News release
14 February 2012
Tuesday, February 14, 2012Elmira, N.Y. - Dustin Gazley's second goal of the game at 2:45 of overtime on Tuesday night gave the Elmira Jackals (28-17-2-2) a 3-2 victory over the Wheeling Nailers (28-16-3-2) at First Arena.
Cody Chupp finished off a breakaway set up by Ben Farrer by firing a puck past Timo Pielmeier's glove side, as the Nailers took a 1-0 advantage at 13:49 of the opening period.
Gazley blasted in a one-timer into the net from the left circle, sneaking the puck past Peter Delmas' blocker at 17:19 for a power-play goal to tie the game, 1-1.
Although the Jackals were unable to convert on a five-on-three power play in the second period, they took advantage of a second opportunity in the third. Josh Godfrey fired in his first goal as a Jackal from the high slot to put Elmira in front for the first time at 10:25, 2-1.
Wheeling battled back, keeping the puck in the zone with 10 seconds remaining in regulation. Moments later, Denver Manderson rang in a shot from the left circle past Timo Pielmeier's stick, tying the contest, 2-2, and forcing overtime at 19:53.
Matt Campanale sprung Gazley to the zone just past the halfway point of the sudden-death period. Gazley took the puck through the left circle and then jammed it from the goal line off of Delmas and in, giving Elmira the extra point.
Pielmeier (10-7-1-2) stopped 28 shots for his first ECHL win since Jan. 21. Delmas (12-6-1-0) suffered his first overtime defeat of the season, making 22 saves.
The game was the second-straight between the two teams in which one team tied the game with under 10 seconds left to force overtime, as Elmira scored with two seconds left on Feb. 3 in Wheeling, falling eventually in a shootout, 4-3. Gazley extended his point streak to six games (4g-4a), Mario Larocque extended his to four games (0g-5a), Artem Demkov extended his to four games (1g-3a).The sudden-death win was Elmira's first since Dec. 21 and first on home ice since Nov. 26. The Jackals are now 4-2 in overtime and 8-2 in shootouts this season for an overall record of 14-4 past regulation. Elmira has scored multiple power-play goals in consecutive contests for the first time this season. During the first intermission, Jackals fans Melissa McCool and Michael Ward were married on the First Arena ice