Sweetland's Second Sun Center Hat Trick Helps Jackals Stifle Devils

December 9, 2010 - ECHL (ECHL)
Elmira Jackals News Release


Trenton, N.J. - Andrew Sweetland notched three goals for the second-straight time at the Sun National Bank Center on Wednesday night as the Elmira Jackals (12-5-5-0) defeated the Trenton Devils (8-11-0-1), 5-2. The Jackals extended their Atlantic Division lead to three points with the victory and return home to First Arena for games against the Devils on Friday and Saturday at 7:35 p.m.

Tyler Donati's one-timer in the slot off a feed from Justin Donati put the Jackals on the board first at 10:55 of the opening period, making it 1-0. Patrick Coulombe had the second assist on the goal, extending his point streak to six games (2g-5a).

A pair of Devils goals gave Trenton its only lead of the game. Ryan Ginand connected from the low, right circle on a feed from Ryan Hayes on the power play at 16:51 of the first to even the score, 1-1. Jeremy Akeson short-handed wrist shot from the top of the right circle at 4:09 of the second period beat Elmira goaltender Marco Cousineau high, stick side to put Trenton up 2-1.

Sweetland, who achieved his first professional hat trick on Nov. 20 in a 7-2 Jackals win in Trenton's Sun Center, recorded his first natural hat trick on Wednesday, with the first goal coming at 5:23 of the middle frame. T. Donati fed Sweetland in the slot from behind the net to start the scoring chance, with Sweetland one-timing the puck low, stick side past Devils netminder Shane Connelly to tie the game, 2-2.

Sweetland's second goal put Elmira in front for good, proving to be his third game-winning tally of the season. The Bonavista, Newfoundland took a pass from Yannick Tifu in the high slot and drove the puck under the cross bar to give Elmira a 3-2 advantage at the 7:39 mark of the second.

In the third period, Tifu found Sweetland alone in the neutral zone on a long pass, springing the third-year pro on a breakaway. Sweetland's wrist shot in the slot soared over Connelly's glove to extend the Jackals' lead to 4-2 at 10:40. The goal was Sweetland's team-leading 13th of the season, putting him into a tie for second in the ECHL. The natural hat trick was the first for a Jackal since J. Donati accomplished the feat on Feb. 12 of last season in a 4-3 Elmira victory in Wheeling.

Eric Regan's connected on a pass ahead to T. Donati at center ice, starting him in on a two-on-one with Sweetland at 13:48. Donati's snap shot beat Connelly high, glove side to pad the Jackals' lead, 5-2.

Cousineau stopped 31 of 33 shots as he upped his record to 8-4-4-0 on the season, while Connelly dropped to 2-6-1-0 in a 22-save performance.

The Jackals are back at First Arena to host the Devils on Friday and Saturday, with both games starting at 7:35 p.m. Friday's game is Teddy Bear Toss and 4 for $44 night, while Saturday's game is Toys for Children night. Fans are encouraged to bring teddy bears to throw onto the ice when Elmira scores its first goal on Friday. The teddy bears will then be collected and donated to children at St. Joseph's Hospital by Jackals players. The first 100 fans to bring a toy to donate to children on Saturday will receive a t-shirt courtesy of the Pembrook Pines Media Group. For tickets, call (607) 734-PUCK (7825), visit the First Arena Box Office, or log onto JackalsHockey.com.



ECHL Stories from December 9, 2010


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