Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, December 19, 1993 TAG: 9312190214
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Mill, who had struggled mightily in goal since coming to Roanoke a month ago, finally came up with the big night he's been searching for Saturday, spearheading the Express' 4-3 overtime victory over the Greensboro Monarchs in the East Coast Hockey League.
Mill turned aside 41 of 44 shots as the Express (12-13-0) earned its fourth consecutive comeback victory at the Roanoke Civic Center, winning before a crowd of 4,262.
Oleg Yashin's point-blank rebound of a Lev Berdichevsky drive off the chest of goalie Tom Newman at 2 minutes, 13 seconds of the extra session gave Roanoke its fifth consecutive home victory.
Nobody was happier with the result than Mill, who entered Saturday with an unspectacular 1-1-0 record and a 5.82 goals-against average.
"Face it, I haven't been getting the job done here," Mill said. "But Frank [Anzalone, the Express' coach] and the boys have been real patient and supportive of me.
"I knew this night was just a matter of time. I'm just sorry it took so long for it to happen. Maybe I just got here tonight. It's a big load off my shoulders, no doubt."
No doubt, it was a big victory for Roanoke, which was coming off 10-4 and 7-4 losses the past two nights at Charlotte and Hampton Roads.
"It was big for the club because we didn't want to turn around and lose three in a row after winning four straight," Mill said. "Greensboro is a strong club. Hey, the guys in front of me did most of the work."
The Monarchs (18-6-4) are winless in their past four games, going 0-2-2. The East Division leaders were operating without five of their big guns, Monarchs coach Jeff Brubaker quickly noted.
"We'll take the point on the road," Brubaker said of the overtime loss. "It's not like they [the Express] are threatening our lead or anything.
"We're just a little out of sort right now. We're juggling a lot of lines and a lot of people around until we get some people back."
After Phil Berger scored on a rebound - the second of two goals in the game for the ECHL's leading scorer - Greensboro led 3-2 with 10:23 left.
Roanoke tied it with 8:49 to play, when Ilja Dubkov deflected Will Averill's long blast past Newman.
After Mill forced overtime when he got his glove on Sebastian LaPlante's blast with 45 seconds left in regulation, Roanoke got the only two shots of the five-minute extra period.
Yashin, parked in the left slot, was standing in the right spot when Berdichevsky's drive eluded Newman.
"I got lucky," said Anzalone, who juggled his lines after two losses. "The three Russians had been on the ice together only three times all night until then.
"I'm happy for Jim Mill. He needed a big game. For the club, it's big because we have to win at home. We're not winning on the road, so that's putting a lot of pressure on us to get the job done at home."
Despite playing for the fourth time in five nights, the Express didn't display any signs of weariness early.
Roanoke had 20 shots on goal in the first period and skated off with a 2-1 lead.
Center Roger Larche got Roanoke started before the game was two minute old, taking defenseman's Claude Barthe's long outlet pass at the red line. Larche skated in uncontested and easily beat Newman over the left shoulder.
Greensboro drew even on the power play at 13:38, scoring on defenseman Chris Wolanin's first goal of the season. Mill had no chance to stop Wolanin, who got a point-blank gift when the puck landed on his stick after deflecting off the lumber of Dubkov in the slot.
The Express regained the lead on the power play with two seconds left in the period. Forward Gairin Smith did the honors, jabbing home the rebound of Averill's long drive off Newman's pads.
Mill, who had been peppered for 11 goals in the first periods of his three previous home starts, came up big this time, making at least three major-league saves among Greensboro's 11 shots.
The Monarchs took the upper hand in the second period, outshooting the Express 17-9. Mill managed to hold down the fort until the 18:07 mark, when Berger stuffed home a rebound.
\ ICE CHIPS: Larche's goal was his second in four games with Roanoke and his fourth of the season. Smith's goal was his first in five games with the Express and sixth overall. . . . Berger's goals were his 25th and 26th. He leads the ECHL in scoring with 60 points in 28 games. . . . Tony Szabo and Averill had two assists each. . . . After catching its breath today, the Express swings back into action Monday in Greensboro. Roanoke chugs home to face Hampton Roads on Tuesday before concluding the pre-Christmas schedule Thursday in South Carolina. . . . Beset by injuries and call-ups recently, Greensboro dressed 17 players for the first time this season. Forward Dan Bylsma originally was rescheduled to rejoin the club from Albany (American Hockey League) on Saturday, but instead was reassigned to Cornwall (AHL).
by CNB