News release
12 March 2011
Elmira, N.Y. - The Elmira Jackals (29-24-6-2) dropped a 2-1 decision in a shootout on Saturday night to the Gwinnett Gladiators (29-26-2-5) at First Arena in front of 4,106 fans. Elmira's 11th sellout crowd of the season saw the Jackals take a point from the game and move into sole possession of sixth place in the Eastern Conference standings.
Justin Donati scored Elmira's league-leading 15th short-handed goal in the first period to put the Jackals on the board. A.J. Perry fed Donati from the Jackals end to center ice, putting him on a breakaway. Donati's forehand, backhand deke beat Gladiators netminder Chris Carrozzi stick side, giving the Jackals the 1-0 lead at 9:39. Donati is tied for the league lead with four short-handed goals and has 85 points, the most in the ECHL.
Gwinnett's Michael Forney drove a puck through a screen and over the stick of Marco Cousineau to give the Gladiators a power-play goal for the eighth-straight game, tying the score 1-1 at 15:37 of the first.
The teams went through the second, third, and overtime periods without a goal. In the shootout, the Gladiators received goals from Pat Galivan and Forney as they earned their fifth shootout win of the season.
Cousineau, who fell to 19-12-4-1 with a 36-save effort, upped his save percentage on the season to.901. Carrozzi improved to 16-14-1-4 with 31 saves on 32 shots.
With Wheeling falling to Kalamazoo in regulation, the Jackals snuck in front of the Nailers for sole possession of sixth place in the conference by earning their 66th point of the season.
Elmira heads to Trenton to take on the Devils on Sunday at 4:00 p.m.