Tassone Loaned To Binghamton

ELMIRA, NY - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and AHL's Rochester Americans, announced today that forward Matt Tassone has been loaned to the Binghamton Senators.

Tassone, 25, heads to the AHL for his third stint this season. In three games with Rochester this season, the 6-foot-2 210-pound forward has recorded one goal and seven penalty minutes. Tassone has registered a career-high 15 goals and 28 points in just 29 games with the Jackals this season. In 155 career ECHL games with Elmira, Las Vegas, Ontario and Idaho, the St. Albert, Alberta native has collected 92 points (44 goals, 48 assists). Tassone has also appeared in 13 AHL games with the Lake Erie Monsters and 14 CHL games with the Arizona Sundogs and the Wichita Thunder.

Prior to turning pro, Tassone played 187 games with the Swift Current Broncos of the Western Hockey League. He recorded 73 goals, 46 assists and 343 penalty minutes in four seasons with the Broncos. Tassone was drafted by the Dallas Stars with the 176th overall pick in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.

Jackals Set Season-High With Eight Goals In Rout Of Road Warriors

ELMIRA, NY - Seven different Jackals recorded multi-point nights, including Mike Seidel, who lead the way with two goals and an assist in the Jackals' 8-3 rout over the Road Warriors.

In a matchup between two teams tied for fourth in the East Division, it did not take the Jackals long to jump ahead of Greenville. At 2:39 of the opening frame, Lucas Bloodoff and Kevin Sundher worked the puck free in the Road Warriors' corner and Sundher found Seidel swinging through the slot for his team-leading 16th goal of the season. Then, at 10:49 of the first period, Zach Josepher recorded his first career ECHL goal with a wrist shot through traffic and past Jason Missiaen. Colin Jacobs and Justin Daniels earned the assists on Josepher's first tally. Less than five minutes later, at 15:46, Jacobs was the beneficiary of strong puck movement from Keith Buehler and Mike Bergin, who found Jacobs in the slot for his fifth goal of the season. Jacobs' goal would mark the end of the night for Missiaen, who was pulled after giving up three goals on 14 shots in 15:46 of work.

In the second period, the Jackals continued their offensive onslaught, even on the penalty kill. Just 51 seconds into the second stanza, Kevin Hart broke up a cross-ice pass on the Greenville power-play and started a two-on-one shorthanded rush with Seidel. Hart moved the puck over to Seidel on his left side and Seidel would finish off the post and in for his second of the night and team-leading 17th of the season. Scott Arnold would get Greenville on the board at 2:26 of the period with his sixth goal of the season. But, less than two minutes later, at 4:33, Ryan Rashid found Taylor Stefishen streaming down the left-wing side and Stefishen carried the puck across the slot before depositing it past Braely Torris. Mitch Holmberg also assisted Stefishen's 12th goal of the season. After 40 minutes of action, the Jackals carried a 5-1 lead into the intermission.

Elmira added to its cushion at 4:05 of the third period with Josepher's second goal of the night. Holmberg and Sundher earned the helpers on Josepher's marker. Just 1:21 later, Rashid would register his 12th goal of the season on a backdoor feed from Jacobs. Steven Shamanski also added an assist on Rashid's goal. Emerson Clark added an unassisted goal at 6:54 of the period. The Jackals captain, Matt Tassone, would get involved in the action with his 15th goal of the season at 12:22 of the third period. Thomas Nesbitt and Seidel assisted Tassone's tally. Chris McCarthy added a goal at 14:15 of the period, but it would be too little, too late for the Road Warriors.

Travis Fullerton turned aside 31 of 34 shots faced for his 18th win of the season. Missiaen allowed three goals on 14 shots and Torris allowed five goals on 22 shots in relief duty, shouldering the loss. The Jackals went 0-for-1 on the power-play, but scored a shorthanded goal. The Road Warriors went 0-for-5 on the man advantage.

Jackals, Road Warriors Face-Off In Deadlocked East Division Battle

ELMIRA, NY  - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and AHL's Rochester Americans, host the Greenville Road Warriors tonight for the only time this season. The Jackals and Road Warriors are tied for fourth in the East Division with 59 points apiece.

