Jackals Sweep Flags, Jump Record Above .500
Published on October 23, 2006 under International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2)
Elmira Jackals News Release
Week 2 Recap: After a disappointing opening weekend, the Jackals firmly announced their presence as a 2006-2007 UHL contender after completing a three-game weekend sweep of the Port Huron Flags. Elmira came out with a sparkling effort on Friday night, thoroughly dominating their first meeting of the season with the Flags. Goaltender Shawn Degagne returned from an injury in fine form, coming within 3 minutes of his first shutout of the season, making 30 saves on 31 shots for Elmira's first win of the season. Goaltender Kris Tebbs then took over for the weekend, allowing Degagne the chance to rest his injury. Tebbs didn't miss a beat as he won back-to-back games on the road in Port Huron. He made 45 saves on Saturday night and then backed it up with a perfect 3-for-3 effort in Sunday's shootout for his second win of the season.
Elmira's offense finally awoke, they scored four power play goals in three games and defenseman Chris Mann scored the team's second short-handed goal of the season on Saturday night. However, the Jackals are still suffering from the injury bug. Frank Littlejohn, who left with an injury in the 2nd period of Friday night's game, joined Forward Dan Veenema and Captain Brent Cullaton on the injured reserve; Cullaton is still waiting to make his Jackals debut. After making a jump from fifth to a second place tie with Kalamazoo in the standings, the Jackals are preparing this week for a two-game weekend series with the Flint Generals at First Arena.
Week 2 Game Results:
10/20/06 Port Huron 1 @ Elmira 4
Elmira, NY - Frank Littlejohn scored a power play goal and Shawn Degagne produced a stellar performance in goal as the Elmira Jackals beat the Port Huron Flags 4-1 Friday night at the First Arena. Quickly becoming a fan favorite in Elmira, Frank Littlejohn scored his second goal of the season and the Jackals first power play goal of the year just 3:26 into the opening period, assisted by Chris Mann and Jan Skvarka. The assist was Skvarka's first professional point and it gave the Jackals a 1-0 lead. Elmira dominated the opening period, similar to their first period effort last Sunday against Kalamazoo, out-shooting the Flags 21-8, with only rookie goaltender Noah Ruden between Elmira and a big scoreline. In the second period newcomer David Morelli continued to momentum with the Jackals first even-strength goal of the season, assisted by Dale Lupul and Scott Wray at 5:01. The goal was Morelli's first professional goal, scored in his pro debut. Port Huron had two long five-on-three power plays in the second period, but Elmira goaltender Shawn Degagne and the penalty killers denied the Flags offensive chances. In the third period Yevgeny Lazarev opened his goal-scoring account at 4:33 with a power play goal, the Jackals second of the night, assisted by Lupul and Wray. Degagne was fantastic in goal and looked to be on his way to a shutout, when Elmira was called for two penalties late in the game, giving the Flags another two-man advantage. Port Huron pulled their goalie for a six-on-three advantage and it paid off, as Trevor Edwards scored at 16:47, assisted by Greg Bullock and Jeff Cameron. But the night belonged to the Jackals. Brian Teixeira, the team's other rookie forward signed on Thursday, scored in his Jackals debut, snapping a wrist-shot from the blue line into an empty net at 18:59 to close out Elmira's 4-1 victory. Shawn Degagne earned his first win in a Jackals uniform, stopping 30-of-31 shots for the victory, while Noah Ruden took the loss, making 35 saves on 38 shots. Elmira finished 2-for-8 on the power play, while Port Huron was 1-for-9. The Jackals out-shot the Flags 39-to-31.
