News release
28 December 2012
Friday, December 28, 2012EVANSVILLE, Ind. - The Elmira Jackals continue their seven-game road trip tonight with their first ever visit of the season to the Ford Center. They will take on the expansion IceMen who are playing their first game back after the Christmas break.
WHO: Elmira Jackals - Ottawa/NHL & Binghamton/AHL (13-13-3) at Evansville IceMen - St. Louis & Columbus/NHL and Peoria & Springfield/AHL (11-17-3)
The Jackals are facing the IceMen tonight for the first of four meetings this season and first of two at Ford Ceenter. Evansville is the second expansion team the Jackals have faced this season and first North Division team outside of Cincinnati they have played. Evansville is 2-5-0 against the Atlantic with the wins over Wheeling and Reading. Evansville's 11 wins are fewest in the conference but has gone 5-3-2 over its last 10 games and has won five of its last six games at home. The IceMen roster features former Jackals Matt Gens and Jim McKenzie. McKenzie has four assists in seven games while Gens leads the club with 73 PIMs.
As a rookie last season, Artem Demkov endured a 20-game goal drought but still finished with 20. This season he has found a new level of consistency and is now three away from matching his rookie total. With a goal last Saturday in Wheeling, Demkov reached a new career best with a five-game goal streak and set a new high-water mark for the Jackals this season. His six goals during the streak have moved Demkov to a tie with Colorado's Michael Forney for third-most goals in the league with 17. He is also tied for second-most power play goals with seven and third-most game winning goals with four.