Jackals Special Teams Prevail In 5-3 Win At Wheeling

Published on February 14, 2010 under ECHL (ECHL)
Elmira Jackals News Release


The Elmira Jackals scored three power-play goals and added a short-handed goal on their way to a 5-3 win against the Wheeling Nailers on Saturday night at WesBanco Arena in Wheeling, W.V. The Jackals extended their winning streak to five games and point-earning streak to ten contests with the victory.

With Brendan Connolly and Mat Robinson inactive, the Jackals were left with only 13 skaters heading into the contest.

The first power-play goal came at 6:40 of the first period, when Olivier Proulx pushed in a Wes Cunningham shot to make it 1-0 in favor of the Jackals. Chris Korchinski had an assist as well on the goal.

That lead was erased just 1:16 later when Mitch Ganzak intercepted a pass at the Elmira blue line, walked into the slot, and wristed the puck past Jackals goaltender Andy Chiodo to give the Nailers a power-play goal to tie the game 1-1.

In the second period with the Jackals on the power-play Tyler Donati gave the Jackals the lead for good when a puck redirected to him in the right circle, and his shot beat Nailers goaltender Michael-Lee Teslak five hole to make it 2-1 at 4:25. Korchinski and Justin Donati had the assists on the goal.

After a Ryan Schnell spearing penalty led to a Jackals five-minute power play, the Jackals' lead became two goals. At 7:33 of the second period, Wes Cunningham one-timed a puck from the right point to make it 3-1, with the Donati brothers recording the assists on the tally.

Six minutes later with the Jackals short handed, Proulx took the puck up the left wing boards, skated to the left circle, and backhanded the puck past Teslak to make it 4-1 at 13:36 of the second period. It proved to be the game-winning goal, Proulx's team-leading fifth of the season.

The Jackals led by three goals entering the third period, but Kevin Schmidt's snap shot from the left circle beat Chiodo high glove side to make it 4-2 at 0:30.

The lead dimished to one goal when Andrew Lord redirected a Thomas Beauregard shot at 18:58 of the final period to make it 4-3 on a six-on-four power play.

Moments later with the net empty in the Nailers zone, Justin Donati scored his league-leading sixth insurance goal of the season at 19:19 of the third period to seal the game, making it 5-3 in favor of the Jackals.

The win was Elmira's third straight against Wheeling and sixth straight road victory, as the Jackals improved to 14-13-0-1 away from home this season in their 100th road game since joining the ECHL.

Chiodo made 35 saves on 38 shots to improve to 2-0-0-0 with the Jackals. Teslak fell to 6-6-1-0 with the Nailers, making 16 saves on 20 Jackals shots.

With three points each, the Donati brothers upped their league leading scoring total to 76 points.

The Jackals' ten-game point-earning streak ties their longest stretch in one season since joining the ECHL, which they accomplished from Dec. 5-Dec. 28 of 2007. Their longest regulation unbeaten streak over two seasons is 11 games, recorded from the end of last season through the first eight games of this season.

Elmira improved to 27-17-3-2, while Wheeling fell to 26-22-2-2.

The Jackals host the Trenton Devils on Sunday at First Arena at 4:05 p.m. For tickets, call (607) 734-PUCK (7825), visit the First Arena Box Office, or click here.

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ECHL Stories from February 14, 2010


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