News release
26 December 2004
Elmira, NY The Elmira Jackals hopes of winning two straight games for the first time since early November were dashed by the Danbury Trashers who came to the First Arena and earned a 5-3 victory Sunday night.
After a disallowed goal ruled to have been kicked in by Jackals center Eddy Lowe, Elmira did finally strike first at 8:28 as Nathan Gillies scored, assisted by Darren Van Oene and Bryan Cummings. The Trashers responded exactly two minutes later with a goal by Blake Bellefeuille, but Lowe had the answer and this time it counted, making it 2-1 Jackals at 13:18 from Dean Jackson and Greg Koehler.
However the Connecticut garbage haulers went to work and scored three consecutive goals during a four-minute stretch of the second period. Nic Bilotto scored unassisted at 4:05; Brian Herbert made it 3-2 Danbury at 4:39; and then Jeff Daw scored the eventual game-winning goal at 7:59 from Brent Gretzky for a 4-2 Trashers lead. Gillies scored his second of the night at 17:27 from Van Oene and George Pujacs to bring Elmira close again.
But the third period would be goalless until 19:41 when Gretzky tapped in an empty-net goal to finish off the Jackals.
Back up goaltender Guillaume Lavallee earned his fourth win of the season while stopping 30-of-33 shots, starting for the flu-ridden Scott Stirling. Greg Hewitt took the loss; making 25 saves on 30 Danbury shots.
The Jackals are back in action on New Years Eve, Friday December 31st in Glens Falls, NY against the Adirondack Frostbite for a 7:00 pm face off. Elmira will then return home for a New Years Day game for a 7:30 pm tilt with Adirondack at the First Arena.