Jackals Weekly
December 7, 2011 - ECHL (ECHL)
Elmira Jackals News Release
The Elmira Jackals (12-9-0-0) enter the ninth week of the 2011-2012 season coming off of their first four-win week since March of 2008, with the Jackals earning victories this past Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The Jackals' win on Sunday propelled them into sole possession of first place in the Atlantic Division ahead of the Wheeling Nailers.
Elmira has won five-straight contests for the first time since the 2009-2010 season and will look for its first six-game winning streak this week in Florida since the club won seven-straight games to start the 09-10 campaign.
The Jackals defeated the Reading Royals on Wednesday and Saturday by scores of 3-2 (shootout) on the road and 3-1 at home. Elmira beat Trenton at home in a shootout on Friday, 5-4, and ended the week on the road against the Titans on Sunday with another shootout victory, this time by a score of 2-1.
Elmira and Florida meet at Germain Arena for the first time ever in the regular season on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. The Jackals and Everblades played two contests in Florida in the first round of the 2010 Kelly Cup Playoffs, with the teams splitting games one and two of a series eventually won by the Everblades. The two clubs have played five times in the regular season in Elmira.
Elmira returns home to host Wheeling on Dec. 26 on 4-for-$44 night. To reserve your seats call (607) 734-PUCK (7825), visit the First Arena Box Office, or log onto JackalsHockey.com.
STEWART EARNS HONOR
On Tuesday, Jackal Brian Stewart was named the ECHL's Goaltender of the Week for Nov. 28 - Dec. 4. Stewart was 4-0-0-0 with a .937 save percentage and a 1.88 goals-against average.
Stewart, who led the ECHL with a .927 save percentage in 2010-2011 and was named to the ECHL All-Rookie Team, is currently seventh in the league with a .920 save percentage and is 10th with a 2.62 goals-against average.
The Burnaby, British Columbia native is 8-0 lifetime in shootouts between the ECHL and AHL and is a perfect 21/21 in five-career ECHL shootouts.
RADJA COMES THROUGH AGAIN
Center Mike Radja took the team lead in goal scoring (12) and points (21) over the weekend with a few timely tallies.
On Saturday, Radja scored Elmira's first power-play goal since Nov. 18, snapping an 0/18 man-advantage drought, to give the Jackals the lead in the first period against Reading. With the Royals pressuring late, Radja scored an insurance goal to put the game away and help give Elmira its fourth-straight win. On the play, Radja stepped into sole possession of the Jackals' lead in goals and points.
With the Jackals trailing 1-0 on Sunday in the third period, Radja one handed a puck past Titans' netminder Johan Backlund, assigned from Adirondack earlier in the day, to eventually force overtime.
The Yorkville, Ill. native also scored shootout goals for Elmira on Wednesday and Friday and is 3/4 in shootouts this season.
NOTES ON THE WINNING STREAK
The Jackals have earned four of their five victories during the winning streak in overtime, with one win coming in sudden death and three in a shootout. Elmira has won just one of the five games by more than a goal, a two-goal victory over Reading on Saturday (the Jackals have not won a game by more than two goals since Oct. 21 over Florida, 5-2). Elmira has been scored on first in all five games during the winning streak and now has six wins this season when being scored on first. The Jackals' last five-game winning streak came from Feb. 5 - 13 of 2010, with three victories over Wheeling, one over Trenton, and one over Reading. Elmira fell to the Devils on Feb. 14 in its attempt for a sixth-straight win, 7-5. The Jackals have allowed an average of two goals per game during the win streak.
PENALTY KILL STAYS HOT
Since allowing seven power-play goals to the South Carolina Stingrays on Oct. 28 and 29, the Jackals' penalty kill has been excellent, having been successful 85% of the time since those two games. Elmira is fourth in the league on the kill at 84.3%. Last week, the Jackals were 19/20 on the PK and scored their first short-handed goal since Oct. 29 and fourth of 2011-2012 when Jack Downing struck on a breakaway in the third period of Friday's win over Trenton.
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ECHL Stories from December 7, 2011
- Idaho Suffers Frustrating Setback - Idaho Steelheads
- 'Blades Fall in Tight Battle with Elmira - Florida Everblades
- Eagles Score Four Unanswered in 4-2 Win Over Idaho - Colorado Eagles
- Express Derail Wings 4-1 - Chicago Express
- Jackals Take Back-And-Forth Contest over Everblades - Elmira Jackals
- Express Defeats K-Wings - Kalamazoo Wings
- Nailers Win Donatelli's Debut in Trenton - Wheeling Nailers
- Goaltender Marc Owuya Assigned to Reading - Reading Royals
- ECHL Transactions - December 7 - ECHL
- Thomas McCollum Headed Back to Toledo - Toledo Walleye
- Texas Sends Defenseman to Idaho - Idaho Steelheads
- Local Products Cucci, Motherwell Join the Express - Chicago Express
- Jackals Game Preview: Elmira at Florida - Elmira Jackals
- Game Preview: Express Vs. Kalamazoo Tonight - Chicago Express
- Allen York Returns to Express - Chicago Express
- Countdown to Face-Off - Kalamazoo Wings
- ECHL Today - December 7 - ECHL
- Nailers Game Preview: Wheeling Nailers Vs. Trenton Titans - Wheeling Nailers
- Jackals Weekly - Elmira Jackals
- ECHL's Best: #1 Alaska, #2 Utah Collide Again in Anchorage this Week - Utah Grizzlies
- Wranglers Secure 4-2 Win Over Stockton Thunder - Las Vegas Wranglers
- Thunder sees 3-0-1 run at Orleans Arena come to an end - Stockton Thunder
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