News release
19 December 2005
First Home Game In Seven Games Friday Against Danbury
2005-06 Record: 6-17-4 16 points (2-7-1 home, 4-10-3 road), Fifth Place, Eastern Division
Week 10 Schedule: (All games are broadcasted LIVE on Wheels AM-820 WWLZ)
Wednesday, December 21 7:05 pm @ Richmond Riverdogs (10-13-2, 22 pts) Tied-Third Place, Eastern Division
Friday, December 23 7:05 pm vs. Danbury Trashers (16-7-4, 36 pts) First Place, Eastern Division
Port Huron, MI The Elmira Jackals allowed 4-straight goals Friday night, blowing a 2-0 lead to lose 5-3 to the Port Huron Flags at McMorran Place Arena.
The Jackals out-right dominated the Flags for most of the first two periods. In the first period Sam Paolini stuffed in a beautiful cross-ice pass from Jason Sessa to give Elmira the lead. The strike was a power play goal at 13:55, also assisted by captain Trevor Burgess.
A mere 2:42 into the second period Elmira doubled its lead when Chris Chaput tapped home a rebound from a Konstantin Kalmikov snap shot during a two-on-one rush, Paolini also assisted on the goal. But despite continued pressure throughout the period it was a former Jackal who came back to haunt Elmira. Flags defenseman Bryan Cummings, who was traded to Port Huron for John Donnelly one month earlier, scored his first goal of the season at 11:18 to cut the Jackals lead in half.
Perhaps the real turning point of the game, not Cummings goal, was the first few minutes of the third period. Elmira went into the final frame with 1:23 of a 5-on-3 advantage and failed to do any damage. After killing off the two penalties, the Flags used their sudden momentum to pull themselves back into the game. Brett Lutes put on a third period goal scoring clinic, much to the delight of the home fans. Lutes tied the game at two with a power play blast from the high slot at 5:47. Five minutes later, Lutes scored his second goal of the game, also a one-timer on the power play, at 11:00 for Port Hurons first lead of the game. Lutes would then complete his own third period natural hat-trick by weaving past two Jackals defenders and beating goaltender Ryan McIntosh at 14:59 for a 4-2 Flags lead. Despite blowing a two-goal lead, the Jackals didnt give up. With Flags captain Ryan Gillis in the penalty box for tripping at 16:22, Port Huron defenseman Shayne Tomlinson was called for high-sticking at 16:43 giving Elmira another 5-on-3 advantage. Defenseman Mike Dombkiewicz cranked in his second power play goal in as many games at 17:15, assisted by Chaput and Paolini, which cut the Flags lead to 4-3 with Tomlinson remaining in the sin bin for another 1:28. However, the Jackals failed to score on their final power play chance and in the closing seconds, with the Elmira net empty, Aaron Brand would shoot the puck the length of the ice, finding the goal with 8 seconds remaining to finish off the Jackals comeback efforts.
Scott Hay earned the win, stopping 38-of-41 shots on goal for the Flags. Ryan McIntosh took the loss for Elmira, making saves on 30 shots in the process. Elmira out-shot Port Huron 41-31, but were just 2-for-12 on the power play; the Flags were 2-for-8 with the man advantage.
12/17/05 Elmira 1 @ Flint 2 - SO (3-2 in Shootout)
Flint, MI The Elmira Jackals earned a point, losing to the Flint Generals 2-1 in a 10-round shootout Saturday night at Peranis Arena.
During a sloppy, slow-paced first period Flint took the lead on an equally discombobulated goal. The Generals captain Terry Marchant dumped the puck into the right wing corner of the Jackals zone from the blue line, teammate Sean Starke chased after it with two Jackals defenders. Somehow in the ensuing strum, the puck kicked out of the corner, took a deflection, and ended up on the stick of an unmarked Matt Elich right in front of the goal. Elich had all the time in the world to beat goaltender Nick Boucher for a 1-0 lead at 16:54 of the first.
