Plot Twister Ends With Jackals Earning Victory And League-Leading Ninth Sellout

Published on January 30, 2010 under ECHL (ECHL)
Elmira Jackals News Release


The Elmira Jackals league-leading ninth sellout crowd of the season could not have seen a game with more plot twists on Saturday night at First Arena, but the wild story ended with 4,056 fans watching the Jackals earn their fourth-straight win, this time a 7-5 victory over the Gwinnett Gladiators. The Jackals have scored at least seven goals now in four consecutive games, and they needed every goal possible on Saturday night in a back-and-forth battle with the Gladiators.

Unlike their first two wins against Gwinnett this season, the Jackals had to play from behind multiple times. The first time came when Jason Lawrence redirected a Drew Paris shot just 1:26 into the contest that made its way past Jackals goaltender Julien Ellis to give the Gladiators their first lead against the Jackals in 2009-2010.

The Jackals, who were opportunistic with a short-handed goal in their home win against the Gladiators on Friday night on a play by Chaz Johnson and Yannick Tifu, had those two combine on Saturday night with Elmira down a man to even the score. At 11:32 of the first period, Johnson, celebrating his 26th birthday, took a feed from Tifu and sent the puck past Gladiators goaltender Danny Taylor from the right circle to make it 1-1. It was Johnson's first goal since returning from a near two-month stand on the injured reserve, and the Jackals' sixth short-handed goal of the season.

At 13:56 of the first period, the Jackals took their first lead of the game. Matt Lowry's initial shot was blocked, but Bear Trapp knocked in a loose puck past the right pad of Taylor for his third goal of the season to give the Jackals the 2-1 advantage.

The Gladiators had no problems playing from behind in the second period, scoring two goals to reclaim the lead. Michael Forney took a feed from Daniel Sullivan and deked Julien Ellis forehand-backhand to tie the game at 2:33, and then the Gladiators made it 3-2 when Matt Caruana's left-circle shot went past Ellis' blocker at 16:01.

Elmira made sure Gwinnett would not hold the lead for long. Brendan Connolly's drive from the left circle at 17:34 of the second period soared over the right shoulder of Taylor and into the net to even the score 3-3.

The Jackals kept the momentum going into the final session. Just 31 seconds into the third period, Tyler Donati threaded a pass to his brother Justin Donati who tapped it in to give the Jackals the 4-3 lead.

Elmira seemed to have complete control of the game, as the Jackals went on a five-on-three power play 1:30 into the third period. However, Ellis' attempted pass toward Tifu was intercepted on the doorstep by Aaron Brocklehurst, who pushed the puck into the net with the Gladiators down two men to tie the game 4-4 at 3:13 of the third period. The Gladiators killed off their two penalties and were back at even strength with the score knotted up.

Just when it seemed the Gladiators had the Jackals reeling, Elmira fought right back. Olivier Proulx banked a puck off of Taylor from the left goal line and into the net, as the Jackals converted on the power play for the 10th time in 11 games, this time at 4:48 of the third period to give Elmira a 5-4 advantage.

Seconds later, Tifu and Tyler Donati were in alone on Taylor, and Tifu found Donati who fired the puck past Taylor to make it 6-4 at 5:14 of the third period. It proved to be the game-winning goal, Donati's first of the season.

The Gladiators, though, were not done. Scott Mifsud found Adam Berti cutting toward the goal on the left wing, and Gwinnett's leading scorer knocked the puck into the net to make it a one-goal game at 11:08 of the final period.

The Jackals, after fighting off a five-on-three short-handed situation following the Berti goal, received a couple of big saves from Ellis down the stretch, and Justin Donati tapped in an empty-net goal at 19:48 of the third period, and the Jackals held on in a thriller, winning 7-5.

Elmira has won four-straight games for the first time since its seven game-winning streak in October to begin the 2009-2010 campaign. In those four wins, the Jackals have outscored their opponents 30-10. The Jackals completed the season sweep of the Gladiators with the win, scoring 26 goals and allowing only nine in the three victories.

A win by the Reading Royals over the Charlotte Checkers on Saturday night kept the Jackals two points back of the Royals for the top spot in the American East Division.

Ellis made 33 saves on 38 shots, earning his ninth win with the Jackals and 11th overall this season. Taylor fell to 10-9-1-2 in the loss, making 23 saves on 29 Jackals bids.

The Jackals improved to 22-17-2-2 on the season, while the Gladiators record dropped to 19-19-3-2. Elmira hosts the Toledo Walleye at First Arena on Sunday at 4:05 p.m. Fans in attendance are invited to stick around after the game and skate with the Jackals.

The First Arena Box Office opens at 12 p.m. on Sunday, and fans looking to purchase tickets can also call (607) 734-PUCK (7825)

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ECHL Stories from January 30, 2010


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