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Express Weekly

January 27, 2003 - ECHL (ECHL)
Roanoke Express News Release


ROANOKE, VA – The Roanoke Express came off the All-Star break and finished this past week's action with a 1-1-1 record. The Express enters this week with a 27-17-3 record (57 pts., 3rd NE Division).

LAST WEEK'S ACTION

THURSDAY, JANUARY 23 vs. ATLANTIC CITY 6-5 Loss

The Express and Boardwalk Bullies met up in another division battle on Thursday, with the Boardwalk Bullies emerging with a 6-5 win. In a wild back-and-forth game, The Express opened the scoring at the 8:58 mark of the first period on a power play goal by Mike Peron. After Atlantic City tied the game early in the second period, Duncan Dalmao gave Roanoke the lead back at the 12:17 mark of the middle stanza on another power play goal. The Boardwalk Bullies answered back 1:38 later to tie the game at two. Heading into the third period, Roanoke tallied on a 5-on-3 power play just 35 seconds into the final period to open a 3-2 lead, but while still working on the second penalty, Atlantic City scored short handed to even the score at three. The Bullies tallied the next two goals at 4:16 and 11:12 to open a 5-3 advantage, but Shawn Limpright brought the Express to within one with a short handed goal at 12:53.

Late in the game, the Express pulled the goaltender for the extra attacker, and Atlantic City took advantage scoring an empty-net goal to open a 6-4 lead with 1:11 left in the game. Roanoke still had one last gasp effort and scored with 27 seconds left in the game on Rick Kowalsky's 22nd goal of the year.

Sebastien Laplante started in goal for the Express and made 25 saves on 30 Atlantic City shots, but suffered the loss, snapping his three-game winning streak. His record fell to 14-10-1. Scott Stirling got the nod in goal for the Bullies and made 21 saves in picking up the win to raise his record to 15-3-1. The win was the first for Atlantic City at the Roanoke Civic Center, as the Express posted a 3-1-0 record at home in the season series. Overall, just one game remains between the two teams this season, on Feb. 14 at Atlantic City. The Express holds a record of 4-3-1 in the season series.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 24 vs. RICHMOND 6-4 Win

The Express and the Renegades met for the sixth time on Friday night, and the Express earned the 6-4 win over its cross-state rival. Roanoke jumped out to the large lead early in the third period, but Richmond battled back to make the game close. After the Renegades tallied the first goal of the contest at the 5:30 mark of the first period, the Express reeled off five straight goals to open a 5-1 advantage early in the third period. Tim O'Connell and Dan Carlson each scored twice in that span, and Cam Bristow added a goal to give Roanoke the wide lead. However, three straight goals by Richmond in the third period, closed the gap to 5-4 by the 12:04 mark. After using its 30-second time out, the Express needed just 22 seconds to regain a two goal advantage when Carlson completed the hat trick at 12:22 of the final period.

The lead held up as Sebastien Laplante made several key saves in the final seven minutes, and made 34 saves overall to raise his record to 15-10-1. Dan Lombard suffered the loss for Richmond, allowing the six goals on 31 shots, and saw his record fall to 7-8-0. The hat trick by Carlson was his second of the year, and the team's third. Roanoke is now 4-2-0 vs. Richmond this season, and has won the last four meetings between the teams. There are four games left in the season series.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 25 at CHARLOTTE 4-3 Shootout Loss

The Express and the Charlotte Checkers met up for the sixth of nine times this season, and the Checkers picked up the 4-3 win in a shootout Saturday night at Cricket Arena in Charlotte. Early on, the game had the makings of a blow out, when the Checkers scored twice in the first 2:15 of the game, to open a quick

2-0 lead. But the Express settled in, and scored twice in the first period to force a 2-2 tie after one period of play. Doug Schueller earned his first goal of the season at the 9:31 mark when a centering feed from Cam Bristow bounced in off Schueller's arm. Roanoke tied the game at the 14:01 mark on Dan Carlson's 23rd goal of the season. In the second period, Charlotte regained the lead at 8:43, but Dylan Gyori sent the teams to the locker rooms tied at three with a magnificent effort to skate past two defenders and slip his shot past the goaltender with just 53 seconds left in the period.

With the teams tied at three, neither could find the game-winner in the third period, and likewise, neither team could tally a goal in the four-on-four overtime period. In the shootout, Charlotte scored on its second attempt to take the early advantage in the five-round session. After four unsuccessful rounds for the Express Chad Mazurak scored in the fifth round to tie the shootout at one, but Checkers' captain Alan Egeland notched a goal in Charlotte's fifth attempt to pick up the win.

Evan Lindsay made his first appearance in net for the Express since January 10, and made several big saves in the second and third periods to keep the game close. Overall, Lindsay stopped 23 of 26 Charlotte shots, to earn the tie. His record now stands at 12-7-2. Scott Meyer made his first start in goal for the Checkers against Roanoke this year, and picked up the win stopping 17 of 20 shots in regulation, to raise his overall record to 9-3-0. Through six games, the Express is 3-2-1 vs. Charlotte on the season with three games remaining between the two teams.

UPCOMING GAMES

THURSDAY, JANUARY 30 at GREENSBORO 7:00 p.m.