WHO: Elmira Jackals - Buffalo/NHL & Rochester/AHL (27-20-5) vs. Greenville Road Warriors - New York Rangers/NHL & Hartford/AHL (28-21-3) 

  

WHAT: Jackals Home Game #26.

WHEN: 7:05 p.m. EST 
 

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

Tonight the Jackals host the Greenville Road Warriors for the second of two meetings this season, and the only matchup at First Arena. The lone previous meeting this season occurred on January 4th in Greenville, South Carolina. Matt Tassone opened the scoring in the first period and Colin Jacobs added a marker in the third frame, but the Road Warriors tied the game late in regulation and sent it to a shootout. Two Jackals shooters scored and Travis Fullerton stopped five of eight shooters in the skills competition, but Greenville came away victorious, 3-2. The last time these two teams met at First Arena came on November 1, 2013. Artem Demkov, Philip-Michael Devos and Rob Bellamy scored and Scott Greenham stopped all 31 shots faced in the 3-0 Jackals win. Elmira is 7-3-2 all-time against the Road Warriors.

Jackals Weekly Release 2/23-3/1

ELMIRA, NY - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and AHL's Rochester Americans, host the Greenville Road Warriors on Wednesday before embarking on a four-game road trip to Wheeling, West Virginia and Reading, Pennsylvania.

Last Week's Record: 1-1-0
Overall Record: 27-20-5; t-fourth place in East Division, t-sixth place in Eastern Conference

Leaders:
Goals: Mike Seidel (15)
Assists: Justin Daniels (19)
Points: Mike Seidel, Taylor Stefishen & Steven Shamanski (28)
+/-: Matt Tassone (+14)
PIMs: Justin Sawyer (136)
PPG: Steven Shamanski (5)
SHG: Matt Tassone, Taylor Stefishen, Ryan Rashid, Mike Seidel & Zach Tolkinen (1)
Wins: Travis Fullerton (17)
GAA: Sam Marotta (2.55)
SVP: Sam Marotta & Travis Fullerton (.912)

Previewing the Upcoming Week:
2/25 vs. Greenville Road Warriors - 7:05 p.m. EST
Home vs. GRN 0-0-0, Away vs. GRN 0-0-1
On Wednesday, the Jackals host the Greenville Road Warriors for the second of two meetings this season, and the only matchup at First Arena. The lone previous meeting this season occurred on January 4th in Greenville, South Carolina. Matt Tassone opened the scoring in the first period and Colin Jacobs added a marker in the third frame, but the Road Warriors tied the game late in regulation and sent it to a shootout. Two Jackals shooters scored and Travis Fullerton stopped five of eight shooters in the skills competition, but Greenville came away victorious, 3-2. The last time these two teams met at First Arena came on November 1, 2013. Artem Demkov, Philip-Michael Devos and Rob Bellamy scored and Scott Greenham stopped all 31 shots faced in the 3-0 Jackals win. Elmira is 7-3-2 all-time against the Road Warriors.

2/27 at Wheeling Nailers - 7:35 p.m. EST
Home vs. WHL 1-1-0, Away vs. WHL 0-2-1
On Friday, the Jackals travel to Wheeling, West Virginia to face the Nailers for the sixth of 13 meetings and the fourth of seven at WesBanco Arena. Wheeling has not been a friendly destination for the Jackals this season, who enter Friday's game with a 0-2-1 mark this season at WesBanco Arena. In the last meeting, Mike Seidel scored his team-leading 15th goal of the season, but Josh Archibald recorded two goals and paced the Nailers past the Jackals 3-1. In the previous two matchups at WesBanco Arena, the Jackals held two-goal leads, but saw them evaporate in the third period. The last time the Jackals defeated the Nailers on the road was December 12th, 2013. The pack scored four unanswered goals to open the game and cruised to a 5-2 victory. Elmira holds a 38-28-9 all-time record against Wheeling.

3/1 at Reading Royals - 5:05 p.m. EST
Home vs. REA 2-2-2, Away vs. REA 3-3-0
On Sunday, the Jackals pay visit to Santander Arena for the 13th of 15 meetings this season, and the seventh of eight at Reading. In their previous meeting, on Valentine's Day, the Jackals received no love from their East Division rival and fell 7-3, setting a new season-high in goals allowed. The last meeting at Santander Arena occurred on January 19th. Thomas Nesbitt gave the Jackals an early lead, but they eventually fell 4-2 in the Monday matinee affair. In the previous two meetings at First Arena, the Jackals earned three out of a possible four points with a decisive 4-2 win on January 16th and a 4-3 shootout loss the next night. In the Jackals' last win at Reading, Sam Marotta earned his first professional shutout with 25 saves as the Jackals stormed past the Royals 4-0. Elmira is 49-48-12 all-time against Reading.

