Jackals Weekly Release 1/27-2/1

 ELMIRA, N.Y.  - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and AHL's Rochester Americans, continue their six-game road trip on Wednesday in Cincinnati, followed by visits to Fort Wayne and Indy on Friday and Saturday.

Last Week's Record: 2-1-0
Overall Record: 21-16-5; fourth place in East Division, sixth place in Eastern Conference

Leaders:
Goals: Matt Tassone (14)
Assists: Steven Shamanski & Justin Daniels (17)
Points: Steven Shamanski (28)
+/-: Matt Tassone (+15)
PIMs: Justin Sawyer (85)
PPG: Steven Shamanski (5)
SHG: Matt Tassone, Taylor Stefishen, Ryan Rashid, Mike Seidel & Zach Tolkinen (1)
Wins: Travis Fullerton (13)
GAA: Sam Marotta (2.56)
SVP: Sam Marotta (.913)

Previewing the Upcoming Week:

1/28 at Cincinnati Cyclones - 7:35 p.m. EST
Home vs. CIN 0-0-0, Away vs. CIN 1-1-0
The Jackals enter Cincinnati to take on the Cyclones for the third of four meetings this season, including the third and final meeting at U.S. Bank Arena. Elmira's last stop in the Queen City resulted in a weekend split with the Cyclones. In the season's first meeting, the Jackals were stunned 45 seconds into play as Stephan Vigier directed the puck past Travis Fullerton. But, the pesky Jackals clawed back and received goals from Steven Shamanski and Mitch Holmberg 62 seconds apart late in the opening frame. Vigier tied the game in the second period, but Brodie Reid proved to be the hero with the game-winning goal in the third period. Rob Madore stole the show the next night, shutting out the Jackals in a 2-0 win. Christiaan Minella and Branden Gracel scored in the Cyclones' victory. The Jackals are 21-14-6 all-time against Cincinnati.

1/30 at Fort Wayne Komets - 8:00 p.m. EST
Home vs. FW 0-0-0, Away vs. FW 0-0-0
The Jackals roll into Fort Wayne, Indiana to clash with the Komets for the first of three meetings this season, and the first of two at Memorial Coliseum. Last season, the Jackals and Komets faced off seven times and Elmira earned five wins. The last meeting between these two foes occurred on January 31st at the Memorial Coliseum. Artem Demkov and Mike Vaskivuo paved the way offensively with three points apiece, including each notching an assist on Jakub Culek's game-tying goal in the third period. Dane Walters was the hero for the Jackals with the game-winner in overtime. Neil Conway made 37 saves in the winning effort. The Jackals are 7-3-0 all-time against Fort Wayne.

1/31 at Indy Fuel - 7:35 p.m. EST
Home vs. IND 0-0-0, Away vs. IND 0-0-0
The Jackals complete their six-game road trip with their first ever visit to the Indiana Farmers Coliseum in Indianapolis, Indiana. Saturday's tilt marks the first of four meetings this season and the second of two in Indianapolis. The Jackals will host the Fuel at First Arena on February 20th and 21st before returning to the Indiana Farmers Coliseum on April 5th for the final meeting of the season. The Indy Fuel joined the ECHL this season as an expansion franchise when Jim and Sean Hallett brought hockey back to Indianapolis. The Indy Fuel are affiliated with the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks and AHL's Rockford IceHogs.

Recapping Last Week:

1/23 at Brampton Beast: W 3-1

Zach Tolkinen's first professional goal proved to be the game-winner in the Jackals 3-1 win in their first ever visit to the Powerade Centre. The first period flew by without either team potting the game's first goal. After 20 minute of action, Brampton led Elmira 10-8 in shots. The second period ended like the first, with a 0-0 tie on the scoreboard. The Jackals out-shot the Beast 12-7 in the middle frame and 20-17 overall through 40 minutes, but could not break through Brampton's netminder, Trevor Cann. On the other end, Sam Marotta turned aside all 17 shots he faced through the first two periods. Steven Shamanski, who represented the Jackals in the ECHL All-Star Game, broke the scoreless tie with a blast past Cann off a power-play faceoff at 2:32 of the third period. Shamanski's 10th goal of the year was assisted by Ryan Rashid and Allan McPherson. However, just 65 seconds later Jason Pitton notched his 14th goal of the year and tied the game 1-1. Then, at 10:24 of the frame Zach Tolkinen snapped a shot past Cann and put the Jackals ahead with his first professional goal. Kevin Hart and McPherson registered the assists on Tolkinen's first of the season. Ryan Rashid tapped in the empty-net goal with 10 seconds remaining to seal the Jackals 3-1 victory.