10/21/06 Elmira 4 @ Port Huron 2
Port Huron, MI - The Elmira Jackals earned their first road win of the season, in their first road game, beating the Port Huron Flags 4-2 at McMorran Place Arena Saturday night. The Flags got on the board midway through the first period with Colt King snapped a wrist-shot over the shoulder of Kris Tebbs at 11:17, a 5-on-3 power play goal assisted by Jeff Cameron and Greg Bullock. Less than two minutes later Port Huron made it 2-0 when Jeremy Tucker scored on a pass from King at 12:46. The Jackals were called for three consecutive minors in the final 5 minutes of the first period, but the Flags were unable to capitalize, despite out-shooting Elmira 18-to-9 in the first period. The Jackals continued to be plagued by injuries in the second period but they still found a way to turn the tide. Scott Wray scored his first goal of the season at 11:17 of the middle frame when he tipped a Dale Lupul shot past Dustin Traylen. The goal was a power play goal, assisted by Lupul and Scott Drevitch and the Flags lead was cut in half. With eight minutes remaining in the 2nd period, the Jackals were called for four straight minor penalties, including a 4-minute double minor for high sticking called on Derek Miller. But while Port Huron continued to bombard Kris Tebbs and the Jackals goal, the Jackals were able to strike an unexpected blow. With 30 seconds remaining in the period and down a man, defenseman Chris Mann stole a pass in the defensive zone, raced up the ice and fired a wrist shot that hit Traylen's left leg pad and continued into the net at 19:39 for Mann's first goal of the season and Elmira's second short-handed goal of the year. The Jackals were out-shot 37-19 by the Flags over the first two periods, but the momentum was clearly with the visitors as they opened the third period. Dale Lupul put the Jackals in front for the first time in the game with a 5-on-3 power play goal at 5:38, assisted by Drevitch and Yevgeny Lazarev. After Lupul's goal, the game went penalty free until the 15-minute mark when J.F. Soucy was called for back-to-back minors, setting up a dramatic finish. The Jackals managed to kill off both penalties, even while Port Huron pulled their goaltender for a 6-on-4 man advantage. In the closing seconds, Yevgeny Lazarev fired a loose puck from the blue line into the empty net, his second goal of the year, capping of a gutsy 4-2 win for the Jackals. Goaltender Kris Tebbs earned his first win as a Jackal, stopping a colossal 45-of-47 shots in goal for the Jackals. Dustin Traylen took the defeat; making 24 saves on 27 shots. Elmira finished 2-for-7 on the power play, while Port Huron was 1-for-13 on the night.
10/22/06 Elmira 3 @ Port Huron 2 - In Shootout (3-0)
Port Huron, MI - For the second straight night the Elmira Jackals came from behind to beat the Port Huron Flags 3-2 in a shootout Sunday afternoon at McMorran Place Arena, earning a three-game weekend sweep of their Eastern Conference rivals. Port Huron took the lead late in the first period when Steve Hildenbrand scored on a rebound at 17:19, assisted by Greg Bullock and Chris Pittman. The Flags had the upper hand in the first period, out-shooting the Jackals 16-9. In the second period a string of penalties turned the momentum in favor of the Jackals, but Elmira failed to cash in on the power play. Port Huron extended their lead to 2-0 when Bullock received a rebound from Hildenbrand and tapped it home at 15:03. In the third the Jackals again mounted a comeback. Rookie David Morelli tapped in a perfect pass from Jan Skvarka to get Elmira on the board at 6:33 of the third period. Rookie defenseman Dale Lupul, who had four points in the two prior games of the weekend series, then tied the game with a slap shot from the blue line that eluded goaltender Noah Ruden at 11:15. Both teams battled down the stretch, but with no deciding goals, this game went to a shootout. The Jackals shined in their first shootout of the 2006-07 season. Erik Anderson, Yevgeny Lazarev and Dale Lupul all scored and goaltender Kris Tebbs blanked the Flags shooters as Elmira won the shootout 3-0 for a 3-2 game and a weekend sweep of Port Huron. Tebbs earned his 2nd straight victory in goal for the Jackals, making 28 saves on 30 shots and stopping all three attempts in the shootout. Noah Ruden took the loss for Port Huron, stopping 31-of-33 shots. The Jackals were 0-for-9 on the power play, while the Flags were 0-for-5.
Jackals Player & Goaltender of the Week: (Week 2)
Dale Lupul - D 3 GP, 2 goals, 3 assists, 5 points, +4, 4 PIMs
Dale Lupul was a clutch performer for the Jackals this week. The second-year rookie defenseman had two assists on Friday night, including setting up the game-winning goal in the Jackals first win of the season. Saturday in Port Huron, Lupul assisted on Scott Wray's goal that started the comeback, then scored the game-winner on the power play early in the third period. Sunday Lupul scored the game-tying goal in the middle of the third period, then ended the shootout with his 4th-round goal. He finishes the week with 5 points (2 goals, 3 assists) and is currently tied for the Jackals team lead in scoring with Yevgeny Lazarev.
