Jackals Defeated By Domingue, Gladiators 4-0

DULUTH, GA - The Jackals opened the 2015 calendar year with a 4-0 defeat at the hands of Louis Domingue and the Gwinnett Gladiators.

The Jackals opened the game on the attack and pressured the Gladiators throughout the early portion of the first period. However, the first strike of the night belonged to Gwinnett's captain, Sean Berkstresser, who picked up a loose puck in the Jackals' zone, drove down the left circle and cut to the backhand for his fifth goal of the season.

In the second period, Elmira turned up the intensity and continued to press offensively, but each time Domingue was up to the task. The Jackals out-shot the Gladiators 10-3 in the second period but the score remained 1-0 following 40 minutes of action.

The Jackals opened the third period with the man advantage and a chance to tie the game. However, just as Gwinnett's penalty was expiring Nick Tuzzolino was whistled for slashing and gave the Gladiators an opportunity to extend their lead. Just 23 seconds into the power-play Joe Stejskal's shot from the point was blocked in front of the net but the loose puck wasn't cleared and ended up on the stick of Will MacDonald, who deposited it for his third goal of the season. Gwinnett would strike again with the man advantage just over four minutes later. Tristin Llewellyn blasted a shot from the point purposely wide of the net, in an attempt to create a rebound opportunity for Casey Pierro-Zabotel along the goal-line. Pierro-Zabotel handled the hard bounce off of the backboards and scored his 10th goal of the season. Garry Nunn would add the Gladiators' fourth marker at 12:45 of the frame.

Sam Marotta turned aside 19 of 23 shots but was handed the loss. Domingue saved all 24 shots he faced for the shutout victory.