News release
10 March 2006
Konstantin Kalmikov Friday Night In Danbury - Photo Provided By Steve Feldman
Danbury, CT Konstantin Kalmikov scored three goals as the Elmira Jackals shocked the Danbury Trashers 6-4 Friday night at the Danbury Ice Arena.
The Trashers took an early lead on their first power play of the game, when J.M. Daoust knocked in a rebound from Donny Grover and Jeff Daw at 3:45 of the opening period. Alex Goupil would double Danburys lead at 15:12 as he slapped a one-timer past Jackals rookie goaltender Tyson Gajda. But the Jackals struck back moments later. Red hot forward Konstantin Kalmikov scored his 18th goal of the season at 16:34, to cut the Trashers lead in half, 2-1; the goal was assisted by Jarrett Konkle. Danbury out-shot Elmira 16-11 in the first period.
If the first period belonged to the Trashers, then the second twenty minutes definitely belonged to the Jackals. Sam Paolini tied the game for the Jackals with a goal a 4:05, when he was sent free on a breakaway courtesy of a great pass from Josh Piro; he and Jason Cassells assisted on the goal. But Danbury didnt waste much time getting back in front, Shawn Collymore scored at 6:21 for a 3-2 Trashers lead. Elmira battled back and again tied the game when Jarrett Konkle collected his own rebound and buried his 26th goal of the season at 14:57, assisted by Flo Iberer and Trevor Burgess. Fellow Elmira College graduate Craig MacDonald then gave the Jackals their first lead of the night as he snapped a pass from Paolini past goaltender Sylvain Daigle at 16:01. The goal was MacDonalds 6th goal of the season, assisted by Paolini and Piro, and it gave Elmira a 4-3 lead going into the third period.
Elmiras slim one-goal lead would not hold up for long. Defenseman Mario Larocque scored on a rebound, in his first game back from a broken foot, to tie the game at four at 8:57. But then Kalmikov took over. Moments after Danburys Mike Omicioli took a 5-minute major penalty for slashing, the Kharkov, Ukraine native put the Jackals back in front with a power play goal at 17:41, assisted by Jason Sessa and Flo Iberer. He then completed his hat trick, and iced the game, by scoring an unassisted empty net goal from the red line, his 20th goal of the year, at 19:04 to secure Elmiras two point win.
Rookie goaltender Tyson Gajda earned his first win of the season in goal for Elmira, stopping 39-of-43 shots in just his second start. Danburys Sylvain Daigle made 24 saves on 29 shots, Elmiras 30th shot being the empty netter. Thanks to Kalmikovs two power play goals at the end of the game, the Jackals finished the game 2-for-4 on the man advantage; the Trashers were 1-for-3.