The Express and the Greensboro Generals will meet up for the fourth of seven times this season, and the second of three times at the Greensboro Coliseum. The Express is 2-1-0 vs. the Generals this season. Greensboro won the most recent matchup 3-1 on Jan. 15 in Greensboro. The Express wins have both come at the Roanoke Civic Center, winning 5-4 in overtime on October 18 and picking up the 6-4 win on November 8. The Generals begin this week's action with a record of 28-11-4 (60 pts., 2nd NE Division), which is three points ahead of the Express in the standings. Roanoke is 15-9-2 all-time vs. Greensboro.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 31 at RICHMOND, 7:35 p.m.

The Express makes its fourth trip to the Richmond Coliseum on Friday night. Overall it is the seventh of ten meetings this year between the cross-state rivals. The Express has won the last four games in the season series, most recently picking up a 6-4 win on Jan. 24 at the Roanoke Civic Center. The Express is 2-1-0 at the Richmond Coliseum this year and earned a 4-2 win the last time the teams played there on Dec. 26. The Renegades enter this week's action with a record of 21-23-3 (45 pts., 6th NE Division). Roanoke is 51-30-9 all-time vs. Richmond.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1 at DAYTON 7:30 p.m.

The Express and the Dayton Bombers meet up for the only time this season on Saturday night in Dayton, OH. For the Express the game is the fourth in its season-long eight-game road trip. The Bombers have struggled to a 16-23-7 record (39 pts., T5th NW Division), and coming into this week have lost their last two games. Roanoke is 8-12-5 all-time vs. Dayton.

NEWS & NOTES

TEAM & LEAGUE LEADERS

The Express continue to have three of the top five scorers in the league at this point of the season. Despite missing the last three games after getting called-up to Norfolk, rookie Jason Jaffray enters this week second in the ECHL in scoring with 66 points. Jaffray has picked up 29 goals and 37 assists on the season. His goal total is tied for the overall league lead, and he leads all rookies in goals and assists. Dylan Gyori is fourth in the league in scoring with 64 points (20 goals, 44 assists). His assist total is second overall in the league as well. Rick Kowalsky has climbed to fifth in the league with 63 points (22 goals, 41 assists).

HOT STREAK'S

Several players currently have point-scoring streaks for the Express. Mike Peron has picked up a point in four of the last six games (3 G, 4 A)...David Silverstone now has a point in four of the last six games (0 G, 4 A)...Tim O'Connell has notched at least one point in four of the last five games (2 G, 3 A)...Cam Bristow has scored points in three straight games (1 G, 7 A)...Dylan Gyori has run his streak to 14 of the last 16 games (11 G, 18 A)...Rick Kowalsky owns the longest current consecutive games streak, with a point in seven straight (3 G, 11 A).

CONGRATULATIONS!: Roanoke Express head coach Perry Florio earned his 100th career win as an ECHL head coach on January 24 in Roanoke's 6-4 win over Richmond at the Roanoke Civic Center. Entering this week, Florio's career record stands at 100-73-18. He piloted the Express to a 38-30-4 record in the 2000-2001 season, and followed that with a 35-26-11 mark last season.

COUNTDOWN TO 500: Roanoke Express forward Rick Kowalsky is closing in on 500 career professional points. Entering this week's action, Kowalsky has amassed 494 points in a career that began in 1993-94 with the Cornwall Aces of the American Hockey League. Drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in 1992, the Simcoe, Ontario native has played in 554 professional games, scoring 197 goals and 297 assists. Of his 554 career games, 115 of them have come in and Express uniform.

CONGRATULATIONS PART 2!: Express captain Rick Kowalsky's wife gave birth to the couple's first child on Friday afternoon, January 24. The baby boy weighed in at 9 lbs. 6 oz., and was named Dylan Richard.

COACH'S SHOW: The next edition of "Coach's Corner LIVE!" will be held on January 27 from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. from Cornerstone Bar & Grill. Fans are encouraged to attend to show which features Express broadcaster Kevin Reiter and Head Coach Perry Florio. This week's special guest will be Express forward's Joe Dusbabek and Dan Carlson.

UPCOMING PRACTICE & GAME SCHEUDLE

Monday, January 27 10:00 a.m. Practice @ The Ice Station

Tuesday, January 28 10:00 a.m Practice @ The Ice Station

Wednesday, January 29 10:00 a.m. Practice @ The Ice Station

Thursday, January 30 10:00 a.m. Pre-game skate @ The Ice Station

7:00 p.m. GAME vs. Greensboro @ The Greensboro Coliseum

Friday, January 31 10:00 a.m. Pre-game skate @ The Ice Station

7:35 p.m. GAME vs. Richmond @ The Richmond Coliseum

Saturday, February 1 7:30 p.m. GAME vs. Dayton @ The Ervin J. Nutter Center

Sunday, February 2 OFF

(all practice times & locations are subject to change)

ALL EXPRESS GAMES ARE BROADCAST LIVE ON THE 3WR RADIO NETWORK, 910 AM IN ROANOKE AND 990 AM IN BLACKSBURG. ALL GAMES ARE LIVE ON THE INTERNET AT www.radio3wr.com

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