News release
1 November 2004
Hit The Road Jaxs! First Place Elmira Hits The Highway
2004-05 RECORD: 5-3-0, 10 points (5-2-0 home, 0-1-0 road), tied-first place, Eastern Division
November 3 10:30am @ Richmond Riverdogs (4-2-1, 9 pts) Third Place, Eastern Division.
November 5 7:05 pm @ Port Huron Beacons (1-6-1, 3 pts) Fifth Place, Central Division
November 6 7:30 pm @ Kalamazoo Wings (3-3-0, 6 pts) Second Place, Central Division
Elmira, NY The Elmira Jackals exacted sweet revenge on the Richmond Riverdogs as they won 6-4 Friday night, getting back the team who broken the Jackals unbeaten run to start the season.
Elmira jumped on top late in the first period as Vaclav Zavoral scored his first ever goal as a Jackal at 15:17 assisted by Greg Koehler. Zavorals shot from the left point skimmed through 4-pairs of legs on its way past a screened Jeff Sanger. Koehler would make it 2-0 when the center scored a power play goal with 27 seconds remaining in the period, from Trevor Burgess and Jason Sessa.
Just like the last meeting, Richmond got the jump on Elmira early in the second period. Thanks to four-straight minor penalties on Elmira, the Riverdogs cashed in with two 5-on-3 power play goals to tie the game. Luch Nasato sound the net at 7:31 assisted by Jonathan Gagnon and then Francis Belanger leveled the score at 8:11 assisted by David Brosseau and Brian Goudie and it was 2-2. Richmond took its only lead of the game at 10:44 when Ryan Prentice knocked in a rebound past Greg Hewitt from Trevor Senn and Mark Langdon, the third straight Richmond goal. But Elmira struck back right before the intermission; Koehler scored his second of the night from Sessa and Jamie Thompson, an even strength goal to equalize at 18:35.
The third period belonged to Elmira, but the Riverdogs did not go quietly. The Jackals regained the lead at 3:52 courtesy of a Thompson one-timer on the power play, assisted by Sessa and Koehler. Sessa scored Elmiras 3rd power play goal of the night, his 5th of the season and the eventual game winner, at 9:13 assisted by Koehler. After calling a timeout, the Riverdogs got one back as Mark Turner was sent clear on a deflected puck in the neutral zone, and he finished off his breakaway at 16:54 to make it 5-4. But #26 Eddy Lowe hammered the nail in the coffin with an empty net goal at 18:57 to seal the Jackals 6-4 victory.
Elmira finished 3-for-7 on the power play and goaltender Greg Hewitt stopped 31-of-35 Richmond shots for his 5th win of the season. The Riverdogs were 2-for-7 on the man-advantage, while goalie Jeff Sanger maked 25 saves on 31 Elmira shots.
Glens Falls, NY The Elmira Jackals fell short in their first road game of the season, losing to the Adirondack Frostbite 6-3 Saturday night.
Adirondack, in the wake of winning two-straight, jumped on top of the Jackals early in the contest. The Frostbite scored twice in the first two minutes, first when Ryan Bennett tipped in a shot at 1:14 of the first period, and then Hugo Belanger smacked home a rebound at 1:42 for a 2-0 lead. Elmiras newest player Darren Van Oene cut the lead in half at 10:19, assisted by Carl Drakensjo. But Trevor Segstro scored a power-play goal at 16:57 for a 3-1 lead after one period.
In the second period Belanger scored his second of the game at 2:30 and Sylvain Cloutier made it 5-1 at 15:46.
The Jackals outscored Adirondack in the final period, but it would not be enough. Segstro scored his second of the game on a carry-over power play at 0:13 for a 6-1 lead. Van Oene became the third player of the game to tally two goals at 5:11 assisted by Jason Sessa. Greg Koehler wrapped up the scoring when he redirected a Simon Poirier shot at 17:44.
Derek Gustafson stopped 20-of-23 for the win, while Greg Hewitt made 22 saves on 28 Adirondack in goal for the Jackals.
JACKALS PLAYER AND GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK: (WEEK 3)
Greg Koehler - C 2 GP, 3 goals, 3 assists, 6 pts, +1
Greg Koehler followed his 4-game, 7-point showing in Week 2, with 6 points in two games during Week 3. The Scarborough, Ontario native had a 5-point night in a 6-4 win against Richmond Friday night, scoring two goals, including a power play goal, and helping out on three more. Koehlers goal late in the third period against Adirondack Saturday wasnt enough to bring Elmira back from a 6-1 deficit, but it did secure him a share of the UHL lead in scoring, with teammate Jason Sessa and Fort Waynes P.C. Drouin. Koehler has 7 goals and 7 assists in 8 games play so far this season.
Greg Hewitt - G 2 GP, 1-1-0, 5.00 GAA, .841 SV%, 53 saves
Greg Hewitt proved over the weekend what many fans in Elmira have already learned, that hes a battler. Hewitt was instrumental in the teams 6-4 win over Richmond Friday night, stopping 31 shots on the way to his 5th win of the season. Saturday night, Hewitt and the Jackals did not fair well in their first road game of the year, falling 6-3 to Adirondack. The London, Ontario native made 22 saves in a game where the 57 goaltender never stopped competing, despite training 6-1 13 seconds into the third period.
SITTING ON TOP RW Jason Sessa and C Greg Koehler are in a three-way tie for the UHL lead in scoring. Each player has 14 points (7 goals and 7 assists) in 8 games tying them with Fort Waynes P.C. Drouin for first place. The two are also in a 4-way tie for second in the league in goals (7).
LOVE THAT POWER PLAY RW Jason Sessa is leading the UHL in power play goals. 5 of Sessas 7 goals on the season have come from a Jackals man-advantage. His clutch performance is reiterated with the fact that he is tie for the League Lead with 2 game winning goals.
AND THE POINTS ROLL ON C Greg Koehler is currently leading the UHL in Power Play Assists. Koehler has 6 assists on the power play, and is one point behind Jason Sessa for the League Lead with 7 points with a man up.
KNOWN SIMPLY AS DA MAN Goaltender Greg Hewitts name appears a top many categories for his stellar play thus far. He leads the UHL in Wins (5), Saves (245), Shootout Wins (2), and is second in the league with 420 minutes played.
LEAP-FROG RW Carl Drakensjo passed teammate Jeff Antonovich for 8th on the Jackals All-Time Scoring Chart. Drakensjo is 4th on the team this year with 8 points (3 goals, 5 assists) and he now has 84 points in his Jackals career.
Shooting Percentage: Carl Drakensjo (42.9%)
Jamie Thompson added to his point total Friday night in the Goals for Glove House Fundraiser. The Jackals forward picked up two points with a goal and assist versus the RiverDogs. Through eight games Jamie has ten points coming on four goals and six assists.
Due to the Jackals traveling down to Richmond to face off with the Riverdogs at 10:30 am Wednesday, the team will not be in Elmira Tuesday night, resulting in No Elmira Jackals Coachs Show this week. The show will resume its regular schedule next week, Tuesday November 9th live from Patricks Pub, 303 College Ave. at 7 pm.