Game Preview: Elmira Jackals vs. Kalamazoo Wings 10-17-14

 ELMIRA, N.Y. - Today the Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and AHL's Rochester Americans, open their eighth ECHL season at home against the Kalamazoo Wings.

  

WHO: Elmira Jackals - Buffalo/NHL & Rochester/AHL (0-0-0) vs. Kalamazoo Wings - Vancouver and Columbus/NHL & Utica and Springfield and Chicago/AHL (0-0-0) 

  

WHAT: Jackals Home Game #1. Come party with the characters from the movie Frozen at First Arena and enjoy the pre-game block party beginning at 4:00 p.m!

WHEN: 7:05 p.m EDT

WHERE: First Arena - 155 N Main Street, Elmira NY 14901

The Jackals are facing the Wings tonight for the first of four meetings this season and the first of two at First Arena. Elmira is 8-11-7 against Kalamazoo in their all-time series. The Jackals take the ice tonight with a new head coach and a relatively new team. Jamie Russell takes over as the eleventh head coach in Elmira Jackals history and will make his professional hockey head coaching debut tonight against the Wings. Second-year defenseman Patch Alber returns to Elmira after skating in 65 games as a rookie a year ago. Nick Tuzzolino, Ryan Rashid and Tony Capobianco played briefly with the Jackals last season. Forwards Matt Tassone and Paul McIlveen also have a history in Elmira playing for the Jackals.

Matt Tassone, who played for the Jackals during the 2012-2013 season season, returns to lead a group of young, talented players. This week the St. Albert, Alberta native was named captain of the Jackals after exhibiting tremendous leadership throughout the team's training camp. Veteran defenseman Nick Tuzzolino and forward Andrew Conboy have been named the Jackals' alternate captains.