News release
3 February 2006
Moline, IL John Donnelly and Chris Chaput each had three points and Jason Sessa added two goals as the Elmira Jackals beat the Quad City Mallards 5-3 Friday night at the MARK of the Quad Cities.
The home side came out flying as Patrick Nadeau scored on a rebound a mere 1:31 into the game. But the Jackals struck back, Kevin Cooper poked the puck past Mallards goaltender Jason Tapp, assisted by Jarrett Konkle and Craig MacDonald at 10:12 of the first period. With their turn around Elmira ended up out-shooting Quad City 17-to-9 in the opening twenty minutes.
The Jackals grabbed the lead just 55 seconds into the second period when Josh Tataryn faked out Tapp at the left post, skated around the back of the net, and wrapped the puck inside the right post; the goal was assisted by Chris Chaput and Chris Mann. But the Mallards wasted no time to come back, tying the game at two with a power play goal by Rafal Martynowski at 2:13. Elmiras momentum hit a low in the game near the halfway point of the period when Anthony Blumer took advantage of a turnover in Elmiras defensive zone to score a short handed goal at 11:15 for a 3-2 Quad City lead. But the Jackals struck back late in the period. Jason Sessa tipped a Florian Iberer shot past Tapp and into the net at 18:35, assisted by Iberer and John Donnelly.
Sessa, who played for Quad City in 2003-04, scored his second goal of the game, and 11th of the season at 4:48, assisted by Donnelly and Kevin Cooper for a 4-3 Jackals lead. Elmira had surrendered their lead once in the game already and they were not about to do it again. Three minutes after Sessa pulled the Jackals in front, Chaput scored Elmiras 5th goal of the night at 8:00 assist by Donnelly, the third point of the game for each Jackal involved. Elmira was out-shot 30-18 over the final two periods, but out-scored Quad City 4-2.
Nick Boucher earned his 7th win of the season in goal for the Jackals by stopping 36-of-39 shots for Elmira. Jason Tapp made 30 saves on 35 shots in goal for Quad City in the loss. The Jackals finished 0-for-6 on the power play, while the Mallards were 1-for-10.
The Jackals will head to Indiana for a Saturday match up with the Fort Wayne Komets, a 7:30 pm face off at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum. Elmiras next home game is on Wednesday, February 8th as they host the first place Danbury Trashers at 7:05 pm at the First Arena