Jackals Season Ends With Loss In Gwinnett

DULUTH, Ga. - Playing their second game in as many nights and skating two skaters short were odds too long for the Elmira Jackals to over come on Saturday night. They dropped a 7-0 decision to the Gwinnett Gladiators at the Arena at Gwinnett Center and closed their season with a 24-40-8 record. 

  

Click here for tonight's box score. 

The Gladiators opened the scoring midway through the first period when Casey Pierro-Zabotel finished off a backdoor feed from Chris Culligan for a power play goal. It was Pierro-Zabotel's sixth of the season and third in as many games against the Jackals. Brendan Walker added to the lead with a wrist shot from in tight on the right wing. Neil Conway tried to track the shot through a screen provided by Pierro-Zabotel but couldn't. It was Walker's first of three goals on the night and came with 17:23 gone by in the frame.

Gwinnett really put a stranglehold on the game with a three-goal second period. Marshall Everson opened the floodgates with his 21st of the season at 5:50 then Pierro-Zabotel and Walker teamed up for a pair of goals separated by 7:37. Elmira nearly climbed on the board when Patch Alber blasted a slap shot from the center point moments before Walker's second of the night. Gwinnett goalie Mark Guggenberger got a piece of the initial shot but couldn't catch it cleanly. The puck slid toward the goal line but before Mike Vaskivuo could finish it off Guggenberger dived back to smother the puck. Conway stopped 13 of 16 shots in the second but gave way to Chris Driedger for the third.

Driedger received a rude welcome as the Gladiators scored goals on two of their first four shots of the period. Both came on Elmira's lone power play of the game. Josh Currie banged home a rebound at 4:04 and Walker capped the hat trick 46 seconds later. Things got testy late when Colin Jacobs dropped the gloves with Everson at the 17:05 mark of the third, but no more fisticuffs followed.

Conway shouldered the loss with 24 saves on 29 shots while Driedger stopped 11 of 13. Elmira was 0-for-1 on the power play and 4-for-5 on the penalty kill. 

 

Season ticket for the Elmira Jackals' 2014-15 season are on sale right now! They feature the best per-game discounts on seats, free Kelly Cup playoff tickets, a VIP card full of great benefits, a dedicated customer service representative, and more great benefits. Call the Jackals at 607-734-7825 to get your season tickets booked.