Recapping Last Week:

2/20 vs. Indy Fuel: W 2-1

In the first meeting between these two teams the Jackals out-shot Indy 41-18, but were shutout by Mac Carruth and the Fuel, 3-0. Similarly, the Jackals came out firing in the first period, but this time they would not be shutout. Ryan Rashid moved the puck from the right wing corner over to Matt Tassone, who found Kevin Hart pinching into the slot. Hart's first attempt was saved by Shane Owen, but his rebound effort would not be denied. Rashid extended his point streak to four games and Tassone pushed his assist streak to three games with the helpers on Hart's second goal of the season. Before the first frame came to a close, Justin Sawyer and Garrett Klotz drop the gloves and exchanged some heavy blows in their heavyweight bout. Despite out-shooting the Fuel 14-4 in the second period, the Jackals were unable to build upon their one goal lead. In the third period, the Jackals continued to control the play and dominate the shot chart, but Shane Owen stood tall and turned aside each shot the Jackals threw his way. At 17:16, Pete Massar carried the puck across the Jackals blueline and fired a wrist shot through the legs of a defender and past Travis Fullerton to tie the game 1-1. After regulation, the game moved to overtime, but 65 minutes would not be enough to settle the score. Colin Jacobs went first in the shootout and scored with a silky set of moves. Evan Vossen's attempt in the first round of the shootout was stopped by Fullerton. In the second round, Matt Tassone's shot trickled through Owen and on the other end Fullerton stoned Lindberg to give the Jackals a 2-0 advantage after two rounds. Kevin Sundher went third for the Jackals and made no mistake with a quick wrist shot into the lower left corner of the cage. Kyle Stroh had to score to keep the game going, but Fullerton stopped him for a perfect 3-for-3 in the shootout. Fullerton made 22 saves and all three in the shootout to earn his 17th win of the season.

2/21 vs. Indy Fuel: L 2-5
The Jackals fired 45 shots on goal, but ended up on the wrong end of Saturday 's 5-2 decision against the Indy Fuel. Mac Carruth turned aside 43 shots and has saved 84 of 86 shots faced in two games against the Jackals this season. In the first period, the Fuel fired the opening salvo as Kyle Stroh blasted a slap shot from the top of the right circle past Sam Marotta at 2:22 of the first frame. The Jackals continued to pepper Carruth and finally broke through as Carruth misplayed a dump-in by Ryan Rashid at 19:06 of the period. Kevin Hart and Taylor Stefishen assisted Rashid's 11th goal of the season. Hart extended his point streak to three games and Rashid pushed his point streak to five games. The Jackals out-shot the Fuel 20-8 in the opening 20 minutes. In the second period, Indy would capitalize on two power-play opportunities. Zach Tolkinen was whistled for holding and Matt Tassone joined him in the penalty box 1:03 later with a hooking minor. Nicklas Lindberg notched the first power-play goal with 23 seconds remaining on the minor to Tolkinen. Just 45 seconds later Nick Jones walked into a one-time blast for his second goal of the season. The Jackals came out pressing in the third period, but their comeback bid was thwarted by Carruth. Sam Marotta was pulled for the extra attacker with just under three minutes remaining, but Pete Massar added the empty-net tally at 17:32. Riley Wetmore answered less than a minute later with a rebound tap-in off of Nick Tuzzolino's cross-ice feed. Mike Seidel also assisted Wetmore's sixth goal of the season. However, time was against the Jackals and Vincent Arseneau's empty-net goal with nine seconds left sealed the Fuel's victory.

Quick Hits:

* Steven Shamanski leads all rookie defensemen with 11 goals.

* Ryan Rashid is currently riding a five-game point streak (two goals, four assists). The rookie forward has recorded 22 of his 27 points since December 26th.

* Elmira is the only team that has not allowed a shorthanded goal.

* Elmira leads the Eastern Conference with 1,119 penalty minutes.

