Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, January 22, 1995 TAG: 9501260040
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
DATELINE: JOHNSTOWN, PA. LENGTH: Medium
The goals marked the first time in franchise history the Express scored short-handed twice during the same penalty.
Roanoke came out flying in the first period, throwing a barrage of quality shots at Chiefs goalie Aaron Israel.
Yashin broke through at the 4-minute, 40-second mark of the period. After Ilya Dubkov deflected the puck along to Yashin in the left corner, Yashin skated out cleanly into the slot and slid a backhand shot under Israel for his team-leading 21st goal of the season.
After the Express' Jon Larson took a tripping penalty less than three minutes later, Roanoke's league-leading road penalty-killing unit went to work.
Craig Herr swatted down a Jay Ness dump pass from the blue line and fed Laxdal on a breakaway pass up the middle. Laxdal tucked his 19th goal of the season under Israel's belly to make it a 2-0 Express lead.
Eighteen seconds later, Laxdal's pass to Yashin on the right wing turned into a partial breakaway as Johnstown defender Mike Dennis fell and Yashin scored again.
Dubkov then scored a goal of his own, manhandling Chiefs defender Ben Wyzansky along the boards, skating in alone form the left point and snapping a wrist shot to Israel's right.
Johnstown (17-19-4) scored twice in a span of 1:35 late in the second, as Paul MacLean converted a Matt Yingst rebound and Matt Hoffman's wrist shot from 20 feet beat Express goalie Dan Ryder low on the stick side to cut the lead to 4-2 through two periods.
One second after a penalty against Roanoke's Tony Szabo penalty expired early in the third period, Matt Hoffman beat Express goalie Ryder for the second time - this time from the right faceoff circle at 2:37 -
Rob Laurie, who replaced Israel in the Chiefs' goal after the first period, close the door on a clean break by Szabo and Yashin in the third period. Ryder was equally stellar, especially in the third period, stopping Hoffman twice from close range in the game's final five minutes.
Laxdal completed the scoring with an empty-net wrap-around shot with five seconds to play, giving the Express (21-11-6) its ECHL-leading 12th victory on the road.
Johnstown (17-19-4) fell for only the fourth time this season at home.
Roanoke visits the Erie Panthers for a game at 2:30 p.m. today.
\ see microfilm for box score
by CNB