1/24 at Brampton Beast: W 4-2

The Jackals received goals from four different players and cruised to a 4-2 victory over Brampton at the Powerade Centre. After waiting until the third period last night for the game's first goal, Justin Kea and Matt MacKenzie helped the Jackals score out of the starting block tonight against the Beast. Kea's fourth goal of the season came at 5:21 of the opening frame when he deposited the loose change in front and got the Jackals on the board first. Justin Daniels and Thomas Nesbitt assisted Kea's marker. Jason Pitton answered for Brampton on the power-play and tied the game 1-1 at 11:19 of the first period. Matt MacKenzie, who was assigned to Elmira from Rochester today, capitalized on a feed from Allan McPherson on the pwer-play at 18:22 of the opening frame to put the Jackals ahead 2-1. Steven Shamanski also assisted MacKenzie's first goal of the season. The Jackals extended their lead in the second period, courtesy of Shamanski's 11th goal of the season. Taylor Stefishen and McPherson assisted Shamanski's marker and the Jackals took a 3-1 lead into the second intermission. In the third period. Andrew Conboy buried on the power-play at 5:59 of the final regulation frame to put the Jackals comfortably ahead 4-1. Riley Wetmore and Zach Tolkinen added helpers on Conboy's fourth goal of the season. David Ling added a power-play goal for Brampton at 15:39 of the third period, but it was too little too late for the home squad.

1/25 at Brampton Beast: L 1-4

The Jackals came up short in their search for the weekend sweep as they fell 4-1 in their Sunday matinee against the Brampton Beast. The Jackals entered the contest without trailing Brampton all season, but Chad Painchaud changed that at 16:43 of the opening frame. Bobby Hughes, who finished with four points, fed the puck ahead for Jason Pitton and the Beast's leading goal-scorer played role reversal with Painchaud, who leads Brampton in assists, with a backdoor feed on a two-on-one. In the second period, Hughes capitalized twice and extended Brampton's lead to 3-0. Hughes buried a wrist shot past Jackals netminder Sam Marotta from the right circle for his fourth goal of the season. Hughes would net his second goal of the game and fifth of the season on the power-play at 18:36 of the second period. The tempers began to boil as the game progressed and Andrew Conboy's net-front presence drew the attention of Stephon Thorne, which resulted in two-minute roughing penalties and 10-minute misconducts for each player. Conboy and Thorne would return for the third period, but at 10:23 of the final frame Conboy ran into Cal Wild and the boiling point burst into a chaotic scene. Conboy was given a five-minute major penalty for cross-checking, a five-minute match penalty for attempting to injure an opponent and a game misconduct. Wild received a two-minute minor for roughing. The Jackals were left short-handed for the remainder of regulation as they attempted to come back from a three-goal deficit. Zach Tolkinen breathed some life into the comeback effort with a shorthanded goal at 12:25 of the period, but that would be as close as the Jackals would come. Maione added a power-play goal at 19:24 to seal the win for the Beast.

Quick Hits:

* Sam Marotta leads all rookie goaltenders with a 2.56 goals-against-average and ranks second with a .913 save percentage.

* Steven Shamanski leads all rookie defensemen with 11 goals, 13 power-play points and 28 points. The Carberry, MB native ranks second among all ECHL defensemen in goals, tied for first in power-play goals and power-play points.

* Elmira is 17-4-3 when scoring first.

* Elmira is 14-0-2 when leading after two periods.

* Matt Tassone leads the league with seven first goals.