* Fourteen rookies have recorded at least one point with the Jackals this season.

* Sam Marotta leads all rookie goaltenders with a 2.55 goals-against-average and ranks third with a .912 save percentage.

Tuzzolino Loaned To Rochester

Veteran Defenseman Earns Third AHL Call-Up Of Season

ELMIRA, NY - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and AHL's Rochester Americans, announced today that veteran defenseman Nick Tuzzolino has been loaned to Rochester.

Tuzzolino, 29, makes his third trip to the American Hockey League this season. The 6-foot-6 225-pound blueliner skated in 10 games with the Binghamton Senators, recording one assist and 23 penalty minutes, in addition to one game with the Utica Comets. Tuzzolino has appeared in 40 games with Elmira this season, notching 14 points (two goals, 12 assists) and 88 penalty minutes. Last season, Tuzzolino played in 36 games with Rochester, collecting three points and 43 penalty minutes. In 519 professional games, the Buffalo, New York native has collected 224 points (53 goals, 171 assists) and 1,140 penalty minutes.

Pesky Pack Looks To Finish Off Fuel In Weekend Finale

ELMIRA, NY - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and AHL's Rochester Americans, are on the hunt for the weekend sweep against the Indy Fuel. Last night, the Jackals defeated the visiting Fuel in the shootout, 2-1.

WHO: Elmira Jackals - Buffalo/NHL & Rochester/AHL (27-19-5) vs. Indy Fuel - Chicago/NHL & Rockford/AHL (19-23-8) 

  
WHAT: Jackals Home Game #25.

WHEN: 7:05 p.m. EST 

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

Tonight the Jackals and Fuel battle for the third time this season and the second of two meetings at First Arena. Last night the Jackals jumped out in front of the Fuel in the opening frame with Kevin Hart's second goal of the season. Indy tied the game late in the third period to force it into extra time. The contest went to a shootout and the Jackals went a perfect 3-for-3 with goals from Colin Jacobs, Matt Tassone and Kevin Sundher and three saves from Travis Fullerton to seal the 2-1 victory. The inaugural meeting between these two teams occurred on January 31st at Indiana Farmers Coliseum in Indianapolis, Indiana. Elmira out-shot the Fuel 41-18, but the goaltending of Mac Carruth proved to be the difference in the 3-0 Indy win. Elmira and Indy will conclude the season series on April 5th in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Jackals Fall To Fuel, 5-2

ELMIRA, NY - The Jackals fired 45 shots on goal, but ended up on the wrong end of tonight's 5-2 decision against the Indy Fuel. Mac Carruth turned aside 43 shots and has saved 84 of 86 shots faced in two games against the Jackals this season. Ryan Rashid and Riley Wetmore scored for the Jackals.

In the first period, the Fuel fired the opening salvo as Kyle Stroh blasted a slap shot from the top of the right circle past Sam Marotta at 2:22 of the first frame. Anders Franzon earned the lone assist on Stroh's 17th goal of the season. The Jackals continued to pepper Carruth and finally broke through as Carruth misplayed a dump-in by Ryan Rashid at 19:06 of the period. Kevin Hart and Taylor Stefishen assisted Rashid's 11th goal of the season. Hart extended his point streak to three games and Rashid pushed his point streak to five games. The Jackals out-shot the Fuel 20-8 in the opening 20 minutes.

In the second period, Indy would capitalize on two power-play opportunities. Zach Tolkinen was whistled for holding and Matt Tassone joined him in the penalty box 1:03 later with a hooking minor. Nicklas Lindberg notched the first power-play goal with 23 seconds remaining on the minor to Tolkinen. Just 45 seconds later Nick Jones walked into a one-time blast for his second goal of the season. Justin Holl and Rhett Bly assisted Jones' power-play marker.

The Jackals came out pressing in the third period, but their comeback bid was thwarted by Carruth. Sam Marotta was pulled for the extra attacker with just under three minutes remaining, but Pete Massar added the empty-net tally at 17:32. Riley Wetmore answered less than a minute later with a rebound tap-in off of Nick Tuzzolino's cross-ice feed. Mike Seidel also assisted Wetmore's sixth goal of the season. However, time was against the Jackals and Vincent Arseneau's empty-net goal with nine seconds left sealed the Fuel's victory.

