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Elmira Jackals Weekly

January 27, 2014 - ECHL (ECHL)
Elmira Jackals News Release


ELMIRA, N.Y. - January 27, 2014 - This week the Elmira Jackals look to close out a four-game home stand on a high note when they welcome a North Division foe to First Arena. Immediately after that game they will depart for a 10-day road trip that will take them to nearly every team in the North.

Last Week's Record: 1-3-0

Overall Record: 13-22-4; third place Atlantic Division, 12th place Eastern Conference

Leaders:

Goals - Rob Bellamy: 12

Assists - Mike Vaskivuo: 24

Points - Mike Vaskivuo: 34

+/- - Mike Vaskivuo: +6

PIMs - Jordan Pietrus: 51

PPG - X Artem Demkov/Mike Vaskivuo: 3

SHG - Jordan Pietrus: 2

Wins - Scott Greenham/Maxime Clermont: 6

GAA - Neil Conway: 1.20

SVP - Neil Conway: .963

X not on active roster

Previewing the Upcoming Week:

1/29 vs. Kalamazoo - 7:05 p.m., Home vs. KAL 1-1-1, Away vs. KAL 0-0-0

The Jackals and Wings played a memorable three game series at First Arena in late November that saw the Jackals claim three of a possible six standings points. Two of the three games were decided by one goal (including Elmira's third period come-from-behind 2-1 win on November 24) and the average margin of victory was just 1.33. The Wings enter play this week third place in the North Division and seventh in the Eastern Conference with a 22-15-3 record. Eric Kattelus paces the Wings' attack in goals (14), assists (19), points (33), and plus/minus (+19), while rookie goalie Jordan Binnington has been the workhorse with 22 appearances and a 13-8-1 record.

1/31 at Fort Wayne - 8:05 p.m., Home vs. FTW 3-2-0, Away vs. FTW 1-0-0

With the conclusion of last weekend's three-in-three the Komets have comprised 80% of Elmira's schedule over the last five games. Friday's matchup will be the fifth meeting between the clubs in Elmira's last seven games and will close out the seven game season series. Elmira claimed a winning record in the series thanks to Sunday's 4-1 win at First Arena. The Jackals are averaging 3.5 goals per game against the Komets this season and can look to a pair of familiar sources for offense on Friday. After a three-point effort (2 goals, 1 assist) against his former team last Sunday, Mike Vaskivuo now has seven points (3 goals, 4 assists) in three games against Fort Wayne. Danny Hobbs, meanwhile, has touched up the Komets to the tune of nine points (6 goals, 3 assists) in six contests.

2/1 at Toledo - 7:15 p.m., Home vs. TOL 0-0-0, Away vs. TOL 0-0-0

Over the last two seasons no Eastern Conference team has appeared fewer times on Elmira's schedule than Toledo. Saturday's meeting will be just the second between the Jackals and Walleye since the start of the 2012-13 campaign. Elmira dropped a 4-1 decision in Toledo last season and saw their overall record against the Walleye slip to 8-6-2. Elmira enters play this week one point ahead of the Walleye in the Eastern Conference standings, and each team is an identical 4-6-0 over its last ten games. Toledo could afford Elmira an opportunity to get its offense in high gear because the Walleye have surrendered the most goals (142) in the Eastern Conference. David Gilbert is Toledo's top scorer with 21 points (9 goals, 12 assists) in 26 games while Hannu Toivonen is the goaltending leader with a 7-8-0 record.

Day-by-Day Schedule:

1/27/14 - Off

1/28/14 - Practice at First Arena, 10:30 a.m.

"Jackals Insider" Presented by Simmons-Rockwell live radio show at SplitRock Brewing

Company, 7:00 - 7:30 p.m.

1/29/14 - Pregame Skate at First Arena, 10:00 a.m.

Jackals vs. Wings, 7:05 p.m.

Depart for Fort Wayne Immediately After the Game

1/30/14 - Practice at Memorial Coliseum, 12:30 p.m.

