. ``A little bit more goaltending might have made a difference.
``The players should take this as a positive. We played a good game and had the puck in their end for 45 minutes.''
The Admirals started somewhat sluggishly and the Express got on the board early when Jason Clarke lifted a crossing pass over the stick of defender Bob Woods and onto the stick of hard-charging and unmarked Jeff Jestadt, who poked it home.
Hampton Roads evened matters late in the first when Taylor intercepted a clearing pass by Berthiaume, then wrapped a backhand shot past Berthiaume as both fell on their bellies scrambling around the goal from opposite sides.
Roanoke regained the lead at 2-1 when Mike Smith, trailing a rush down ice, snapped off a shot from the left circle that eluded Admirals goalie Todd Hunter on a 4-on-4.
Taylor evened matters again early in the third, one-timing a vertical crossing pass from Sergei Voronov before Berthiaume could go pipe-to-pipe.
But that was the only power-play goal Berthiaume would give up.
``Roanoke's not pretty or extremely talented, but they're winning,'' said Admirals forward Rick Kowalsky. ``They played a boring, simple game and tonight it worked.'' ILLUSTRATION: Graphic
Boxscore
Standings
For copy, see microfilm
by CNB