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

DATE: FRIDAY, October 20, 1995                   TAG: 9510200054
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B-5   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
DATELINE: CHARLOTTE, N.C.                                LENGTH: Short

CLARKE'S HAT TRICK IGNITES EXPRESS 7-5

Jason Clarke recorded his first three-goal hat trick as a professional as the Roanoke Express erased a three-goal deficit to defeat the Charlotte Checkers 7-5 at Independence Arena in an East Coast Hockey League game Wednesday night.

Trailing 5-2 late in the second period, Clarke redirected a Jeff Jestadt centering feed on the power play behind Charlotte netminder Nick Vitucci to cut the lead to 5-3 after two periods.

Early in the third, a bone-crushing hit by Clarke on Checkers defender Dan Murphy squirted the puck free behind the cage and Craig Herr's ensuing top-shelf shot over Vitucci's stick cut the lead to 5-4.

Just over four minutes later, Jeff Jablonski tied the game for the Express by rifling home a brilliant give-and-go feed from Ilya Dubkov behind Vitucci at 7:53 of the third period.

Brian Gallentine gave the Express the lead for good at 10:13. After a Dave Holum steal of a Charlotte clearing attempt, Gallentine walked in on the right wing and whipped his second goal over Vitucci's glove for a 6-5 lead. Clarke, a former Charlotte player, completed his hat trick with a power-play empty-net tally at 19:53.

Tim Christian also scored an unassisted first-period goal for the Express.

Charlotte dominated play in the second period, and scored three goals in a span of 5:22 to break open a 2-2 first-intermission tie.

The Express (2-1-0) recorded its fourth consecutive win in Charlotte over two seasons and handed the winless Checkers their second straight home defeat (0-2-0) in front of the smallest crowd in franchise history, announced at 5,292.

by CNB