News release
12 April 2012
Thursday, April 12, 2012The top-seeded Elmira Jackals advanced to the Eastern Conference Semifinals by defeating the Reading Royals in the opening round of the 2012 Kelly Cup Playoffs, three games to two. The Jackals will meet the fifth-seeded Florida Everblades in the best-of-seven second round of the postseason, with Elmira hosting Games 1 and 2 this Friday and Saturday at First Arena at 7:05 p.m. com.
EASTERN CONFERENCE QUARTERFINALS IN REVIEW
The Jackals, who had won 11 of 16 games against the Royals during the regular season, dropped the first two games of the best-of-five series, falling in Reading by scores of 4-1 and 4-2. Elmira mustered only one goal in the first five periods of the series, and despite a late rally in Game 2, the Jackals went back to Elmira for the final three contests of the series trailing, two games to none.
Elmira took advantage of being back at home for the final three games but had to fight until the very end in each contest to stay alive in the series and eventually advance to the next round.
In Game 3, Nick Dineen broke a 2-2 tie with the go-ahead goal with just 3:43 remaining in regulation, while Mike Radja and Rob Bellamy added late insurance tallies to seal the victory. Brian Stewart made 18 saves for the first of his three-straight victories.
After a scoreless opening two periods in Game 4, Matt Campanale put the Jackals on the board with the eventual game-winning strike at 7:34. Bellamy and Mario Larocque both scored empty-net goals in the final minute to help push the series to a fifth game. Stewart stopped all 28 shots for the first postseason shutout of his career and the third in Jackals' Kelly Cup Playoff history.
In the fifth and deciding game of the series, the Jackals and Royals battled through a back-and-forth final period. Elmira took a 1-0 lead into the third on a goal by Jean Bourbeau, but Denny Urban snapped in a shot from the top of the right circle 1:54 into the last period, tying the contest, 1-1. Artem Demkov pushed in a centering feed from Dustin Gazley at 7:20, but six minutes later, Yannick Tifu backhanded a puck in from the slot to even the score, 2-2. With just 3:21 left in the third, Corey Cowick took a free puck at center, skated to the right circle, and wristed it past the blocker of Mark Owuya, putting Elmira in front for good, 3-2. Cowick posted an empty-net goal with under 52 seconds left, giving the Jackals their second-ever playoff series win in Kelly Cup action. Stewart turned aside 27 shots in the win.
PREVIEWING THE EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS
Elmira will play Florida in the second round of the playoffs, hosting Games 1 and 2 this Friday and Saturday at First Arena and then Games 6 and 7 if necessary on Monday, Apr. 23 and Wednesday, Apr. 25. The Jackals went 4-2 against the Everblades during the regular season, with a 2-1 record both at home and on the road. Florida defeated fourth-seeded Greenville in the opening round of the playoffs, sweeping the Road Warriors in three games. The Jackals and the Everblades have met once previously in Kelly Cup Playoff action, as Florida defeated Elmira in five games in the 2010 American Conference Quarterfinals. The Everblades have made the playoffs in each of their 14 years in the ECHL, reaching the Kelly Cup Finals in back-to-back seasons in 2003-2004 and 2004-2005. The winner of the series will face the winner of the South Carolina/Kalamazoo series in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Below is the Jackals' Eastern Conference Semifinals schedule
Friday, Apr. 13, 7:05 p.m. - Elmira vs. Florida, First Arena, Game 1
Saturday, Apr. 14, 7:05 p.m. - Elmira vs. Florida, First Arena, Game 2
Monday, Apr. 16, 7:30 p.m. - Elmira at Florida, Germain Arena, Game 3
Wednesday, Apr. 18, 7:30 p.m. - Elmira at Florida, Germain Arena, Game 4
Friday, Apr. 20, 7:30 p.m. - Elmira at Florida, Germain Arena, Game 5 (if necessary)
Monday, Apr. 23, 7:05 p.m. - Elmira vs. Florida, First Arena, Game 6 (if necessary)
Wednesday, Apr. 25, 7:05 p.m. - Elmira vs. Florida, First Arena, Game 7 (if necessary)
The series win was Elmira's first since the Jackals defeated the Trenton Devils in seven games in the 2009 North Division Semifinals and was the second in its ECHL history. The Jackals have never won a game past the first round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs, as they were swept in the 2009 North Division Finals by the Cincinnati Cyclones. Elmira had lost three-straight playoff series before defeating Reading.
The Jackals are now a combined 28-11-0-0 at First Arena during the regular season and playoffs. Elmira's 25-11-0-0 record on home ice during the regular season set a franchise record in ECHL play. The Jackals have won four-straight home playoff games dating back to the 2011 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.
With its first-round series win, Elmira became the eighth team in ECHL history to win a best-of-five series after dropping the first two contests. The last team to do it was the 2007-2008 South Carolina Stingrays, who lost the first two games to the Augusta Lynx in the South Division Quarterfinals but prevailed, three games to two.
The Jackals have won three-straight playoff games for the first time in their playoff history. Elmira had strung together back-to-back wins just one time prior to prevailing in consecutive games and eventually three in-a-row against Reading this past series.
Artem Demkov was the only Jackal or Royal to register a point in all five games in the first-round series. Demkov scored two goals and added four assists for six points against Reading, and is tied for the team scoring lead with Dustin Gazley, who had a goal and five assists in the series.
Brian Stewart, who had a standout final few weeks of the regular season on his way to being named the ECHL's Goaltender of the Month for March, was red hot in the last three games of the series against the Royals. After making 23 saves in a Game 1 loss and sitting for Game 2, Stewart stopped 73 of 77 shots in the final three games combined and posted a shutout in Game 4. The Burnaby, British Columbia native became the third Jackals netminder to post a Kelly Cup Playoff shutout, joining Joel Martin and Michael-Lee Teslak in that department.