News release
30 January 2011
Despite a dramatic comeback effort on Sunday afternoon at First Arena, the Elmira Jackals (19-18-5-0) fell to the Reading Royals (26-11-2-3), 6-5.
The Royals exploded in the first period for four goals with Andrew Sarauer collecting a pair on his way to being named the game's first star.
Sarauer scored on a backhand on the power play at 3:44 of the first to put Reading up 1-0. Antoine Roussel wristed in a puck from the high slot just 15 seconds later to make it 2-0, while Casey Haines deflected a Chris Blight shot in at 5:06 for the 3-0 Royals' lead. Jackals goaltender Marco Cousineau was replaced by Peter Skoggard moments later, but Sarauer scored again at 10:02 to make it 4-0 after one period. Cousineau came back in to replace Skoggard late in the first.
A.J. Perry scored on a penalty shot at 4:45 of the second period to give the Jackals their first goal of the game. Moments later, however, Blight wristed a puck in from the low, right circle past the stick of Cousineau to put Reading up, 5-1. Cousineau was then replaced permanently by Skoggard. John Scrymgeour finished off a two-on-one with Rob Slaney by golfing a bouncing puck in from the right circle to put Reading up 6-1 at 13:54.
R.J. Anderson started Elmira's rally with a power-play goal at 18:19 of the second to make it 6-2 after two periods. In the third, Justin Donati and Yannick Tifu scored moments apart while short handed on the same penalty to bring Elmira to within a pair of goals. Donati stole a puck in the slot and drove it in to make it 6-3 at 5:50, while Tifu knocked in a loose puck in front at 7:17 to bring Elmira to within 6-4. The Jackals now lead the league with 11 short-handed goals.
With the goaltender pulled late, Anderson's blue line shot was redirected past Royals goaltender Michael Hutchinson by Brock McBride for the Jackals' fifth goal, but a late scramble in front was not enough for Elmira to tie the game, and the Royals won 6-5.
Skoggard was credited with the loss in his ECHL debut, making 16 saves. Hutchinson captured the win with a 39-save effort.
The Jackals head out west for a six-game road trip before returning to First Arena on Feb. 16.