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Special Teams Battle Setteld In Shootout; Cincy Trims Elmira 5-4

February 24, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Elmira Jackals News Release


CINCINNATI, OH - Thomas Beauregard scored twice in regulation and netted the shootout winner as the Cincinnati Cyclones dropped the Elmira Jackals 5-4 Saturday night at U.S. Bank Arena in front of a crowd of 5,147 fans. The victory was Cincinnati's 15th consecutive win, establishing a new ECHL record.

In what ended up being a specials teams affair for the first forty minutes, the clubs combined for six power play strikes and two shorthanded goals on a night in which the clubs would be scoreless and register a combined eleven shots in the third period.

The Jackals ignited the fireworks when they converted on their first two power plays for a 2-0 advantage after twenty minutes.

Benoit Doucet angled in his 20th of the year 8:19 into the game seconds after Pierre-Luc Faubert sent a point blank try wide to provide the visitors with a 1-0 lead.

Kyle Wharton made it 2-0 with a drive from the left circle at 15:59. It was a chance that almost didn't materialize as Wharton went unpenalized after hauling down Jason Deitsch on a shorthanded break just prior to the counter rush that resulted in the scoring chance.

While that potential penalty went by the boards, the Jackals paid a heavy price with numerous calls that were meted out near the end of the first period and well into the middle period that forced the club to face four 5-on-3 Cyclones power plays.

Frank Littlejohn was whistled for interference 2:44 into the second period and Matt Gens (hooking) followed him into the box forty-nine seconds later for the seconds two-man disadvantage.

Mathieu Aubin scored to cut the Jackals lead down to 2-1 at 4:11, but Luke Fritshaw picked up an unsportsmanlike conduct call to continue the two-man advantage.

Eleven seconds later, the game was tied at 2-2 when Aubin got just enough of a one-timer from the right circle to beat Ervins Mustukovs (34 saves) over the blocker at 4:24.

A more conventional 5-on-4 power play took place for twenty-eight seconds until Wharton tripped up Matt Syroczynski behind the net to place the Cyclones on their fourth 5-on-3 of the night.

Beauregard cashed in for his first of the game and 23rd of the season at 5:14 as Cincinnati scored three times in a sixty-three second span to take the lead, but not total momentum, from Elmira.

The Jackals stemmed the tide as they finally received a chance on the man-up in the second period and made it count for their third power play goal of the evening.

Doucet fed Gens in the high slot where he ripped a one-timer past Maxime Daigneault (30 saves), caroming off of the cross bar and straight down on the goal line. Chaz Johnson was there to slip the loose puck home for his 19th of the year at 9:45 to tie game at 3-3.

Johnson then put the Jackals in front with teammate Jim McKenzie serving a high sticking call, retaliating on a uncalled high stick from A.J. Bozioan.

Faubert tapped a puck free in his own zone and out to center ice. Johnson outraced two Cyclones defenders and sailed in alone on Daigneault, lifting home his second of the game and 20th of the season shorthanded for a 4-3 advantage at 10:46.

Not to be outdone, Cincinnati came back with a shorthanded strike of their own with 2:38 left in the middle period to knot the game at 4-4 on Beauregard's second of the night.

Beauregard intercepted a Doucet pass ten feet inside the offensive zone and moved ahead through center. Gens was the lone man back and looked like he had position on Beauregard. But the Cyclones forward used Gens as a screen and snapped in his 24th of the year to even the score at 17:22.

Cincinnati held a 6-5 shots advantage in a scoreless third period (39-34 for the game) and took six of the eight shots in overtime, but the teams headed to a third consecutive shootout involving the clubs at U.S. Bank Arena.

Daigneault stopped all four Jackals attempts (Littlejohn, Doucet, Faubert, Johnson) while Beauregard and Aubin converted to propel the Cyclones to their 40th win in 51 games.

With the overtime point, Elmira (31-16-3-3) moved to 68 points in the North Division. The Jackals lead over third place Reading shrank to two points with the Royals winning 6-3 in Wheeling Saturday night. The Royals and Nailers meet Sunday night at WesBanco Arena in a 6:05 p.m. face-off.

Elmira is off until opening a three-game home stand Friday night against the Dayton Bombers in a 7:35 p.m. draw. The Jackals and Bombers meet again Saturday night (7:35 p.m.) before the Johnstown Chiefs arrive for a Sunday afternoon tilt (4:05 p.m.). Good seats remain for all three games at all Ticketmaster outlets (First Arena box office, www.ticketmaster.com, charge-by-phone at 722-3711).

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