Jackals Win Nail-Biter In Fort Wayne, 2-1

FORT WAYNE, IN - The Jackals displayed their resilient nature tonight with a hard-fought 2-1 win against the Fort Wayne Komets. The Komets scored just 2:10 into the game, but Sam Marotta and the Jackals shut the door the rest of the way. Zach Tolkinen and Mike Seidel netted the goals for Elmira tonight.

Fort Wayne jumped ahead early when C.J. Severyn knotted his fifth goal of the season just 2:10 into play. Reid Petryk and William Lacasse earned the assists on Severyn's opening marker. Sam Marotta stood tall following that goal and made some stellar saves in the opening frame to keep the Komets' lead at one. Then, at 16:35 of the period, the Jackals would receive some luck when Ryan Rashid's shot took a fortunate bounce off of Zach Tolkinen's skate and past Komets' netminder Roman Will. Tolkinen now has three goals on the season, with all three coming in the last five games. The Lino Lakes, Minnesota native has four points in five games on the current road trip. Justin Daniels also added an assist on Tolkinen's tally. Daniels was suiting up against his twin brother, Drew, who is a defenseman for the Komets. The Daniels' brothers played together in Sioux City of the United Stated Hockey League and at Northeastern University before turning pro. Daniels earned a short-handed penalty shot late in the second period, but was stopped by Will.

The Jackals stifled the Komets in the second period, allowing just five shots on goal. The lone goal of the frame came at 10:03 when Mike Seidel buried his 11th goal of the season on the power-play. Matt MacKenzie's point shot was blocked in front and Riley Wetmore swatted it out of mid-air on net. Will made the save, but the rebound popped out to Seidel, who was waiting for the loose change. The Jackals out-shot the Komets 10-5 in the middle frame.

In the third period, the Jackals had to kill off three penalties and withstand Fort Wayne's pressure. Overall, the Jackals killed off all seven penalties against the Komets' fourth-best home power-play in the ECHL. Sam Marotta turned aside all eight shots he faced in the final frame of regulation to preserve the Jackals 2-1 win.

Marotta stopped 22 of 23 shots faced and earned his ninth win of the season. Will allowed two goals on 22 shots faced and was handed the loss.

The Jackals finish their six-game road trip tomorrow night at 7:35 p.m. EST in Indianapolis with their first ever meeting against the Fuel. Elmira is 4-1-0 on its current road swing.