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Late Goals Lift Jackals Past Royals

April 6, 2012 - ECHL (ECHL) - Elmira Jackals News Release

Elmira, N.Y. - The Elmira Jackals earned their first victory of the postseason on Friday night at First Arena, scoring three goals late in Game 3 of the best-of-five Eastern Conference Quarterfinals to beat the Reading Royals, 5-2. The Jackals now trail the series, two games to one, and will host the Royals in Game 4 on Saturday night at 7:05 p.m.

For the third-straight game to start the series, Reading took a 1-0 lead, as Ian O'Connor's wrist shot from the right circle deflected past Brian Stewart at 9:10.

Mike Radja took a tip pass from Dustin Gazley in the high slot, stickhandled in toward Mark Owuya, and then snapped a puck off the netminder's glove and in, as Elmira tied the game, 1-1, at 16:54.

Zach McKelvie's wrist shot from the blue line redirected off of a falling Olivier Labelle and in with 3.7 seconds to go in the period, giving Reading a 2-1 advantage after one.

The Jackals tied the game early in the second period, as Craig Rivet took a feed from Artem Demkov and lifted a puck past Owuya from the right circle, making it 2-2 at 3:36.

With the clock winding down in the third period, Nick Dineen recovered after getting hit in the leg by a Mario Larocque shot moments earlier, found the puck in the right circle, and fired it past Owuya and in to give the Jackals their first lead of the series, 3-2, at 16:17.

Radja blasted in a centering feed in the slot from Gazley one minute later, extending the Jackals' lead to 4-2 at 17:17.

Rob Bellamy rolled in an empty-netter at 19:00 of the final frame, capping the scoring at 5-2.

Stewart (1-1) made 18 saves on 20 shots for his second-career postseason win. Owuya (2-1) stopped 29 of 33 shots in the loss.

The Jackals and the Royals battle in Game 4 at 7:05 p.m. at First Arena on Saturday night. To reserve your seats call (607) 734-PUCK (7825), visit the First Arena Box Office, or log onto JackalsHockey.com.

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