Kris Tebbs - G 2 GP, 2-0-0, 2.00 GAA, 0.948 SV%, 73 saves
Kris Tebbs had a monster weekend in goal for the Jackals. After a stellar performance from Shawn Degagne Friday night, Tebbs raised the bar with back-to-back wins on the road in Port Huron. He made a colossal 45 saves in a 4-2 come-from-behind win on Saturday night and then finished the road trip by stopping 28-of-30 shots in regulation on Sunday and blanking the Flags on all three attempts in the shootout for a 3-2 win. For the week Tebbs had a 2.00 GAA and a 0.948 save percentage, improving his season record to 2-1-0 with a 3.33 GAA and a 0.910 save percentage.
JACKAL BITES:
* SHORT-HANDED AND LIKING IT - Defenseman Chris Mann scored his first goal of the season, and second of his professional career, on Saturday in Port Huron. Mann scored a short-handed goal that tied the game 2-2 with under a minute to play in the second period. It was the Jackals second short-handed goal of the season, only Chicago (3) has scored more short-handed goals this season.
* POWER PLAY KILLERS - Although the Jackals are the most penalized team in the UHL through five games, Elmira was very efficient on the penalty kill. In three games against Port Huron, the Jackals allowed just 2 power play goals, successfully killing off 25-of-27 Flags power plays.
* A GOOD FIRST IMPRESSION - Rookie forward David Morelli, who signed with the team on Thursday, scored his first professional goal in his first pro game Friday night against Port Huron. He then followed it up with a timely goal on Sunday in Port Huron, part of the Jackals comeback shootout win over the Flags. Morelli's two goals this week currently puts him in a four-way tie for the Jackals team lead in goals.
* A NEW ACCOUNT - Rookie forward Jan Skvarka has opening his scoring account with the Jackals. The 20-year old from Slovakia had three assists this week, putting him in a tie for the team lead. Skvarka recorded his first professional point on Friday night, assisting on Frank Littlejohn's power play goal in the first period. He then tallied two more assists, setting up both goals in the third period on Sunday, as the Jackals came from two goals down to beat Port Huron in a Shootout.
* FIRSTS ALL AROUND - While David Morelli and Jan Skvarka each tallied their first pro points Friday night, 2nd-year rookie Brian Teixeira also scored a goal in his first game with Elmira. Teixeira scored an empty net goal in the closing seconds of Friday's 4-1 win over the Flags, his first goal of the season, and 6th of his pro career.
* SHOOTOUT GLORY - The Jackals and Flags participated in the UHL's first shootout of season Sunday afternoon. Elmira shooters went 3-for-4; getting goals from Erik Anderson, Yevgeny Lazarev and Dale Lupul, while goaltender Kris Tebbs was a perfect 3-for-3 to earn the shootout win.
Coach's Show
Don't miss the next broadcast of The Elmira Jackals Coach's Show LIVE Monday night
at 6 pm at the Pioneer Sports Bar & Grill in Elmira. Join Jackals Head Coach Kris
Waltze, Voice of the Jackals Owen Newkirk, along with forward Scott Wray and
goaltender Shawn Degagne for the broadcast on News Talk 1230 & 1450 AM WENY or
stream it online at www.jackalshockey.com First Arena Rec Rink Hockey Information The ice is HOT at First Arena - Visit our website for a complete list of Public
Skating times and Arena Programs at www.firstarena.com The First Arena Rec Rink offers public skating, skating lessons, hockey programs,
figure skating, birthday parties, adult hockey leagues and much more.... 2006-07 Record: 3-2-0, 6 points (1-2-0 Home, 2-0-0 Road), Tied-Second Place, Eastern
Conference Week 3 Schedule: (All games are broadcasted LIVE on MAGIC 92.7 & 97.7 FM) Friday, October 27 7:35 pm vs. Flint Generals (1-4-0, 2 pts) Fifth Place, Eastern
Conference Saturday, October 28 7:35 pm vs. Flint Generals (1-4-0, 2 pts) Fifth Place, Eastern
Conference
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International Hockey League 2 Stories from October 23, 2006