1/31/14 - Pregame Skate at Memorial Coliseum, 11:00 a.m.

Jackals at Komets, 8:05 p.m.

2/1/14 - Pregame Skate at Huntington Center, 11:00 a.m.

Jackals at Walleye, 7:15 p.m.

2/2/14 - Off

Times on the day-by-day schedule are subject to change. For media members planning to cover practices please call or email Ray Schmitt in advance to confirm times.

Jackals Broadcast Information

All Elmira Jackals broadcasts are carried on WGMM 98.7 FM. Fans can also access live streaming of the broadcast online on their computer, smartphone, or tablet at www.jackalshockey.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 15 minutes prior to faceoff with the "Snap Fitness Pregame Show."

Recapping Last Week:

1/20 at Reading: L 2-3

Mike Vaskivuo potted a pair of special teams goals (one penalty shot and one power play) but that was all the offense Elmira could muster against the Royals. Reading jumped out to a 1-0 lead on the first shot of the game 33 seconds into the contest and never looked back from there.

1/24 vs. Fort Wayne: L 3-4

Elmira was unable to extend its home winning streak against Fort Wayne to five games despite a two-goal effort from Danny Hobbs. The Jackals battled back from deficits of 1-0 and 2-1 to hold an early third period lead at 3-2, but the lead dissolved on a pair of goals in response by the Komets. Brad Phillips made his Jackals debut one day after being claimed off waivers from Gwinnett and stopped 29 shots.

1/25 vs. Fort Wayne: L 0-4

A problem with the ice surface delayed the start of Saturday's game by an hour and 41 minutes. When the game started up the Komets got the drop on the Jackals with a goal by Brandon Marino 6:20 into the contest and never looked back. The Jackals outshot Fort Wayne 33-25 for the game but Komets goalie Ben Meisner turned away each one for his second shutout of the season.

1/26 vs. Fort Wayne: W 4-1

The Jackals snapped out of their offensive funk thanks to a three-point effort (2 goals, 1 assist) by Mike Vaskivuo, and goalie Neil Conway swatted away 35 shots for the win in his first ECHL start. Elmira broke open a 2-1 game late in the second period with goals 37 seconds apart by Jake Trask and Rob Bellamy. Trasks' goal was his first in the ECHL while Bellamy netted his team-leading 12th.

Quick Hits:

* Friday's game at Fort Wayne starts Elmira's second five-game road trip this season. It is tied with the trip from November 2 to 8 for the longest in terms of games, but is the longest in terms of days with the team on the road from January 30 until returning home on February 9 (10 days). At the conclusion of the trip Elmira will play 13 of its next 16 games at home over a 34-day span.

* Mike Vaskivuo's three-point game on Sunday moved his season point total to 34 (10 goals, 24 assists) and placed him in a tie for the 10th-best point total in the league. In just nine games with the Jackals he has matched his goal total (5) from his time with Fort Wayne (23 games). Vaskivuo has registered at least one point in six of the nine games he has played for Elmira and five of those have been multi-point efforts.

* Elmira had a string of 12 consecutive home games without a power play goal allowed (39-for-39) snapped on Saturday versus Fort Wayne. The Jackals bounced back to go 5-for-5 the next game and remain atop the ECHL in home penalty kill at 93.5 percent. Kalamazoo has been the best PP team at First Arena this year at 25 percent (2-for-8). The Wings have scored exactly half of the power play goals Elmira has allowed at home this year, and both were scored by Sam Ftorek.

* Neil Conway earned his first ECHL win in his first ECHL start on January 26 with 35 saves against Fort Wayne. It was also the first North American pro win for Conway since he stopped 31 shots as a member of the Quad City Mallards on March 24, 2013 vs. Bloomington. Conway had begun his second pro season with the Nottingham Panthers of the Elite Ice Hockey League.



ECHL Stories from January 27, 2014


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