Jacks End Year in Crazy Fashion with 6-5 Win
December 31, 2010 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Odessa Jackalopes News Release
ODESSA, TX - It was an unforgettable end to 2010 as the Odessa Jackalopes topped the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees by a 6-5 final on Friday at the Ector County Coliseum. Aside from the scoring, the game also featured a penalty-laced second period, and a line brawl as the buzzer sounded at end of the contest.
The win was Odessa's third in a row, all against the Killer Bees. Mike Ramsay's power play goal 31 seconds into the third period held up as the game-winner. It was his second goal of the game.
The Bees cut Odessa's lead to one with goals by Dan Gendur and Zak McClellan late in the third. The Jackalopes withstood a last second rush by the Bees with the extra skater on the ice to secure the win. As soon as the buzzer sounded Tomas Klempa took a shot at Odessa's Jeff Pierce sparking a line brawl between all the skaters on the ice.
The Jackalopes started fast with a pair of goals in the first six minutes of the game. Ramsay picked up a loose puck at the Bees blue line and snapped a wrist shot from the right circle 4:09 into the opening period for his 14th of the season. Rookie forward Mark Ehl then made it 2-0 after burying a rebound left over from Kenny Bernard's breakaway attempt just over a minute later.
The second period took a circus turn as the Jackalopes opened up a 4-0 lead with goals from Mike Lesperance at 7:47 and Kenny Corupe at 8:53 shorthanded. Rio Grande Valley then scored three straight power play goals in three minutes to cut the score to 4-3. Jake Obermeyer, Nick Sucharski, and Dan Gendur all scored for the Bees. Odessa's Todd Robinson added a man-advantage goal of his own with just under a minute remaining to make it 5-3 Jacks.
In the middle frame, 15 total penalties were called which included six straight against the Jacks in the first 12 minutes, plus four consecutive against Rio Grande Valley in the period's final four minutes. At one point the power play count favored the Bees 9-1, and it was 10-6 when the period ended and 10-7 to finish the game.
Odessa's record improves to 15-4-2 on the year. Their first time above .500 all season. Rio Grande Valley falls to 13-16-3 on the year.
The Jacks and Bees wrap up their four-game set on New Year's Day with a puck drop scheduled for 7:05 PM CST. It will be last home game for Jacks before their annual rodeo road trip in January. The action can be heard on Classic Rock 102.1 FM.
The Odessa Jackalopes are the Central Hockey League affiliate for the NHL's New York Islanders and the AHL's Bridgeport Sound Tigers. The team is currently in the middle of its 14th season. Season tickets, mini-plans, and single game tickets are available by calling (432) 552-PUCK or visiting jackalopes.org.
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Central Hockey League Stories from December 31, 2010
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