Elmira Jackals Weekly

Published on February 17, 2014 under ECHL (ECHL)
Elmira Jackals News Release


ELMIRA, N.Y. - February 17, 2014 - The Elmira Jackals have five games remaining in February and each one is a showdown with an Atlantic Division foe. This week the fun begins with a three-in-three at home against the Wheeling Nailers. Four of Elmira's next five games, overall, are against Wheeling at First Arena.

Last Week's Record: 1-1-1

Overall Record: 19-23-6; third place Atlantic Division, 11th place Eastern Conference

Leaders:

Goals - Mike Vaskivuo: 15

Assists - Mike Vaskivuo: 29

Points - Mike Vaskivuo: 44

+/- - Mike Vaskivuo: +11

PIMs - Jordan Pietrus: 66

PPG - Artem Demkov/Mike Vaskivuo: 4

SHG - Jordan Pietrus: 2

Wins - Scott Greenham: 8

GAA - Neil Conway: 1.76

SVP - Neil Conway: .949

X not on active roster

Previewing the Upcoming Week:

2/21, 2/22, and 2/23 vs. Wheeling - 7:05 p.m., 7:05 p.m., & 4:05 p.m. Home vs. WHL 1-2-0, Away vs. WHL 1-3-2

Elmira and Wheeling have shown a penchant for playing extremely close games this season. With Wheeling's shootout win last Saturday the Jackals and Nailers have played three consecutive overtime/shootout games (Elmira has won one, Wheeling two), and now have had six of their prior nine games decided by one goal. Wheeling has won five of the one-game goals to Elmira's one. This week's three-in-three starts a stretch where Elmira plays four home games in a row (including February 28) against Wheeling, while the Nailers face off against Elmira in four straight from Feb. 21 to Feb. 28. The only break the Jackals get from the Nailers in the next 12 days is a visit to Reading on January 26. It is a crucial portion of the schedule for the Jackals because they enter play this week trailing Wheeling by 10 points in the Eastern Conference standings with two games in hand.

Day-by-Day Schedule:

2/17/14 - Off for "All-Star" Break

2/18/14 - Off for "All-Star" Break

"Jackals Insider" Presented by Simmons-Rockwell live radio show, 7:00-7:30 p.m. at

SplitRock Brewing Co. inside First Arena.

2/19/14 - Practice at First Arena, 1:00 p.m.

2/20/14 - Practice at First Arena, 10:30 a.m.

2/21/14 - Pregame Skate at First Arena, 10:00 a.m.

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

2/22/14 - Jackals vs. Nailers, 7:05 p.m.

2/23/14 - Jackals vs. Nailers, 4:05 p.m.

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:

2/12 vs. Reading: L 3-4

Elmira entered last Wednesday's game with Reading on a 6-0-1 run over its last seven games. That streak without a regulation loss ended while another was extended with Reading's 4-3 win. The Jackals have now lost six in a row to Reading dating back to December 26. On Wednesday the Jackals jumped out to a 2-0 first-period lead but the Royals countered with a pair in the second to tie it. An early third-period goal by Jordan Pietrus had Elmira back in front by one, but the Royals again netted two in a row to reclaim the lead and earn the win.

2/14 vs. Evansville: W 4-3

The Jackals continued their dominance of the North Division last Friday with their most dramatic home win of the season. Ludwig Karlsson scored the winning goal with nine seconds remaining in regulation to lift the Jackals to their third win in a row this season over Evansville and improved their record to 13-4-3 against the North. Rob Bellamy and Danny Hobbs each netted their 13th goals of the year to stake Elmira to a 2-0 lead, but the IceMen bounced back thanks to a pair from Matt Schepke. Daniel Koger and Jeremy Langlois traded goals in the second to leave the score tied at three heading to the third and set the stage for Karlsson's heroics.

2/15 at Wheeling: SOL 1-2

Goaltenders Neil Conway and Peter Mannino put on a clinic last Saturday when the Jackals and Nailers met for the first time since January 4. Conway stopped 32 shots through regulation and overtime while Mannino turned away 26 and left it up to the shootout to decide the winner. It took eight shooters before Barry Goers slipped one by Conway and Mannino stopped Dane Walters to give Wheeling the 3-2 shootout win. Mike Ratchuk tallied a first-period power play goal for the Nailers while Artem Demkov broke a six-game goal drought to tie it in the third.

Quick Hits:

* Elmira is 3-1-0 in its last four home games since losing four in a row from January 10 to January 25. The Jackals have outscored opponents 15-9 over that stretch for an average of 3.75 goals per game and a team goals-against average of 2.25. Elmira is 1-2-0 at home against the Nailers this season which leaves their all-time home record against Wheeling at 23-8-2.

* Jackals rookie defenseman Patch Alber has quickly developed into a highly productive member of Elmira's blueline. Through his first 20 games as a pro he had yet to register a point and rated a -2. Since December 28, however, the first-year pro out of Boston College has racked up 11 points (4 goals, 7 assists) in 22 games and has posted a +11 rating. He has the best points-per-game average among Jackals defensemen in that time and his overall +9 rating is good for a tie for eighth best among ECHL rookies.

* Elmira faces a crucial juncture of its schedule over the next three weeks. The Jackals play nine games in the next 21 days and have two three-in-threes in that time. By the time the Jackals hit the ice on Friday they will have at least one game in hand over seven of the 10 teams ahead of them in the Eastern Conference. Six of Elmira's nine games over the next three weeks are against teams within ten points of the Jackals at the start of play this week. Five of those six are against Wheeling and the other is a home date with Evansville.

* While Jackals goalie Neil Conway suffered his first loss in an Elmira uniform in Saturday's shootout loss at Wheeling, he still boasts numbers that would put him right among the top goalies in the ECHL. His 409 minutes played are 551 shy of the minimum requirement to qualify for leading statistics, but his 1.76 goals-against average would rate first in the league and his .949 save percentage would also rate first. The ECHL typically requires over 1,400 minutes played by the end of the season to qualify for final goaltending leaders stats, so Conway would have to play roughly 17 of Elmira's remaining 24 games to be included in that list.

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