The Elmira Jackals, in front of their largest crowd in team history of 4,489 fans, were overcome by the Reading Royals on Friday night at First Arena, 5-4. The record-setting audience broke the former mark of 4,325 fans, set on Nov. 6, 2009.

Click here for the box score.

Click here for Pat Bingham's postgame comments.

The Royals scored the game's first goal on a turnover created by Rob Shearer, as Matt Schepke snapped a puck past the stick of Elmira netminder Timo Pielmeier to put Reading up 1-0 at 2:08.

Riley Armstrong, after being activated from the injured reserve earlier in the day, snapped a backdoor feed for Mike Radja who drove in the puck from the right circle to give Elmira a power-play goal and tie the game, 1-1, at 7:16.

Evan Barlow and Dustin Gazley teamed up for another backdoor goal to give the Jackals their first lead of the contest. Barlow, on the left goal line, found Gazley creeping in from the right side, with Gazley redirecting in Barlow's centering feed to make it 2-1 Jackals at 11:31.

Elmira extended the lead to 3-1 when Artem Demkov knocked in a rebound from the top of the crease on the power play at 16:21.

Casey Haines finished off a two-on-one to make it a one-goal contest moments later, sending in a rebound from a Chad Painchaud shot to narrow Elmira's lead to 3-2 at 18:20.

Mario Larocque gave Elmira another power-play strike when he fired in his first goal of the year from the left point at 7:50 of the second to put Elmira back up by two, 4-2.

Olivier Labelle fed in a loose puck on the doorstep to bring the Royals to within a goal again, 4-3, on the power play at 14:55.

Yannick Riendeau fired a puck in from the left side at 3:53 of the third to tie the game, 4-4.
Labelle drove in a feed from Ryan Cruthers on a two-on-one after an Elmira turnover to put the Royals in front for good at 4:23, 5-4.

Pielmeier took the loss for Elmira, making 14 saves on 19 shots before being pulled after Reading's fifth goal. He fell to 3-3-0-0 on the season. Brian Stewart relieved him at 4:23 of the third, making five saves on five shots. Joe Palmer stopped 27 of 31 shots in the victory, improving to 3-3-0-0.

The Jackals had their second-largest crowd ever last season against Reading in a 5-4 comeback win of 4,231 fans on Feb. 26.

After embarking on a three-game road trip with two contests against Reading and one against the Wheeling Nailers, Elmira returns home on Friday, Nov. 18 and Saturday, Nov. 19 to host the Kalamazoo Wings. To reserve your seats call (607) 734-PUCK (7825), visit the First Arena Box Office, or log onto JackalsHockey.com.

JACKALS HOCKEY: GET JACKED!

UPCOMING FIRST ARENA EVENTS

Jackals vs. K-Wings
Friday, November 18
7:35 p.m.

Jackals vs. K-Wings
Saturday, November 19
7:35 p.m.

Celtic Thunder Christmas
Sunday, December 4
7:00 p.m.

Harlem Globetrotters
Monday, Feb. 6
7:00 p.m.