Proulx's OT goal lifts Jackals past Chiefs

Published on March 5, 2010 under ECHL (ECHL)
Elmira Jackals News Release


Olivier Proulx redirected an R.J. Anderson shot into the net at 1:53 of overtime on Friday night at First Arena in Elmira, N.Y., as the Elmira Jackals defeated the Johnstown Chiefs 5-4 to increase their lead in the American East Division to nine points.

Matt Lowry gave the Jackals an early 1-0 lead in the first period. Joe Grimaldi took the puck from behind his goal, brought it into the Chiefs' zone, and fed it for Lowry in the right circle, and his shot beat Chiefs goaltender John Murray at 4:20 for Lowry's sixth goal of the season.

Chris Korchinski tipped in an Anderson shot at 8:55 as the Jackals converted on the power play for the fifth straight game, and Elmira led 2-0. The tally was Korchinski's third in the last two games.

Midway through the second period, the teams went through a wild two minute, two second stretch which saw the squads score a combined four goals. Sean Berkstresser tipped in a Dan Gendur feed at 9:56 to make it 2-1 in favor of the Jackals and Trevor Hendrikx tied the game with his sixth goal of the season 26 seconds later with a drive from the left circle past the stick of Elmira goaltender Julien Ellis. Tyler Donati then banked a puck off a Chiefs defenseman into the net to extend his league-leading scoring streak to 17 games at 11:25, but Connor Shields scored at 11:58 to tie the game once again.

Elmira regained the upper hand in the contest when Anderson's wrist shot from the right circle beat Murray glove side at 16:44 of the second period to give the Jackals a 4-3 advantage.

The Jackals kept the Chiefs off the scoreboard until late in the third period, when Chanse Fitzpatrick cut in front of Ellis and fed it by him to tie the game with 1:33 left in regulation.

The extra-session battle between the two teams was the fourth between Elmira and Johnstown this season and once again put the Jackals unbeaten record against the Chiefs this season on the line. Anderson's laser from the right side was redirected by Proulx just in front of the overtime's two-minute mark, though, to improve the Jackals record to 7-0-0-0 against the Chiefs in 2009-2010.

The game-winning goal was Proulx's sixth of the season, pushing him into sole possession of the team lead and a tie for third in the ECHL.

Ellis improved to 13-4-1-0 with the Jackals, stopping 31 of 35 shots, while Murray fell to 5-20-3-0, making 23 saves on 28 shots.

The Jackals upped their record to 32-19-3-2, while the Chiefs' record dropped to 15-34-6-4.

Elmira has now won 14 of the past 17 games and has taken points in 15 of those contests. The home overtime victory was the first since the Jackals beat the Idaho Steelheads on Oct. 31, 2008.

On Saturday night, the Jackals host a former UHL opponent when the Kalamazoo Wings come to town for the first meeting between the two clubs since March of 2007. For tickets, call (607) 734-PUCK (7825), visit the First Arena Box Office.

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