Jackals celebrate tenth sellout with return to first place
February 5, 2010 - ECHL (ECHL)
Elmira Jackals News Release
The Elmira Jackals moved back into the top spot in the American East Division for the first time in over two months on Friday night, taking down the Wheeling Nailers 5-1 at First Arena in Elmira, N.Y. in front of the Jackals' league-leading tenth sellout crowd of 2009-2010.
The Jackals had been in second place in the division since play ended on Dec. 4, and at one point the gap between them and the first-place Reading Royals was 11 points. After taking points in each of the last five games, however, the Jackals entered Friday one point back of the Royals for the top spot in the division.
Facing former goaltender Michael-Lee Teslak for the first time in Elmira, the Jackals struck early on in the game. After a slew of penalties 14 seconds into the action gave the Jackals a four-on-three power play, the Jackals converted to make it 1-0. Stationed near the blue line, R.J. Anderson had the puck come to him off a deflection, and he skated to the high slot and drove it past Teslak to give the Jackals the lead at 1:52 of the first period.
Late in the first, Brendan Connolly skated on the left wing boards to the offensive end and wristed the puck over Teslak's right shoulder to make it 2-0 Jackals at 18:10.
While Connolly's first goal was a well-placed shot, his second goal of the game was an incredible display of speed, stickhandling, and finishing ability. After gaining the puck in the Jackals zone, Connolly flew past three Nailers in the neutral zone and then split two more as he came closer to Teslak, and snapped a puck into the net to make it 3-0 at 9:56 of the second period on a highlight-reel goal.
Just 31 seconds later, Justin Donati's shot from the left circle found the back of the net as the Jackals converted for the second time on the power play, this time increasing the lead to 4-0.
After Andrew Lord recorded the only tally against Jackals goaltender Chris Holt at 5:38 of the third period with a right-circle wrist shot, Tyler Donati knocked in a puck from the left-wing side to cap the scoring, giving the Jackals a 5-1 lead at 13:39 of the third period.
The Jackals win was their third of the season against the Nailers, and snapped a three-game losing streak. Holt, making his first start for the Jackals since Dec. 29, made 23 saves on 24 shots, earning his eighth win of the season in the ECHL. Teslak stopped 23 of 28 shots, falling to 11-10-2-1 with the Jackals and Nailers this season.
Elmira's record improved to 23-17-3-2, while Wheeling dropped to 25-20-2-1.
The crowd of 3,967 gave the Jackals their league-leading tenth sellout of the season, as the Jackals upped their sellout total to 29 since they joined the ECHL in 2007.
The Jackals, up by one point in the division, take on the second-place Royals at the Sovereign Center in Reading, Pa. on Saturday night at 7:05 p.m.
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ECHL Stories from February 5, 2010
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