Jackals Back Home for First Time in Three Weeks
December 22, 2016 - ECHL (ECHL)
Elmira Jackals News Release
Game 25: Elmira Jackals (6-14-4-0) vs. Adirondack Thunder (14-6-2-3)
7:05 p.m., First Arena, Elmira, New York
The Jackals play their first home game since Dec. 2 as they play the fourth game of the season series against the Adirondack Thunder. The Thunder have won two of the first three matches between the clubs, but it's the first head-to-head match since Oct. 29, in what was the final game of three straight games between the teams.
The Thunder have points in seven of their last 10 games (5-3-1-1), but they have alternated wins and losses over their last five games, including their first shutout loss of the season last Saturday against Brampton. Adirondack had a scheduled game Tuesday against Reading postponed, so they'll head into the Christmas break after tomorrow's match in Reading.
The Jackals finished a six-game road trip with back-to-back losses in Manchester last weekend, falling to 1-4-1-0 on the three-city venture. With points in six of their last 10 games (4-4-2-0), the Jackals are 6-14-4-0 on the season and have 16 points, which puts them in sixth in the North Division. Elmira hosts Manchester tomorrow night in the final game before the Christmas break.
Broadcast Coverage
Jackals Pregame at 6:50 p.m. Radio: 1410 WELM
Last time out
The Manchester Monarchs broke a 1-1 tie with back-to-back second period goals to sweep a weekend set against the Jackals with a 4-2 win Dec. 17 at SNHU Arena.
Daniel Ciampini got the Monarchs on the board early, snapping a shot in from the right circle just 5:51 into the first period to give the Monarchs a 1-0 lead. The Jackals tied the game in the second period when Justin Kea received a breakaway pass and scored from between the circle 7:49 into the middle frame, tying the score 1-1. Manchester got back-to-back goals five minutes apart to take the lead again. First it was Jordan LaVallee-Smotherman from the left circle at 12:33 then Kevin Morris from the right circle at 17:06, giving the Monarchs a 3-1 lead.
The Jackals had a strong third period, but couldn't mount a comeback and Manchester iced the game with a 200-foot empty-net goal from Alexx Privitera . Cole Martin capped the scoring with his first goal as a Jackal to make it a 4-2 final.
Oh, brother
Tonight's match will be the first pro matchup between the Jackals' Matt Lane and the Thunder's Phil Lane. Matt, 22, joined the Jackals from the Rochester Americans Nov. 25, a month after these two teams played three games in a row, so he did not face Phil earlier this season.
Phil, 24, has spent the entire season with Adirondack after playing the last four years in the AHL with Portland and Springfield. The older of the two brothers was a second-round pick of the Phoenix Coyotes in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.
The brothers grew up in the Rochester area and Matt played college hockey at Boston University while Phil played in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the Brampton Battalion.
Milestones
Benjamin Dieude-Fauvel skated in his 200th ECHL game Dec. 16 vs. Manchester. 135 of his 201 ECHL games have come with the Jackals, where he has recorded 31 of his 50 career ECHL points. He skated for Elmira in back-to-back seasons in 2011-12 and 2012-13.
Dieude-Fauvel's defensive partner, Guy Leboeuf, is in line to skate in his 150th ECHL game this Friday against the Monarchs .
Back home
Thursday, the Jackals will play their first home game in nearly three weeks when they host the Adirondack Thunder. Elmira just completed a season-high six-game road trip, including games against the Brampton Beast, Florida Everblades and Manchester Monarchs, going 1-4-1-0. They are 2-8-3-0 away from First Arena.
At home the Jackals have points in five of their 11 home games, with a 4-6-1-0 record. They are 3-0-1-0 in their last four home games and their goal differential at home is -6 compared to -22 on the road.
Scouting the Thunder
Adirondack has alternated wins and losses in their last five games, going 2-2-1-0 in that stretch. After losing two games in a three-in-three with Brampton last week, the Thunder are 14-6-2-3 and have 33 points, which places them in third place in the North Division, five points behind Manchester.
Ty Loney leads the Thunder in scoring with 26 points (11g, 15a) in 25 games. He has scored a team-high three first goals this season. Peter MacArthur is second with 19 points (8g, 11a) in 22 games. The Thunder, who were shut out for the first time this season Saturday night against Brampton, are eighth in the ECHL at 3.48 goals per game.
The Thunder rank fifth in the league at 2.84 goals against per game, allowing 71 goals in 25 games. Four goalies have seen time in the Adirondack net, led by Mason McDonald's 15 appearances. He is 8-4-1-2 with a 2.65 goals-against average and an .897 save percentage. J.P. Anderson has played in two games since being acquired in a trade from the Wheeling Nailers Dec. 7 and is 1-0-0-0 with a 2.75 goals-against average and an .886 save percentage .
Head-to-head
Tonight is the fourth of 10 matches between the Jackals and Thunder this season, but the first since three straight games at the end of October. The Thunder have outscored the Jackals 9-4 overall, winning back-to-back games after the Jackals won the first match in a shootout.
Both teams have scored two power-play goals in the series, with the Jackals at 2-for-10 and the Thunder at 2-for-9. Mikkel Aagaard leads the season series with four points (1g, 3a) in three games. Phil Lane (3g) and Alex Wall (1g, 2a) are next with three points against Elmira. In net, Mason McDonald made one start and allowed two goals in a win against the Jackals.
For the Jackals, Mike Radja is the only active player with multiple points against the Thunder, adding two assists . In goal, Andy Iles has started two of the three games against the Thunder, allowing seven goals in a pair of losses.
Special teams
The Thunder are ranked seventh in the ECHL on the power play, going 20-for-96 (20.8%) and only five teams have scored more power-play goals than Adirondack . They are tied for the best percentage on the road at 25.0%, scoring 11 power-play goals on 44 opportunities.
The Jackals power play went 0-for-19 in the last four games and are 1-for-25 in the last six games . Prior to that, the Jackals were in a 4-for-8 run over three games. They are 18th in the ECHL at 15.8% (12-for-76), but they have the third-best power play at home at 24.1% (7-for-29).
Adirondack's penalty kill is 21st in the ECHL at 80.5%, allowing 17 power-play goals in 87 shorthanded situations . The Thunder are 20th away from the Glens Falls Civic Center at 77.1%.
After last weekend, Elmira's penalty kill is 34-for-39 (87.2%) over the last eight games, moving to 17th in the ECHL at 83.1%, allowing 14 power-play goals in 83 shorthanded scenarios.
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Upcoming Games:
Thursday, December 22th: Elmira Jackals vs. Adirondack Thunder - 7:05 p.m.
Friday, December 23rd: Elmira Jackals vs. Manchester Monarchs - 7:05 p.m.
Wednesday, December 28th: Elmira Jackals at Reading Royals - 7:00 p.m.
Friday, December 30th: Elmira Jackals vs. Norfolk Admirals - 7:05 p.m.
Saturday, December 31st: Elmira Jackals at Wheeling Nailers - 6:05 p.m.
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