ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, October 19, 1996 TAG: 9610210120
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RALPH BERRIER JR. STAFF WRITER
A defenseman can tie up an opponent's stick in front of the net and possibly save a game-winning goal with almost no one in the seats noticing.
He can poke-check the puck away and hinder a flying forward while skating backwards and spend nearly half the game on ice in relative anonymity. Doug Searle of the Roanoke Express did all these things, yet found a way to stand out in Roanoke's 5-4 win over the Huntington Blizzard.
He scored the winning goal.
In a performance that prompted Express head coach Frank Anzalone to break out his favorite phrase for the first time of the young season and invoke the supernatural forces that rule hockey, Searle capped a night in which the Express used only five defensemen to win the home opener before 5,392 fans at the Roanoke Civic Center.
``The hockey gods rewarded Doug Searle tonight,'' quipped Anzalone.
Defensemen have dropped like flies the past three days in Roanoke. First, the Hanley brothers, Tim and Pat, left the club Wednesday. Friday, team captain Dave Stewart was handed a three-game suspension for an illegal hit on Dean Moore in Thursday's season-opening loss at Knoxville, leaving only Searle, Michael Smith, Duane Harmer and rookies Matt O'Dette and Bill Holowatiuk to carry the load.
``In a close game like that, you're tired,'' said Searle, acquired in a trade with Knoxville prior to training camp, ``but mentally, you're not tired. When you have to play that much, you stay focused and in the flow. But I'd love to have Stewie back.''
Searle earned his just desserts with 9:41 remaining when he skated down the right wing, ahead of Harmer, and wristed a long shot that somehow eluded Huntington goalie Rob Laurie on his left side.
``I guess it just went right by him,'' said Searle. ``Harms [Harmer] gave me the pass and I just shot. It was kind of funny. I was lucky, I guess.''
Smith also scored for the Express to kick off a four-goal second period that helped Roanoke (1-1) wipe out a 2-0 deficit. All four goals were scored on the power play, two by players who turned 20 years old just this year - Jeff Loder and Jeff Cowan.
Searle, at 24 ancient by this squad's standards, stole the spotlight from the young guys, but there should be good nights ahead for the youngsters. Loder also had two assists.
``Some of these guys are just 20 years old,'' said Anzalone. ``This was Cowan's first good game. We don't know if Cowan or Loder are going to score a lot of goals. We're so young.''
The Express, which entertains Raleigh tonight at 7:30, trailed 2-0 after a period, but scored a quartet of goals in the first 8:44 of the second period.
Smith started it 25 seconds into the period by throwing a shot on goal from the left point that Laurie never saw until it got past him. Blizzard defenseman Kyle Kirkpatrick was handed a double minor for high-sticking J.F. Tremblay at 1:22 and the Express scored twice off that penalty.
Loder scored on a second rebound at 2:03 after Harmer shot and Cowan took a crack at the carom. Loder returned the favor for Cowan 1:26 later when the duo churned down the ice and Cowan somehow got his stick on a centering feed and swept it past Laurie. The goals were the first professional tallies for both.
``These guys show so much confidence,'' said Searle. ``I wasn't that confident when I was that young.''
Said Loder, a 5-foot-9 center from Corner Brook, Newfoundland: ``We're getting a chance to play where most rookies wouldn't be put on the ice. The veterans have made us feel at home. Everything's intertwined. There are a lot of young guys here trying to take the next step. That gives them an extra boost.''
Jeff Jablonski, Roanoke's elder statesman at 29, scored the fourth extra-man goal in a 4-on-3 situation by popping home a close rebound at 8:44 to make it 4-2. Van Burgess scored at 9:12 for Huntington to make it 4-3, then Jim Bermingham buried a wide-open shot at 5:53 of the third past goalie Dave Gagnon, who made 30 saves.
``Dave's still fighting the puck a little bit,'' said Anzalone. ``Still fighting the biscuit. He made some spectacular saves and gave up some goals he wishes he hadn't. He'll get through it.''
ICE CHIPS: The Express claimed right wing Eric Landry, 20, off waivers from Columbus Virginia Tech men's basketball coach Bill Foster, who announced that this will be his last season on the bench, will drop the ceremonial first puck before tonight's game. Tonight's game is the team's last home game until Oct.29 against South Carolina. Before Friday's game, the team recognized three local hockey supporters who died during the summer - goal judge Tim Perdue, Roanoke Valley Youth Hockey Association president Dick Pitman and civic center spotlight operator Scott Spencer. see microfilm for box score
LENGTH: Medium: 90 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: ERIC BRADY Staff Roanoke teammates surround Jeff Loderby CNBafter he scored a goal in the second period to tie the game. The
Express won its home opener 5-4 against Huntington. color