ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, February 26, 1996 TAG: 9602270050
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-5 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: ERIE, PA.
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
DANIEL BERTHIAUME suffers his first shootout loss of the season.
Glen Stewart scored two goals, including the game-winner in a shootout, as the Erie Panthers defeated the Roanoke Express 3-2 in an overtime shootout in an East Coast Hockey League game Sunday evening.
Stewart beat Express goaltender Daniel Berthiaume with a backhand through the pads on Erie's fourth shot, the only goal in nine combined shootout attempts for either team. It was the first shootout loss of the season for Berthiaume, who had won his first nine.
The loss was the third in as many days for the Express, all three on the road.
Stewart opened the scoring with a shorthanded goal in the first period. Just nine seconds after Eric Germain went off for holding, Stewart raced down the left wing on a breakaway, drew Berthiaume out of the net, and tucked his 36th goal of the season just under the crossbar at 1:52.
Roanoke tied the score on its second power-play opportunity, as Craig Herr held in a clearing attempt, drove down low, and found Michael Smith cruising through the slot. Smith one-timed Herr's feed for his sixth goal of the season at 5:04 to tie the score at 1.
Erie regained the lead on a soft left-wing shot by defenseman Brad Toporowski that trickled through the screened Berthiaume at 5:04 for a 2-1 Panthers lead.
Ilya Dubkov scored by one-timing a Jeff Jablonski feed over goalie Olie Sundstrom's glove at 9:50 to round out the scoring. It was his first non-shootout goal on the road in 29 games.
With the win, Erie (22-30-4) inches to within one point of Birmingham for the ECHL's final wild-card spot in the playoffs. Roanoke (31-24-3) climbed into a virtual fourth-place tie with idle Hampton Roads, with the Express owning one game in hand.
ICE CHIPS: Express RW Jason Clarke was scratched with a shoulder injury. road swing continues in Richmond on Wednesday.
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
LENGTH: Short : 47 linesby CNB