Elmira Jackals Weekly

January 7, 2013 - ECHL (ECHL)
Elmira Jackals News Release


ELMIRA, N.Y. - January 7, 2012 - Last week the Elmira Jackals won three of four games against Atlantic Division foes to move into second place in the division. This week affords them a lighter workload with only a pair of games against the Evansville IceMen on the slate.

Last Week's Record: 3-1-0

Overall Record: 17-15-3, 37 pts., 2nd Place Atlantic Division

Leaders:

Goals - Artem Demkov: 20

Assists - Dustin Gazley: 27

Points - Dustin Gazley: 37

+/- - Kyle Bushee/Jordon Southorn: +8

PIMs - Kevin Harvey: 71

PPG - Artem Demkov: 7

SHG - Jack Downing/Louie Caporusso: 1

Wins - Marc Cheverie: 9

GAA - Marc Cheverie: 2.77

SVP - Marc Cheverie: .913

Previewing the Upcoming Week:

1/11 & 1/12 vs. Evansville - 7:05 p.m., Home vs. EVN 0-0-0, Away vs. EVN 1-0-0

This weekend's pair of home games will put the Jackals three quarters of the way through their season series with the IceMen. After the Jackals made their first-ever trip to Evansville to play the expansion IceMen on December 28, the newcomers return the favor with their first trip to First Arena this weekend. The Jackals fought back from a 2-0 first period deficit for a 6-3 win over Evansville in their first meeting. Elmira enters this week flying high offensively and averaging 4.4 goals per game over its last seven (5-2-0). That is significant because the Jackals are facing an Evansville team that has given up the most goals in the Eastern Conference, second most in the league, at 135 (3.6 per game). The IceMen, ECHL affiliate of the St. Louis Blues and Columbus Blue Jackets, went 2-1-0 last week with wins over Orlando and Cincinnati. They are led by Josh Beaulieu on offense (14G, 17A) and Paul Karpowich in goal (5-7-1, 3.30 GAA, .896 SVP).

Jackals Broadcast Information

All Elmira Jackals broadcasts are carried on WEHH AM 1600 and FM 93.9. Fans can also access live streaming of the broadcast online on their computer, smartphone, or tablet at www.1600wehh.com . America One provides pay-per-view internet TV broadcasts of all Jackals games as well. Check out how you can watch the Jackals on America One by clicking here. All Jackals broadcasts begin 10 minutes prior to faceoff with "The Jackals Pre-Game Show."

Recapping Last Week:

12/31 at Wheeling: W 3-2

The Jackals closed out 2012 with a thrilling win over division rival Wheeling last Monday. Goaltender Maxime Clermont, who celebrated his 21st birthday that night, was the backbone of the win with a 43-save performance in goal. Elmira had a brief 1-0 lead midway through the first on Jack Downing's 11th goal of the year, but Wheeling answered back less than two minutes later and picked up the tying goal from Luke Pither. Wheeling went ahead for the first, and only, time in the game when Andrew Hotham banged home a power play goal just past the six-minute mark of the second. Elmira's Jordan Pietrus finished off a pretty pass from Kevin Harvey to knot the score a few minutes later and he was followed up by Downing's second of the game with 1:38 left in the middle frame. That set the scene for a dramatic third that saw Wheeling send 18 shots Clermont's way. But even with the goalie pulled for the extra attacker the Nailers could not fight back to tie the score.

1/4 vs. Reading: W 5-3

Elmira entered Friday night with losses in four straight games against Reading, but timely goal scoring, a healthy dose of toughness, and the steady play of goalie Maxime Clermont was the recipe to end that skid. Darren Kramer fought twice in the first period, to the delight of the crowd, and also logged the primary assist on Rob Bellamy's opening goal just over 10 minutes into the game. With time winding down in the first, and on the Jackals' power play, Jean Bourbeau slammed home a rebound to extend the lead to two. Midway through the second, Jack Downing crashed the net to slam home a rebound and the Jackals found themselves up by three. But Reading started to chip away and received goals from Barry Almeida and Matt Pope in the late stages of the second to get within one before the third started. But with just eight seconds left in the second Dustin Gazley scored what proved to be the winning goal by swatting home the rebound of an Andrew Rowe shot. Almeida's second of the game dragged Reading within one just before the third was five minutes old, but Clermont, and the Jackals defense, shut the door from there. Downing added an empty-net goal for insurance with nine seconds to play.

