News release
26 March 2006
Roanoke, VA The Roanoke Valley Vipers scored three times in the third period as they beat the Elmira Jackals 6-5 Sunday afternoon at the Roanoke Civic Center.
Going into the game with only 12 healthy skaters and two goaltenders, the short-staffed Vipers put some early pressure on Elmira. But after a sluggish opening three minutes, the Jackals turned the tables. Chris Chaput put the Jackals on the board with a one-timer that zipped past goaltender Glenn Ridler at 4:46 of the first period. Chaputs 24th goal, and team leading 60th point, was set up by a great pass from Sam Paolini and Trevor Burgess. Elmira seized momentum and continued to dominate the play, out-shooting Roanoke 16-8 by periods end. Playing in the final game of her League-wide promotion to raise Colon Cancer Awareness, Molly McMaster earned her 14th UHL start. She also put her on the score sheet for the first time, earning a 10-minute misconduct at 1:00 of the period.
In the second period Mike Wiggins tied the game with a goal at 1:37, seemingly catch the visitors off guard. Elmira retook the lead at 6:20 when captain Trevor Burgess ripped a shot from the point off the goal post and in for a power play goal, assisted by Chaput and Flo Iberer. The Vipers then got two goals from Jan Jas, at 10:49 and 14:12, which put Roanoke ahead 3-2. The Jackals Captain continued to impress, scoring his second power play goal of the period at 16:04, assisted by Jason Sessa and Konstantin Kalmikov. The goal was Burgess 6th goal of the season, tying the game at three after forty minutes.
In the third period Roanoke scored three straight goals as they blew the game wide open. Mark Scott scored at 4:28 to regain the lead. Alex Jerofejevs shot in a power play goal at 9:18 to make it 5-3 Vipers. Then Mike Wiggins scored a short-handed goal at 10:41, extending Roanokes lead to 6-3. But Elmira made things interesting in the final five minutes. Konstantin Kalmikov snapped a wrist-shot past Ridler at 15:07, assisted by Burgess and Paolini to stop the bleeding. 33 seconds later Carl Drakensjo tipped home a pass from Kevin Cooper and all of a sudden it was 6-5. Cooper and Chaput assisted on Drakensjos 5th goal of the year, which came at 15:40 of the third period. Elmira pounded the Roanoke net in the final four minutes, but the Vipers narrowly clung to the lead, earning a 6-5 win.
Glenn Ridler got the win, making 33 saves on 38 shots in goal for Roanoke. Matt Meacham took the loss for Elmira, stopping 20-of-26 shots. Elmira was 2-for-5 on the power play; Roanoke finished 1-for-2.