
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, October 22, 1993                   TAG: 9310220028
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B7   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

EXPRESS' RUSSIAN LINE LOSES BERDICHEVSKY

Right wing Lev Berdichevsky, one of the Roanoke Express' three highly touted Russian players, may be sidelined for as long as two weeks with a deep thigh bruise suffered in Tuesday's East Coast Hockey League opener against the South Carolina Stingrays.

Berdichevsky definitely will miss tonight's home game against Richmond and Saturday's road game at South Carolina, Express coach Frank Anzalone said Thursday.

"Lev is doing much better, but I think we're looking at at least two weeks," Anzalone said. "If it's more than that, we'll be looking at putting him on the 30-day injured reserve list."

Berdichevsky, 27, was injured during his third shift on the ice and didn't return to Roanoke's 5-4 overtime victory over South Carolina.

"What made the injury so bad was that he had been hit in the exact same spot only five days earlier," Anzalone said.

Jeff Jestadt, who didn't suit up for the opener, will replace Berdichevsky in the lineup, Anzalone said.

The loss of Berdichevsky leaves the Express with 16 players, two fewer than the ECHL's 18-man roster limit. Anzalone still is looking for a sixth defenseman to fill one spot.

"I want a fair-sized defenseman who can defend his own turf," Anzalone said. "Everybody let go so far around the league was more offensive-minded defensemen, which is good, but I have something in mind and haven't been able to find what I want. I would have definitely used my choice by now if somebody had been available, but nobody has, say, overwhelmed me."

Anzalone holds out hope that Will Averill, Roanoke's second pick in the June expansion draft, will report. Averill, who played in Richmond last season, was a recent cut by Portland, Maine (American Hockey League).

"I talked to Will's father and his agent [Wednesday]," Anzalone said. "His father told me that the realization is setting in that he needs to start playing again. He told me that I could be hearing from Will in a couple of days. Well, he was supposed to come here last Saturday."

\ ICE CHIPS: The ECHL owners have voted not to allow teams to dress 17 players for a game, a move that peeved Anzalone. "I think it hurts us from a flexibility standpoint," he said. "I would like three lines, six defensemen and two goalies. Sixteen is a little too little, I think." . . . Richmond, led by former Roanoke Valley Rebels coach Roy Sommer, got shelled 10-4 in its opener at Hampton Roads on Tuesday. That game featured 212 minutes in penalties, 144 against Hampton Roads. The Admirals were 7-for-7 on the power play in the rout. . . . The expansion Charlotte Checkers drew 6,800 for their home opener Wednesday, a 4-3 victory over South Carolina.

by CNB