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Jackals Winless Streak Hits Six Games

December 13, 2004 - International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2)
Elmira Jackals News Release


Week 9 Game Results:

12/8/04 ADIRONDACK 4 - Jackals 2

Elmira, NY - For the second straight game the Adirondack Frostbite beat the Jackals, this time 4-2 at the First Arena Wednesday night. Adirondack struck first at 6:04 with a power play goal from Sylvain Cloutier, assisted by Scott Drevitch and Justin Kelly. But Elmira answered almost immediately. Greg Koehler scored his 23rd goal of the season at 7:26 from Darren Van Oene and Brian Cummings to draw the score level at one. Adirondack however took advantage of a bad defensive turnover and took the lead at 18:52 courtesy of a Justin Kelly backhand shot.

Elmira swooped out to tie the game at 6:13 of the second period. Defenseman Simon Poirier blasted home his 3rd goal of the year during a delayed-penalty call, again assisted by Van Oene and Cummings. But Adirondack had the answer to the Jackals persistence. The Frostbite took the lead for good at 9:22 when David Vychodil took a face off from Cloutier and buried his slap shot for the eventual game winner. Adirondack added an insurance goal at 18:05 of the period from David Burgess; Cloutier and Ryan Bennett earned assists on the play.

The Jackals left all their energy on the ice in the third period, but came up scoreless as they finished the game 0-for-5 on the power play; the Frostbite were 1-for-2 with the man advantage.

Goaltender Derek Gustafson stopped 29-of-31 for his 13th win of the year, while Greg Hewitt turned assist 26 shots in the loss for Elmira.

12/10/04 PORT HURON 1 - Jackals 0

Port Huron, MI - The Elmira Jackals played the Beacons for the second time this season, and for the second time this year, Elmira was held without a goal, losing 1-0 to Port Huron Friday night.

The opening twenty minutes at McMorran Place Arena came and passed relatively smoothly, with Elmira out-shooting Port Huron 10-6. Jason Sessa (obstruction holding) and Trevor Burgess (holding) each earned minor penalties, giving the Beacons two power plays that they squandered.

In the second period it was the Beacons' turn to put more shots on goal, 13 to the Jackals 6, but despite the number discrepancy, the Jackals had more quality scoring chances. However, just like the opening frame, the second twenty minutes were just as scoreless as the first. Mat Goody was given a holding minor at 15:11, but Elmira failed to get a shot on goal during their first power play of the night.

The final class of the evening got off to a rocky start when referee Mike Mondalek whistled Dean Jackson for hooking down 6'6" 240 lbs defenseman Ivan Curic. On the ensuing power play, David Beauregard collected the puck in the right wing corner, skated towards the near post and was able to reach across the crease to slide the puck inside the far post for the game's only goal at 3:15. The Jackals had a big chance to answer the goal when Curic was called for tripping Carl Drakensjo. But Elmira was again unsuccessful on the man-advantage, and despite pulling Hewitt during the final minute of the game, the Jackals would not find the equalizer.

Stu Dunn stopped all 25 shots sent his way as he recorded his 4th win and first shutout of the season. Greg Hewitt was fantastic in goal for the Jackals, turning aside 24-of-25 while picking up the loss.

12/11/04 FLINT 4 - Jackals 1

Flint, MI - The Elmira Jackals jumped on the frozen dance floor with the Flint Generals Saturday night looking to waltz their way out of a 4-game winless skid, but the home team would have the better evening as Flint won 4-1. With a new refrigeration ice plant at Perani's Hockey World Arena & Event Center installed at the beginning of the season, Elmira knew that their main obstacle would be the opposing team.

Early in the first period, Flint made defenseman Chris Shaw pay for taking a retaliatory penalty as Bobby Reynolds scored his 8th goal of the season, a power play goal at 3:15, assisted by Jim Duhart and Mike Kinnie for a 1-0 lead. Elmira had their own chance on the man-advantage when Bobby Kulkulka took a holding penalty at 8:27, but the Jackals could not convert to opportunity. Darren Van Oene dropped the gloves with Mike Tobin with four minutes left in the period, but few punches were thrown, and even fewer connected as the two grappled to the ice. Flint added to their lead late in the period as Jim Duhart scored the team's second power play goal at 18:06; Reynolds picked off an icing attempt by the Jackals and found Duhart standing all alone at the top of the Elmira crease.

In the second period the Generals added to their lead when the rookie Kinnie scored his team-leading 16th goal of the year on a deflection from a John DiPace shot at 5:34. But the middle twenty-minutes was best defined by the dancing; three fights and 46 minutes of penalties tallied by the two clubs. First Derek Campbell fought with John DiPace at 11:27; then Nathan Gillies went toe-to-toe with Jim Duhart at 14:21, and finally Simon Poirier dropped the gloves with Jason Selleke at 16:09.

The third period the Jackals continued to pound the dance floor and attack the net of Dan McIntyre, but it was the Generals who again struck first. DiPace scored at 4:37, assisted by Leo Thomas to give Flint a 4-0 lead. Greg Koehler tangoed with Andrei Lupandin at 9:24, a two-step that evolved from more commotion after a whistle. Elmira did salvage some pride by avoiding being shutout for the second consecutive night. Darren Van Oene took a great pass from Derek Campbell and Greg Koehler to get behind the Generals defense and lifted the puck over a charging Dan McIntyre at 19:21.

Dan McIntyre failed to earn the shutout, but did get the win, stopping 29-of-30 shots thrown his way; Kevin Kurk made 16 saves on 20 Flint shots in his third professional start.

12/12/04 FORT WAYNE 5 - Jackals 3

Elmira, NY - The Fort Wayne Komets took down the Elmira Jackals Sunday afternoon 5-3, extending the Jackals' winless streak to six games at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum.

