News release
22 February 2012
Elmira, N.Y. - The Elmira Jackals (31-19-2-2) earned their league-leading ninth win of the season when trailing after two periods and 20th comeback win overall on Wednesday night, marching back with four third-period goals to defeat the Greenville Road Warriors (31-19-2-2), 5-3, at First Arena. With the win, Elmira extended its lead in the Atlantic Division to three points over the Wheeling Nailers.
For the second-straight game, Elmira had to work its way back from a 2-0 deficit, as the Road Warriors connected twice on the power play in the first period. Sean Berkstresser snapped in a feed from Justin Bowers from the left circle past goaltender Brian Stewart, giving the Road Warriors the lead just nine seconds into their first man-advantage opportunity at 4:46. Jyri Niemi drove in a puck from the left point that deflected off of Stewart and in, as Greenville extended its lead to two goals at 18:11.
In a second-period dominated by the Jackals, who outshot the Road Warriors 21-4, Elmira cut its deficit in half. Rob Bellamy knocked in a centering feed from Wacey Hamilton at 17:46, as the Jackals made it 2-1 after 40 minutes.
John Kurtz stole a puck from Greenville's Francis Meilleur in the Road Warriors' end, skated toward netminder Jason Missiaen and snapped it over his glove, knotting the score up, 2-2, just 2:21 into the third.
Niemi fired a puck in from the center point that sailed through a screen and past Stewart's stick, as Greenville jumped back in front at 10:41, grabbing a 3-2 advantage.
Bellamy and the Jackals wasted no time in responding to the Road Warriors' go-ahead goal. The fourth-year pro stickhandled into the zone, fired a puck off the pad of Missiaen, and then put home the rebound to tie the game back up, 3-3, at 13:57.
Elmira took advantage of a late power-play opportunity to take its first lead of the night. With Greenville's Bretton Cameron in the penalty box for high sticking, Jordan Pietrus jammed in a puck past Missiaen from the bottom of the left circle, giving the Jackals the 4-3 edge at 18:34.
Jean Bourbeau, playing in his first game since Jan. 20 after a month-long stint on the injured reserve, bagged an empty-net goal from center ice at 19:13, sealing the game, 5-3. Dustin Gazley and Artem Demkov had assists on the play to extend their point streaks to 11 and nine games, respectively.
Stewart (18-10-1-0) turned back 21 of 24 shots in the winning effort. Missiaen's (13-11-0-2) 36 saves were not enough, as the rookie suffered his first loss since Feb. 9.
Elmira has recorded seven wins this season in which it trailed by two goals. The Jackals have recorded back-to-back wins in which they have trailed by two goals and have faced a deficit entering the third period. The game was Elmira's first against Greenville since the Road Warriors eliminated the Jackals in the first round of the 2011 Kelly Cup Playoffs. The four-goal third period was the second for the Jackals this season and tied a club season high for goals in a period. Gazley has six goals and nine assists for 15 points during his 11-game point streak. Demkov has three goals and six assists for nine points during his nine-game point streak. The Jackals and Road Warriors are tied for the Eastern Conference lead with 31 wins