Game Preview: Elmira Jackals vs. Kalamazoo Wings 10-18-14

ELMIRA, N.Y. - Today the Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and AHL's Rochester Americans, take on the Kalamazoo Wings for the final time at First Arena in the 2014-2015 season.

 
WHO: Elmira Jackals - Buffalo/NHL & Rochester/AHL (1-0-0) vs. Kalamazoo Wings - Vancouver and Columbus/NHL & Utica and Springfield and Chicago/AHL (0-1-0)
 
WHAT: Jackals Home Game #2. The Jackals look to finish their first weekend with a sweep against the Kalamazoo Wings. Last night Elmira defeated the Wings 6-2 in front of 3264 energizes Jackals fans.

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 second of four meetings this season and the second of two at First Arena. Elmira is 1-0-0 against the Wings this season and 9-11-7 against Kalamazoo in their all-time ECHL series. The Jackals dressed ten rookies last night with their new-look lineup and six of them earned at least one point. The jitters showed early with three first period penalties, but the goaltending of Travis Fullerton made the early difference. Fullerton stopped 24 of 26 shots for the win in his team debut. Eleven different Jackals got on the scoresheet and four rookies (Thomas Nesbitt, Steven Shamanski, Taylor Stefishen and Allan McPherson) scored their first professional goal. 

Jamie Russell took over as the eleventh head coach in Elmira Jackals history and earned his first professional head coaching victory in his debut last night. Russell ranked second in Michigan Tech history for career wins after he spent eight seasons as the head coach at Michigan Tech, posting a 70-197-37 record. He is also familiar with the Twin Tiers region after he spent three seasons as an assistant coach at Cornell University. Russell also played in Binghamton with the Whalers during the 1989-1990 season.