Jackals Remain Undefeated, Record Third Straight Sell Out

Published on October 30, 2009 under ECHL (ECHL)
Elmira Jackals News Release


For the third straight home game, the Elmira Jackals played in front of a sell-out crowd at First Arena. For the sixth straight game to begin the regular season, the Jackals were victorious, as they battled back from an early 2-0 first period deficit to defeat the Cincinnati Cyclones 4-2 in front of 3,912 fans at First Arena on Friday night.

The Cyclones started the scoring early in the first period, when Matt Pierce's snap shot snuck over the right shoulder of Jackals goaltender Chris Holt, giving the Cyclones a 1-0 lead at 1:17. Dustin Sproat scored shorthanded from the left circle at 3:20 on a cross-ice feed by Scott Reynolds to give the Cyclones a 2-0 advantage.

Matt Lowry started the scoring for the Jackals at 16:36 of the first period. Brendan Connolly's shot from the left circle was stopped by Cincinnati goaltender Jeremy Smith and the rebound bounced off the glass and right onto the stick of Matt Lowry, who knocked the puck past Smith, who was out of position, and the Jackals pulled back to within one goal.

Chanse Fitzpatrick's team-leading fifth goal of the season tied the game for the Jackals after Maxime Gratchev found Fitzpatrick streaking right-wing side into the offensive zone. Fitzpatrick took a slap shot and beat Smith stick side to even the score 2-2 at 15:31 of the second period.

The score remained tied midway through the third period until the Jackals scored another dramatic third-period goal after coming back in two games in the third period last weekend. With the Cyclones on the power play, Chris Korchinski knocked a puck from his own zone to center ice and then skated in on Smith and beat him top shelf to give the Jackals their first lead of the evening, 3-2 at 10:45. Korchinski's goal proved to be the game winner, the second straight game he scored a game-winning goal shorthanded.

Tyler Donati knocked in an empty-net goal at 18:48 of the third period with an assist from Justin Donati, who scored their 11th points of the season on the play, putting them into a tie for the ECHL lead in scoring with Reading's Stefano Giliati.

Chris Holt made 33 saves as he improved to 3-0-0-0 on the season. Holt has now played in 29 straight games since the beginning of the 2008-2009 in which he has given up three goals or less. Smith fell to 3-1-0-0 on the season, making 22 saves on 25 Jackals shots.

The Jackals winning streak is their longest since joining the ECHL, now at nine games dating back to the end of the 2008-2009 regular season. The current sell-out streak is also the longest for the Jackals since joining the ECHL.

The Jackals host the Trenton Devils tomorrow night at First Arena. It's the Jackals Halloween Party, and fans are invited to wear their Halloween costumes and see the Jackals go for their seventh straight win. The puck drops at 7:35 PM.

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ECHL Stories from October 30, 2009


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