1/5 at Reading: L 4-6

The Jackals were in Reading for the first time since an OT loss on November 14 and they picked up right where they left off the night before. In the first 9:08 of the game Elmira received goals from Jordon Southorn, Artem Demkov, and Jean Bourbeau to open up a 3-0 lead. Demkov's goal chased Reading starter Sergey Kostenko and brought on 10-year veteran Drew McIntyre in relief. The switch paid off for the Royals because they logged a pair of goals shortly after to put the pressure back on the Jackals. An early power play goal in the second by Kirk MacDonald pulled Reading even with Elmira at three, but Bourbeau netted his second of the game 1:13 later and lifted Elmira back in front. Unfortunately that was all the offense Elmira would muster on the night and Reading scored three more to skate away with the victory. Dannick Paquette potted the eventual game winner at 3:02 of the third period while Reading was up a man. Clermont shouldered the loss which broke his four game winning streak.

1/6 vs. Trenton: W 4-3

Elmira was winless in its prior two finales of three-in-threes (0-1-1) and Sunday against Trenton looked like it might be the third straight based on early returns. After failing to register a shot on its first power play of the game, Elmira surrendered a pair of first-period power play goals to the Titans and trailed 2-0. Despite launching 18 shots in the first, Trenton could not beat Marc Cheverie again, which loomed large late. Artem Demkov, after having his first try blocked, reloaded and whipped a wrist shot past Trenton's Scott Wedgewood at 18:13 of the first to put Elmira on the board. A carry-over power play into the early stages of the second produced the tying goal for the Jackals thanks to a Danny New backhander from close range. The goal came 28 seconds in, but the pace of play evened out for a while from there until Trenton's Shane Harper broke the stalemate at 14:32. It capped a three-point night for Harper (1G, 2A) who was finishing his first week with the Titans after coming down from AHL Adirondack. From there, though, the Jackals' top line kicked it into high gear and produced a late second period goal to knot the score. Andrew Rowe finished off a rush from close range with 1:24 left in the period. The momentum carried over into the third and Demkov's second of the night 38 seconds in proved to be the game winner. Cheverie turned in several quality saves over the last minute-plus as the Jackals were shorthanded and Trenton pulled Wedgewood for a 6-on-4 skater advantage. "The Numbers Line" had a hand in every goal led by Demkov (2G, 2A) while Rowe (1G, 2A) and Gazley (3A) each had three point nights.

Quick Hits:

* Artem Demkov is nominated for ECHL Player of the Week after logging 3G, 3A in three games last week. His four point effort (2G, 2A) on Sunday against Trenton tied Dustin Gazley's four assist game for the highest single-game total by a Jackal this season.

* Friday begins a stretch of four consecutive games for the Jackals against the North Division. They are 3-2-0 against the North with a 2-1-0 mark on the road and a 1-1-0 record at home. Evansville is the first North Division team to visit Elmira since Cincinnati on October 26 and 27.

* The Jackals' 117 goals are the fifth most in the Eastern Conference and their 3.34 goals-per-game average is third best in the East. They are averaging 4.4 goals per game over their last seven and have built a 5-2-0 record on the strength of that attack.

* Jack Downing has been a go big or go home type of scorer for the Jackals this season. Of the last 10 games in which he has registered a point six have been multiple point efforts and five of those have been three point games. He leads the team in three point nights with five.

* The Jackals are at their most dangerous offensively in the second period. Their 47 second period goals are the third most in the ECHL. Something will have to give this weekend because Evansville is at its defensive best in the second. Only eight teams have given up fewer than the IceMen's 36 goals.

Upcoming Events:

January 11, 7:05 p.m. - Jackals vs. Evansville Icemen. Affordable Friday. Hot dogs, popcorn, and soda will be on sale for $2 each. Click here for tickets.

January 12, 7:05 p.m. - Jackals vs. Evansville Icemen. Rally Towel Giveaway to the first 1,000 fans in attendance. Click here for tickets.

January 18, 7:05 p.m. - Jackals vs. Trenton Titans. ZOOperstars! Come out to enjoy the world's greatest live sports entertainment act. Click here for tickets.

January 27, 7:05 p.m. - Jackals vs. Trenton Titans. Post-Game Skate With the Jackals. Click here for tickets.



ECHL Stories from January 7, 2013


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