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Chiefs Lash Jackals

December 10, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Johnstown Chiefs News Release


JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - The Johnstown Chiefs reeled off three third-period goals en route to a 4-2 victory over Elmira Wednesday night.

The victory was Johnstown's second over Elmira this season, and improved the Chiefs to an ECHL-best 18-6-1.

After Pierre-Luc Faubert scored a quick goal for Elmira just over one minute in, the Chiefs went on the attack. Johnstown's offense, boosted by the return of Ryan Garlock and the arrival of former Yale Bulldog Blair Yaworski, kept Elmira netminder Mitch O'Keefe busy with a total of 14 shots on goal in the first. Garlock and Randy Rowe were both denied at close range to keep the Jackals in front.

Chiefs goaltender Kris Mayotte put on a show of his own in the first frame. The Pittsburgh native faced 11 shots and stopped ten of them, including four in the opening two minutes and one on an uncontested shot from the slot by Josh Aspenlind, nimbly turned aside by the left pad.

Elmira began the second period on the power play, but it was Johnstown who came out attacking, forcing O'Keefe to make a lunging save on Petr Pohl to maintain the Jackals' 1-0 advantage.

But the lead would not last long. Seven minutes in, after Mike Bartlett's drive to the net and a rebound chance for Alex Penner, Yaworski cashed in on the third effort for his first career goal as a professional. The goal knotted the game at one, and swung the momentum in the Chiefs' favor.

Moments later, Randy Rowe narrowly missed putting Johnstown ahead, bouncing a shot off the crossbar. It was one of several instances when the Chiefs beat O'Keefe but found iron behind him.

Although Elmira out-shot Johnstown for the second period, the Chiefs' defense kept the Jackals largely to outside shots, and Mayotte denied Steve Yetman on a chance from the right circle on Elmira's best scoring chance of the period.

In the third frame, the Chiefs offense exploded. Nearly five minutes in, Mike Sgroi, playing in his first home game of the season, took a rebound from an errant Rowe shot along the half wall and ripped it by O'Keefe. Sgroi's second goal of the season put Johnstown ahead 2-1.

Minutes later, Ryan Del Monte gave Johnstown a two-goal lead when he slipped a backhand between O'Keefe's legs. His fifth tally of the season chased O'Keefe and brought Bryan Bridges between the pipes.

The goaltending change briefly pumped life into the Jackals, as just one minute later Aspenlind intercepted a pass shorthanded and beat Mayotte on a breakaway to cut the lead to 3-2. The Chiefs' offensive onslaught continued, though, and with 6:38 to play Andy Contois buried Pohl's centering pass for his third of the season and a late two-goal advantage.

Elmira pulled Bridges for the extra attacker but managed only two more shots, and the Chiefs had their fourth win in five games.



ECHL Stories from December 10, 2008


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