After an up-and-down second period where Elmira out-shot flint 11-9, the Jackals struck back with an equalizer early in the third period. Left wing Charlie Elezi blocked a clearing attempt by a Flint defender, passed it to newly activated forward Andy Rozak, who in turn fed Jackals defenseman Florian Iberer in the high slot. Iberer blasted his shot up into the top corner, above the blocker of Generals goalie Peter Brady, for his first goal of the season, tying the game 1-1 at 7:52; Rozak and Elezi were credited with assists.
In the shootout Konstantin Kalmikov opened the scoring in the 3rd round, but in the bottom of the 4th round Marchant tied it up at 1-1. Jackals defenseman Mike Dombkiewicz made it 2-1 Jackals during the 7th round, but with the game on the line, Elich came up big for the Generals again, tying the shootout at two. After two more unsuccessful rounds, Sean Starke snapped a wrister past Boucher in the last half of the 10th round, securing the extra point for Flint.
Peter Brady was superb in goal for Flint, earning the shootout win by stopping 27-of-28 shots in regulation and 8-of-10 in the shootout. Jackals goalie Nick Boucher was equally spectacular for Elmira, making a phenomenal 35 saves on 36 shots and blocking 7-of-10 in the shootout.
JACKALS PLAYER AND GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK: (WEEK 9)
Florian Iberer D 2 GP, 1 goal, 0 assists, 1 point, +4, 0 PIMs
Defenseman Florian Iberer becomes the first blue-liner to be named as the Jackals player of the week. In Week 9 Iberer was a solidifying defensive force for the Jackals. Friday in a 5-3 loss at Port Huron, Iberer was the only Elmira player to have a plus rating (+1) and was on the ice for only one of the Flags five goals (Brett Lutes second power play goal). The Graz, Austria native continued his defensive form Saturday in Flint, scoring his first goal of the season at 7:52 of the third period, to tie the game at one and force a shootout.
Nick Boucher G 2 GP, 0-0-1, 0.98 GAA, 0.972 SV%, 35 saves
Nick Boucher had another solid week for the Jackals. He made a brief 69 second appearance late in the game against Port Huron. Saturday he made the start against Flint, stopping 35-of-36 during regulation and made seven saves in ten shootout rounds in the 2-1 shootout loss to the Generals. Boucher finished the week with a 0.98 Goals Against Average for the week and a 0.972 save percentage.
GREAT DEBUT Center Andy Rozak, who was activated for Saturdays game in Flint, assist on Elmiras only goal in regulation, his first professional point in his first pro game. Rozak, who was a standout at Oswego State University, currently leads the Jackals with a +1 rating.
THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD The Jackals are in the midst of 6-straight road games during the month of December. Elmira is 2-2-1 in their first five games of the stretch and will finish off with a game Wednesday in Richmond.
NO PLACE LIKE HOME - Elmira has played the second fewest home games amongst the 14 UHL teams playing just 10 of their first 27 games so far this season at the First Arena. Elmira has only been at home twice thus far through the first three weeks in December. The Jackals only have 4 home games scheduled for the month.
MOVIN ON UP Rookie defenseman Chris Mann is steadily moving up the penalty minutes chart. Mann is now 5th in the UHL in PIMs with 126 through 25 games played. Mann is also tied for second in the UHL in minors with Danburys Carlyle Lewis (33 minors), one penalty behind Danburys Mario Larocque (34).
FIRST YEAR SUCCESS The Jackals have two first-year forwards amongst the UHLs top seven Rookie scorers. Chris Chaput, who is tied for 3rd amongst the leagues rookies with 26 points is leading the UHLs freshman class with 17 assists. Jarrett Konkle, who is tied for 7th amongst the leagues rookies, is tied for 4th in the entire UHL in goals (16) - 2nd amongst rookies.
Shooting Percentage: Jarrett Konkle (19.0%)
Due to the teams road trip to Richmond and the Christmas break, there will NOT be new episode of The Elmira Jackals Coachs Show in the next two weeks. Dont miss the next broadcast of The Elmira Jackals Coachs Show broadcast of the season LIVE Tuesday night January 3rd from Patricks Pub, 303 College Ave. at 7pm. Come listen to Head Coach Perry Florio, the Voice of the Jackals Owen Newkirk, along with captain Trevor Burgess and another Jackals player for the broadcast.