Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, October 30, 1993 TAG: 9310300171
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Staff report
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
The Renegades, pushed around in a 6-4 loss at the Roanoke Civic Center last week, got even Friday night, ripping the Roanoke Express 7-3 in their East Coast Hockey League home opener at Richmond Coliseum.
The victory, witnessed by a crowd of 6,171, was Richmond's first of the season against three losses. Roanoke fell to 3-2.
Darren Colbourne's hat trick led the Richmond rout. Colbourne now has an ECHL-leading eight goals in four games.
The Renegades, who had been outscored 13-1 in the first periods of their previous three starts, jumped on top 1-0 on Mark Kuntz's rebound past Express goalie Dan Ryder at 17:39 of the first period.
The Richmond lead lasted only 11 seconds as Roanoke's Lev Berdichevsky did a 360-spin move around Richmond's Alan Schuler and then beat Renegades goalie Jon Gustafson with a 10-foot wrist shot.
Schuler put Richmond on top for good with 30 seconds left in the period, beating Ryder on a bad-angle shot on a two-on-one breakaway.
Before the period ended, Ryder, obviously taking exception to a shove from Richmond's Colin Gregor, chased the left wing down from behind and the two players fought at center ice. In a separate altercation, Roanoke defenseman Chris Potter and Richmond's Roger Larche dropped the gloves and fought. All four players received game misconduct penalties. Ryder also collected a match penalty when he tripped linesman John Horan.
Colbourne scored twice and Guy Phillips added a goal as Richmond increased its lead to 5-1 lead after two periods.
Colbourne and Grant Chorney tacked on Richmond's final goals in the third period. Conrade Thomas and Berdichevsky scored for Roanoke in the third.
\ ICE CHIPS: Berdichevsky's two goals were his first of the season. The Russian showed no ill effects from a deep thigh bruise that had sidelined him for nearly three games. . . . Due to the match penalty, which includes an automatic one-game suspension, Ryder will have to sit out tonight's road-trip finale in Hampton Roads, leaving the Express with only Schoen to work the net. . . . Tony Szabo assist on Thomas' goal was his 10th, tying him for the ECHL lead with Greensboro's Dan Gravelle. . . . The three goals allowed was Richmond's best defensive showing of the young season. Before Friday, Richmond had yielded 23 goals in three games. . . . Chorney, best known for his ECHL-record 442 penalty minutes in Knoxville last season, scored for the first time in 50 games. . . . The Express returns home Tuesday to face Erie.
by CNB