ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times

DATE: Monday, February 24, 1997              TAG: 9702250075
SECTION: SPORTS                   PAGE: B-3  EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT 

STRACHAN SPARKS EXPRESS GOALS KEY TO WIN AT MISSISSIPPI

The Express ended its four-game trip on a high note, skating to a 3-1 victory over the Mississippi Sea Wolves in an East Coast Hockey League matchup Sunday afternoon before a crowd of 5,106 at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum in Biloxi.

Wayne Strachan scored two goals to give Roanoke its second victory during the trip.

Strachan scored his 14th goal of the season at 14:53 of the first period as the Express took a 1-0 lead. Ilya Dubkov assisted on the goal.

Strachan struck again in the second period. His goal off an assist from Jeff Jablonski with 4:07 gone put Roanoke up 2-0.

The Sea Wolves (26-20-9) responded at 9:27 of the period, when Mike Muller's slap shot from the blue line slipped by Express goalie Dave Gagnon.

But Dubkov scored from the left wing at 11:09 for his 21st goal and the final margin.

Gagnon stopped 30 of 31 shots for Roanoke (30-19-4), which was outshot 31-21.

The Express, still in fourth place in the ECHL's East Division, returns to the Roanoke Civic Center for a 7:30 p.m. faceoff Tuesday against archrival Hampton Roads.

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