News release
7 January 2005
Elmira, NY The Elmira Jackals won their third straight game Friday night as they trounced the Richmond Riverdogs 6-3 at the First Arena.
Elmira got their leading scorer Greg Koehler back from a rib injury and it didnt take Koehler long to start raking in the points. The Scarborough, Ontario native rifled the biscuit into the net just 21 seconds into the game, assisted by Derek Campbell and Jamie Thompson to give the Jackals a 1-0 lead. Richmond struck back with a power play goal at 8:28 by David Brosseau to level the score. Elmira regained the lead with a man-advantage goal of their own as defenseman Corey Foster one-timed a shot past goalie Ryan McIntosh at 11:41 assisted by Koehler and Jason Sessa.
But the depleted Riverdogs, who only dressed 15 players, including two goaltenders, would not go away. Jonathan Gagnon tied the game at two with a goal at 4:17 from David Brosseau and then grabbed their only lead of the night, 3-2, when Darren Wetherill scored his first goal of the year from Gagnon at 12:13. Elmira retaliated at 16:19 when rookie Derek Campbell banked a shot off a Richmond defenseman and past McIntosh to tie game at three; Koehler and Trevor Burgess received assists.
Although Richmond was able to keep up with the Jackals for the first 40 minutes, the final session was a totally different story as fatigue began to play its role on the visitors. Elmira regained the lead 4-3 on a Jamie Thompson goal, his 12th of the year, at 6:02 from Sessa and Koehler. 26 seconds later Darren Van Oene scorched a wrist shot right between the legs of McIntosh to make it a two-goal lead. Thompson would put the icing on the cake at 17:03 with his second goal of the night, a power play goal assisted by Koehler and Sessa; all five Jackals touched the puck in the passing exchange that led to the Thompson tap-in goal.
Greg Hewitt earned his 14th win of the season by turning aside 28-of-31 for the Jackals, while Ryan McIntosh took the loss, making 31 saves on 37 Elmira shots on goal.
The Jackals return to the ice Saturday January 8th for the much anticipated Colonial Cup Finals rematch with the Muskegon Fury, a 7:30 pm face off at the First Arena.