Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, February 12, 1994 TAG: 9402120203
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The Raleigh IceCaps fled the Roanoke Civic Center late Friday night before they had a chance to be booked for grand larceny.
"Hey, the cops are coming, because someone stole something here tonight!" hollered Raleigh center Jimmy Powers.
No doubt.
In a finish that left the Roanoke Express and many in the crowd of 4,111 ashen-faced, the IceCaps pulled one of the biggest heists in East Coast Hockey League history, scoring four times in 6 minutes, 5 seconds to steal a 5-4 overtime victory.
After scoring three times in the final 5:15 of regulation to wipe out what appeared to be an insurmountable 4-1 Roanoke lead, Raleigh won it 50 seconds into overtime on Eric Roberts' uncontested 10-foot wrist shot from the slot.
"There's only word to describe it and that word is `unbelievable,' " said Kurt Kleinendorst, Raleigh's coach. "We came back from the dead. I like my team a lot, but I wouldn't have bet $1 on our chances with five minutes left."
Neither would anybody else. Roanoke (27-21-3) had been 11-0-0 at home when leading after two periods at home and 19-0-1 overall in such setups this season. It was money in the bank for Roanoke before Raleigh (29-16-7) pulled its version of the Brinks Robbery.
"We gave it away," said Express forward Jeff Jestadt, whose first hat trick as a pro wasted. "We panicked. That's what happened. We usually get stronger as the game goes on, but they put the pressure on us and we felt it. That's very uncharacteristic for this team."
Frank Anzalone, usually one of the most talkative coaches around, was so shaken by the loss that he referred all questions to his Roanoke players.
His club's late collapse did the talking, however.
Dominating and seemingly cruising with a 4-1 lead, the Express stood around and watched the IceCaps rip it off.
After Karl Johnston's goal made it 4-2 with 5:15 left in regulation, the Express gave up the killer goal with 3:01 left - a short-handed breakaway by Jeff Jablonski, the ECHL-high 17th short-hander yielded by Roanoke this season.
After pulling goalie Chad Erickson for an extra attacker with 1:19 left, the IceCaps tied it 41 seconds later when Johnston beat goalie Paul Cohen from 15 feet through a screen.
It didn't take long to settle it in overtime. The puck went into the Roanoke end immediately. Jablonski picked it up at the left circle, fed the puck to wide-open Roberts, who beat Cohen.
\ ICE CHIPS: In an unexpected move, Anzalone activated center Roger Larche instead of left wing Dave "Moose" Morissette for the game. Anzalone said Larche has recovered much quicker than Morissette has from knee surgery. . . . As of Friday night, the Express had sold 7,080 tickets for tonight's "Fill It Up Night" contest with Louisville as the Express attempts to break Roanoke hockey's single-game attendance mark of 8,159, set by the Roanoke Valley Rebels on April 13, 1973.
by CNB