News release
14 February 2005
Jackals Drop Two In Richmond; Winless In Seven Straight
2004-05 RECORD: 19-31-5, 43 points (14-14-1 home, 5-17-4 road), Fourth Place, Eastern Division
February 18 7:30 pm vs. Adirondack Frostbite (33-14-6, 72 pts) First Place, Eastern Division
February 19 7:30 pm vs. Adirondack Frostbite (33-14-6, 72 pts) First Place, Eastern Division
Richmond, VA The Elmira Jackals led three different times Friday night but were denied victory by the Richmond Riverdogs 6-3.
The Jackals jumped out to an early lead at the Richmond Coliseum thanks to their newest addition. Playing in his first game with Elmira since being traded from Adirondack, defenseman Jason Jaworski set up the opening goal as the rebound from his slap shot came right to Eddy Lowe, who slotted the puck into the net for a 1-0 lead at 8:41 of the first period; Jaworski and Dean Jackson had the assists. Richmond struck back at 13:07 as David Hymovitz evened the score at one with a power play goal.
Elmira regained the lead just 36 seconds into the second period as Nathan Gillies scored his 11th goal of the season from Lowe and Jamie Thompson for a 2-1 Jackals lead. The Riverdogs responded at 2:04 courtesy of Brett Crosss first goal for Richmond to tie the game at two. Thompson gave the Jackals the lead again 3-2 at 9:50 with a beautiful finish; Lowe had the assist, his third point of the night. But Richmond again had the rebuttal, Cross scored his second goal of the period at 16:17 to send the game into the final 20 minutes tied at three.
Brian Herbert gave Richmond their first lead of the night at 7:41 of the final period, scoring the eventual game-winner of an uncontested rebound. The Riverdogs were unrelenting, out-shooting Elmira 14-6 in the final session, and Hymovitz put the game out of reach at 16:13 with his second goal of the night for a 5-3 lead. David Brosseau scored a power play goal with 12 seconds remaining in the game to close the scoring.
Brent Belecki earned the win, stopping 17-of-20 in the game. Rookie Kevin Kurk shined in goal for the Jackals, logging a very impressive effort despite allowing 6 goals, stopping a massive 40-of-46 shots on the night.
Richmond, VA The Elmira Jackals fell short in an 8-6 loss to the Richmond Riverdogs Friday night at the Richmond Coliseum.
Meeting for the second straight night the Riverdogs and Jackals again traded goals all night long. Richmond opening the scoring at 1:52 of the first period on a Francis Belanger tap-in on a David Brosseau rebound. Elmira struck back with a Jeff Antonovich power play goal at 4:14 assisted by Eddy Lowe and George Pujacs. The Riverdogs took a 2-1 lead into the break with a power play goal of their own from Ryan Prentice at 14:27.
In the second period Jeff Antonovich immediately drew the Jackals level by scoring his second goal of the game at 1:07 assisted by Jason Sessa. Semir Ben-Amor scored at 3:06 to regain the lead for Richmond, but it would not last. Eddy Lowe scored Elmiras other goal of the period, his 14th goal of the year, at 11:53 assisted by Jason Jaworski to tie the game at three. The Riverdogs had goals from David Hymovitz and a second goal from Prentice to open up a 5-3 lead after two periods.
The third period did not start well for the Jackals and looked to be the beginning of the end when Mark Langdon made it 6-3 Riverdogs at 3:03. But Elmira would come storming back with three straight goals to equalize yet again. Nathan Gillies scored from Jamie Thompson and Trevor Burgess at 7:19, Dean Jackson lifted one into the top shelf at 8:14 from Antonovich and Darren Van Oene tied the game at 10:57 assisted by Sessa and Bryan Cummings. However this wild affair would belong to the home team. Ryan Prentice earned his hat-trick at 15:20 to put Richmond back in front and then Langdon scored his second of the game at 18:36 to put the game out of reach 8-6.
Nathan Grobins made 38-of-44 saves for his 8th win of the season; Jackals goaltender Greg Hewitt made 30 saves on 38 Richmond shots in the loss.
JACKALS PLAYER AND GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK: (WEEK 18)
Eddy Lowe - C 2 GP, 2 goals, 3 assists, 5 pts, -1
Eddy Lowe earned this weeks Jackals Player of the Week honors by scoring 5 points in two games against Richmond. Friday night he had a goal and two assists in a 6-3 loss to the Riverdogs, then Saturday he added a goal and an assist in an 8-6 loss to their East Division rivals. The next mayor of Elmira has 28 points this season (14 goals, 14 assists) which puts him just 5 points behind Randy Murphy (219) for the Jackals All-Time Franchise Points Lead.
Kevin Kurk G 1 GP, 0-1-0, 6.01 GAA, 0.870 SV%, 40 saves
Kevin Kurk made 40 saves on 46 shots Friday night in a 6-3 loss to the Richmond Riverdogs. Kurk had double digit saves in each of the three periods and he made some stunning saves that kept the Jackals in the game until the teams breakdown in the third period. Kurk leads all Goaltenders in the UHL in shootout percentage by stopping 17-of-19 attempts for a 0.895 percentage.
STREAKING IN THE NEIGHBORS YARD LW Jamie Thompson is currently riding a 5- game road point scoring streak. In his last 5 games away from the First Arena, Thompson has scored 6 points, beginning on January 28th in Glens Falls, NY.
STREAKING ON EVERYONES LAWN LW Jamie Thompson has scored points in each of his last 9 games. He has scored 12 points starting on January 21st against Kalamazoo.
GOALS FOR GILLIES RW Nathan Gillies in on a 3-game goal scoring streakwhich is tied with Richmonds David Hymovitz for the UHLs current best. Gillies has scored 3 goals starting in Danbury on February 5th.
THATS A LOT OF GOALS Elmira and Richmond tied Flint and Danbury for the highest combined goals scored in one game this season in the UHL. The Jackals and Riverdogs scored 14 goals (8-6 Richmond) on Saturday, which the Generals and Trashers accomplished that feat on January 15th (8-6 Danbury).
THE MAYOR IS MOVING UP THE POLLS C Eddy Lowe scored 5 points in two games this week (2 goals, 3 assists) giving his 28 points for the season. Lowe is now just 5 points behind Randy Murphy (219 pts) for 1st one the Jackals All-Time Scoring Chart. The Next Mayor of Elmira has scored 110 goals and 104 assists for 214 pts in 339 careers games in a Jackals uniform.
Plus/Minus: Carl Drakensjo, Bill Cass (+1)
Shooting Percentage: Jamie Thompson (16.1%)
Jamie Thompson had one goal and one assists in two games this week to add to his point total in the Goals for Glove House Fundraiser. Through 38 games played Jamie has 46 points coming on 18 goals and 28 assists, good for 3rd on the Jackals in scoring.