Jackals Net Second Win in a Row by Shooting Down Wings

January 29, 2014 - ECHL (ECHL)
Elmira Jackals News Release


ELMIRA, N.Y. - January 29, 2014 - Four different Jackals posted multi-point games and Neil Conway stopped 28 shots to lead the Jackals to a 4-1 win over the Kalamazoo Wings on Wednesday night at First Arena. The win was Elmira's second in a row and improved its record to 14-22-4 on the season.

Artem Demkov returned to the Jackals' lineup for the first time since early December after Albany loaned him to Elmira earlier today. He was plugged into a line with Jakub Culek and Mike Vaskivuo, and those three found some instant chemistry. Just before the midway point of the first period Culek and Demkov set up a power play goal by Vaskivuo to lift the Jackals to a 1-0 lead. With Vaskivuo camped out in front, Demkov sent a pass to the doorstep that banked off of Vaskivuo's skate behind Kalamazoo goalie Jordan Binnington. The Wings answered with a power play goal of their own, 4:10 later, off the stick of Matt Caria to knot the score.

Kalamazoo came out swinging for the fences at the start of the second and launched six shots on Conway over the first six minutes. Three of those were high-quality scoring chances but Conway kept the Wings at bay and set the stage for a dramatic end to the second. Dane Walters took a pass on the left wing wall from Jake Trask with less than a minute left to play in the second, and made a spin move away from a defender to give himself a look at the net. With traffic in front Walters sent a wrist shot on that deflected off of a body, bounced up off the ice and over Binnington's shoulder to the back of the net. The was Walters' third of the year and came with just 32 seconds left to play in the second.

Spurred on by the momentum of Walters' late goal the Jackals tacked on two more in the third. Kyle Bushee got open in the high slot and snapped a pass from Culek under the cross bar for his sixth of the year with 6:08 gone by. Demkov polished off his two-point night with a power play goal at 12:11 to cap the scoring. Conway turned away each of the 11 shots Kalamazoo sent his way in the third to ensure the Wings didn't swing any momentum back in their favor.

Vaskivuo (1 goal, 2 assists) led the way with three points while Demkov (1 goal, 1 assist), Walters (1 goal, 1 assist), and Culek (2 assists) each chipped in two.

Conway's 28-save effort netted him his second win in a row for the Jackals. Elmira ended the night 2-for-4 on the power play and 3-for-4 on the penalty kill.

Mark your calendars! The Jackals return to home ice on Wednesday, February 12 to take on the Reading Royals. It's a Willowcreek Wednesday where some lucky fans will compete at first intermission to win free golf from Willowcreek Golf Club. Don't forget that groups of 10 or more who book in advance receive discounts off the box office price and preferred seating based on availability. Call 607-734-7825 to get your group outing booked.



ECHL Stories from January 29, 2014


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