The Jackals jumped all over the defending Tarry Cup Champion Komets as soon as the first puck dropped and took an early lead when Jeff Antonovich banged home a rebound for his 7th goal of the season at 3:59 of the first period, assisted by Eddy Lowe and Trevor Burgess. But Fort Wayne responded with an equalizer at 5:32 courtesy of a Sean Venedam one-timer. Venedam then tallied his second goal of the night at 9:35 scoring a shorthanded goal. At the end of that same power play the Jackals pulled level thanks to Darren Van Oene's second goal in as many games, assisted by Burgess and Greg Koehler.

In the second period Elmira just missed taking the lead several times early on, but after a well played, thoroughly entertaining period, Fort Wayne took the lead again at 17:05 on a Jonathan Goodwin goal, from David Huckalo and Dusting Virag.

Again Elmira came out of the locker room with a fresh sense of urgency and nearly tied the game, but then Venedam knocked in a power play goal to get his hat trick at 2:40 for a 4-2 score. P.C. Drouin finished off a 3-on-1 rush at 6:50 to extend the lead to 5-2, only to have Elmira bring one goal back late in the contest. Rookie defenseman Chris Shaw scored his first goal of the season at 19:32, blasting home a slap shot right off an offensive zone face off win by Lowe who would get credit for the assist.

Tyler Masters got the win; stopping 32-of-35 in net for Fort Wayne, while Greg Hewitt made 27 saves on 23 Komets shots for Elmira.

JACKALS PLAYER AND GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK: (WEEK 9)

Darren Van Oene - LW 4 GP, 2 goals, 2 assists, 4 pts, Even, 5 PIMs

Darren Van Oene returned to the Jackals from a two-week call up to the Providence Bruins of the AHL this week. Van Oene was immediately involved in the Jackals offense, setting up both goals in the Jackals 4-2 loss to Adirondack Wednesday. Saturday in Flint, Van Oene scored in the final minute of the third period to spoil Dan McIntyre's shutout bid. Sunday in Fort Wayne, Van Oene scored his second goal in as many games, to finish the week with 4 points.

Greg Hewitt - G 3 GP, 0-3-0, 3.37 GAA, 0.885 SV%, 77 saves

Greg Hewitt was definitely not the reason the Jackals went 0-4-0 during Week 9. Hewitt not only kept Elmira in the game Wednesday against Adirondack, but he then stopped 24-of-25 against Port Huron on Friday's 1-0 defeat, allowing just one goal via the Beacon's power play. Sunday in Fort Wayne Hewitt stopped 27 shots, which gives him a league best 762 saves on the season.

JACKAL BITES:

* SIX POINT FAVORITE - C Greg Koehler is currently leading the UHL in scoring. Koehler has 44 points and league best 23 goals through 29 games. He is 6 points ahead of his closest competition, Fort Wayne's Colin Chaulk (37).

* HIGH SCORING WINGER - RW Jason Sessa is second on the Jackals in scoring with 28 points, good enough for 8th in the UHL. He is tied for 4th in the league in goals with 15 lamps lit.

* SIZZLING POWER PLAY - The Jackals have the second best power play in the UHL right now. Elmira has a 21.5% success rate (28-for-130) and has the leagues' best scorer on the man-advantage, Jason Sessa, with 10 goals on the power play.

* A GOALIE IS STILL STANDING - G Greg Hewitt passed the 1500 minutes played mark Sunday in Fort Wayne. Hewitt has played a UHL best 1526 minutes in 26 games played.

* FIRST MILESTONE - D Chris Shaw scored his first goal of the season Sunday in Fort Wayne. Shaw is leading the UHL rookie class in penalty minutes (95). Shaw is 2nd in minors (15) and 2nd in majors (10).

* CAPTAIN OF THE SHIP - D Trevor Burgess is leading all UHL defenseman in scoring with 21 points. His 19 assists are also a defenseman high.

NEWS AND NOTES:

Elmira Jackals Team Leaders:

Goals: Greg Koehler (23)
Assists: Greg Koehler (21)
Points: Greg Koehler (44)
Plus/Minus: Carl Drakensjo, Trevor Burgess (+4)
Penalty Minutes: Chris Shaw (95)
Power Play Goals: Jason Sessa (10)
Short Handed Goals: Carl Drakensjo, Jamie Thompson,
Eddy Lowe, George Pujacs (1)
Shots: Greg Koehler (121)
Shooting Percentage: Corey Foster (19.0%)
Saves: Greg Hewitt (762)
Wins: Greg Hewitt (11)
GAA: Greg Hewitt (3.31)
Save Percentage: Greg Hewitt (.901)

Jackals Jam

Don't forget to check out the next edition Jackals Jam on WENY-TV. Broadcaster Owen Newkirk and WENY Sports Director Neille Giffune will recap another exciting week of Jackals hockey, including an interview with Head Coach Todd Brost, a Jackals player profile, and skills segment with Owen and a Jackal. Jackals Jam airs every Sunday night at 11:00 pm on WENY-TV (ABC).

Coach's Show

THERE WILL BE NO COACH'S SHOW THIS WEEK (12/14/04)

Don't miss the The Elmira Jackals Coach's Show broadcast LIVE next Tuesday night (December 21st) from Patrick's Pub, 303 College Ave. at 7pm. Join Head Coach Todd Brost and Voice of the Jackals Owen Newkirk, along with two Jackals players for the broadcast. Tune in on WiNGZ 104.9 FM or stream it online at www.jackalshockey.com - Fans are encouraged to email their questions for any of the Coach's Show participants to jackalshockey@jackalshockey.com no later than 3 pm on Tuesday before the show.

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