ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, March 20, 1996 TAG: 9603200087
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: NEWS OBIT
SOURCE: RALPH BERRIER JR. STAFF WRITER
The days when going into a shootout meant instant victory for the Roanoke Express apparently have passed, although the team's playoff spot wasn't shot out from under it.
The Express finished on the short end of a 4-3 shootout loss to the South Carolina Stingrays Tuesday night in the home finale at the Roanoke Civic Center, but the point it earned merely by advancing to a shootout may loom large heading into the final weekend.
Despite playing without center Ilya Dubkov and defenseman Dave Stewart and despite losing for the fifth time in its past six shootouts - after winning its first nine - Roanoke (36-27-5) strengthened its hold on fourth place in the East Coast Hockey League's East Division. The Express leads fifth-place Hampton Roads by two points (77-75).
A win at either Charlotte or Raleigh this weekend means the Express can do no worse than finish tied with the Admirals. Roanoke would win the tiebreaker for the No.4 spot because it has more victories than Hampton Roads (36-31) and would play Charlotte in the playoffs while the Admirals would get Richmond.
``We need two points, basically,'' said Roanoke's Jeff Jestadt. ``We're looking just to win at least one of these games.''
Jestadt probably thought the Express had this one in the win column after Roanoke rallied from a 2-0 deficit to score three straight goals. His goal with 12:52 left gave Roanoke a 3-2 lead.
The lead lasted 28 seconds. With 12:24 remaining, Marc Tardif scored from just inside the right circle after Roanoke goalie Daniel Berthiaume made a save and several players got tangled to the left, leaving Tardif open.
``One of the cardinal rules in hockey is to hold [the other team] after you score a goal,'' Jestadt said. ``I honestly thought we were going to win. That [Stingrays goal] was a big letdown.''
The Stingrays won the shootout 2-0, as goalie Sean Gauthier stopped the only four shooters he had to see. South Carolina's Mike Ross and Trevor Gallant scored in the first two rounds against Berthiaume, with Ross' goal standing as the game-winner.
``We're in the spot we want to be in,'' said South Carolina coach Rick Vaive, whose team clinched third place in the East and opens the playoffs against a non-divisional foe. ``We've had players called up, injured ... [but] we're where we want to be.''
Gauthier, a former member of the Canadian Olympic Team who has started 46 of 48 games with the Stingrays, registered 39 saves.
``Sean Gauthier reminds me of [New Jersey Devils goalie] Martin Brodeur,'' said Express coach Frank Anzalone. ``He's big, he's strong. If they lose [in the playoffs], it won't be because of him.''
It appeared the Express had wasted a chance to take control following a dreadful first period in which five power plays resulted in no goals and eight shots. Roanoke had three separate 5-on-3 situations covering 2 minutes, 17 seconds, but couldn't score.
Without Stewart, who was suspended for one game after getting his third game misconduct of the season, and Dubkov, who was injured Sunday against Raleigh when he took a slapshot to his right foot, the Express was missing two power-play leaders. Dubkov had played in all 203 games in franchise history before Tuesday.
South Carolina (38-22-7) led 2-0 after a power-play goal from Tardif and Trevor Gallant's tough-angle shot from along the goal line.
The Express broke the ice on the power play to tie it. Tim Christian re-directed Dan Murphy's shot past Gauthier at 8:58, then, at 12:23, Stacchi's flying, tape-to-tape pass to Jeff Jablonski on the doorstep resulted in Jablonski's 39th goal of the season and a 2-2 score.
ICE CHIPS: A moment of silence was observed before the game in memory of Elysia Pefley, the 11-year old girl from Detroit who gained attention in Roanoke last year when the Roanoke Valley Hockey Boosters brought her to visit Craig Herr, her favorite player. Elysia had met Herr when he and his teammates on the Colonial Hockey League's Detroit Falcons visited a Detroit children's hospital in 1993. Elysia came to Roanoke on March 11, 1995, and saw Herr score a goal in a victory over Hampton Roads. Elysia died Monday at her home. ...
The Express just missed drawing 200,000 spectators at home this season. Tuesday's crowd of 4,567 raised the total attendance to 198,771, as the Express finished with a franchise-record average of 5,657 fans per game. ... With Dubkov's consecutive-games streak over, Hanley, a rookie defenseman, is the leader with 67. Hanley is the only Express player to have played in every game this season.
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
LENGTH: Medium: 84 linesby CNB