News release
21 December 2011
Wednesday, December 21, 2011Elmira Jackals (15-11-0-0) at Wheeling Nailers (15-9-0-0)
The Elmira Jackals and the Wheeling Nailers battle for first place in the Atlantic Division when they meet up at WesBanco Arena at 7:05 p.m. Elmira and Wheeling enter the action tied atop the division with 30 points each. The Jackals are 0-2-0-0 against the Nailers this season, dropping two prior decisions against the Nailers in West Virginia. Elmira comes off of a 4-3 victory in Kalamazoo on Saturday, a game in which rookie Louie Caporusso registered his first-career hat trick and added an assist for four points. The Nailers silenced the Chicago Express at home on Sunday in their last outing, 4-1.
The Jackals' penalty kill shut down the top power play in the ECHL on Saturday, holding the K-Wings scoreless on six chances. Kalamazoo entered the game with a 25.7% conversion rate. The Jackals were 5/5 in Chicago on Friday, going 11/11 on the weekend. With the impeccable performance, which included a short-handed goal against the Express, the Jackals jumped to fifth in the league on the penalty kill at 84.1%.
Since falling to the Reading Royals at home on Nov. 11, 5-4, the Jackals have reeled off seven-straight wins in games decided by one goal. Elmira is 8-3-0-0 in one-goal contests after starting off the 2011-2012 campaign 1-3-0-0. The Jackals' eight one-goal victories are the most in the Eastern Conference and second only to Utah (11) in the ECHL.