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Jackals explode again in 7-1 win over Wheeling

January 19, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Elmira Jackals News Release


Six players had multi-point games as Elmira took sole possession of first place in the North Division with a 7-1 win over the Wheeling Nailers in front of the ninth sellout crowd of year, 3,832, at First Arena Saturday night. The win was the third straight overall for the club and the sixth in a row over the Nailers in the season series.

Coupled with Friday night's 8-1 triumph, the Jackals put together their most offensively-charged back-to-back efforts this year, outscoring the Nailers 15-2 in the weekend set.

As was the case, the home team got on the board early with a goal just 2:09 into the opening period.

Dan Kronick picked up a loose puck up off of the left wall and wired a pass into the circle and onto the stick of Jim McKenzie. Fielding the pass on the backhand in tight quarters, McKenzie turned and wristed a point blank shot between the pads of starting goaltender Curtis Darling for his 6th of the year and a 1-0 lead.

The Nailers came back to tie the game at 9:27 when a rebound of a Joe Guenther shot got away from Jackals goaltender Dan LaCosta (27 saves) in the deep slot. Aaron Clarke pounced on it and fired his 8th of the season past a fallen LaCosta to knot the score at 1-1.

It wouldn't stay that way long as Pierre-Luc Faubert added to his team-leading goal total with his 17th, a wrister from deep on the left wing, just twenty five seconds later on feeds from Chaz Johnson and Benoit Doucet. For Johnson, it was his ninth straight game with a point, setting a new Jackals ECHL standard.

Two shots and two goals for the home team was enough for Wheeling head coach Greg Puhalski as he lifted Darling for back-up Martin Houle, who was roughed up for all eight goals in Friday's 8-1 loss.

The Jackals extended their lead to 3-1 at 7:14 of the middle frame when Trevor Hendrikx snapped off a left wing wrister that beat Houle (21 saves) over the glove for his second goal of the weekend and fifth of the year.

Johnson then threw his hot hand into the mix, picking up a Luke Fritshaw carom off the end glass, and burying his 14th of the year into an open net with Houle out of position to make it 4-1 at 10:57. The goal extended Johnson's goal streak to five games and closed out second period scoring.

Elmira would tack on three more for good measure in the final period with Bobby Robins slipping a rebound in just fifty-five seconds in on feeds from Kronick and Hendrikx to bump the lead to 5-1.

The power play would get in on the act after misfiring on it first five attempts enroute to a 2-for-7 performance.

Kronick cashed in at 4:49 for his 6th of the season, walking around the defense and putting home a low shot in the stick side of Houle.

Tomas Kudelka finished the night by floating home a shot from the high slot at 8:52 to extend his point streak to six games with his third of the year. The strike was set up by Hendrikx and Faubert, the third assist and fourth point of the night for both. Their point totals matched a season-high for points in a game accomplished three times previously (Brett Pilkington, Shawn Weller and Bryan Rodney) and set a new personal best for each in ECHL play.

In total, six different individual offensive streaks were extended in the win while two streaks between the pipes were affected.

Joel Martin had his consecutive start run end at 19 games as Dan LaCosta made his first start since November 27th and picked up his sixth win in a row.

LaCosta was sidelined since a severe ankle sprain suffered November 29th put him on the injured reserve.

The Jackals now are off until after the All-Star break and come back with a light weekend that sees the club hit the ice just once. Elmira travels to Trenton to meet the Devils in a 7:30 p.m. draw Friday at Sovereign Bank Arena. Radio coverage begins at 7 p.m. with the Hill Top Inn Countdown to Face-Off.

Elmira is next at home Wednesday, January 30th, in a 7:05 p.m. face-off against the Johnstown Chiefs. Tickets are on sale now at all Ticketmaster outlets, including the Gray Street box office - First Arena, charge-by-phone at 722-3711 or 734-PUCK (7825) and on-line at www.ticketmaster.com.



ECHL Stories from January 19, 2008


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