Marotta stopped 20 of 23 shots faced but shouldered the loss. Carruth turned aside 43 of 45 shots faced for the win. The Jackals went 0-for-5 on the power-play and Indy went 2-for-5 with the man advantage.

Jackals Out-Gun Indy In The Shootout, 2-1

ELMIRA, NY - Travis Fullerton made 22 saves and all three in the shootout to lead the Jackals past the Indy Fuel, 2-1. Kevin Hart scored the opening goal of the game at 5:38 of the first period. Colin Jacobs, Matt Tassone and Kevin Sundher scored in the shootout for the Jackals.

In the first meeting between these two teams the Jackals out-shot Indy 41-18, but were shutout by Mac Carruth and the Fuel, 3-0. Similarly, the Jackals came out firing in the first period, but this time they would not be shutout. Ryan Rashid moved the puck from the right wing corner over to Matt Tassone, who found Kevin Hart pinching into the slot. Hart's first attempt was saved by Shane Owen, but his rebound effort would not be denied. Rashid extended his point streak to four games and Tassone pushed his assist streak to three games with the helpers on Hart's second goal of the season. Before the first frame came to a close, Justin Sawyer and Garrett Klotz drop the gloves and exchanged some heavy blows in their heavyweight bout.

Despite out-shooting the Fuel 14-4 in the second period, the Jackals were unable to build upon their one goal lead. Each team traded power-play opportunities in the middle frame and after 40 minutes the Fuel were 0-for-2 on the power-play and the Jackals were 0-for-4 with the man advantage.

In the third period, the Jackals continued to control the play and dominate the shot chart, but Shane Owen stood tall and turned aside each shot the Jackals threw his way. At 17:16, Pete Massar carried the puck across the Jackals blueline and fired a wrist shot through the legs of a defender and past Travis Fullerton to tie the game 1-1. Nick Jones and Nicklas Lindberg earned the assists on Massar's seventh goal of the season. After regulation, the game moved to overtime, but 65 minutes would not be enough to settle the score.

Colin Jacobs went first in the shootout and scored with a silky set of moves. Evan Vossen's attempt in the first round of the shootout was stopped by Fullerton. In the second round, Matt Tassone's shot trickled through Owen and on the other end Fullerton stoned Lindberg to give the Jackals a 2-0 advantage after two rounds. Kevin Sundher went third for the Jackals and made no mistake with a quick wrist shot into the lower left corner of the cage. Kyle Stroh had to score to keep the game going, but Fullerton stopped him for a perfect 3-for-3 in the shootout.

Fullerton made 22 saves and all three in the shootout to earn his 17th win of the season. Owen made 36 saves, but none in the shootout, and was handed the loss.

The Jackals conclude their two-game weekend set tomorrow night against the Indy Fuel at 7:05 p.m. at First Arena.

Jackals and Fuel Face-Off For First Ever Meeting At First Arena

ELMIRA, NY - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and AHL's Rochester Americans, host the Indy Fuel for the first ever meeting at First Arena. The Jackals and Fuel met in the inaugural matchup on January 31st in Indianapolis, Indiana.

WHO: Elmira Jackals - Buffalo/NHL & Rochester/AHL (26-19-5) vs. Indy Fuel - Chicago/NHL & Rockford/AHL (19-23-7) 
  
WHAT: Jackals Home Game #24.

WHEN: 7:05 p.m. EST 

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

Tonight the Jackals host the Indy Fuel for the second meeting of the season and the first ever at First Arena. The inaugural meeting between these two teams occurred on January 31st at Indiana Farmers Coliseum in Indianapolis, Indiana. Elmira out-shot the Fuel 41-18, but the goaltending of Mac Carruth proved to be the difference in the 3-0 Indy win. Despite meeting for the first time, these feisty foes racked up 68 penalty minutes, 12 power-plays and six fighting majors. The Jackals and Fuel are meeting for the second time this season, and the first of two at First Arena. Elmira and Indy will conclude the season series on April 5th in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Tuzzolino Returns From Binghamton

ELMIRA, NY - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and the AHL's Rochester Americans, announced today that veteran defenseman Nick Tuzzolino has been returned to the club from loan to the Binghamton Senators of the American Hockey League.

Tuzzolino, 29, rejoins the Jackals following his second AHL call-up this season. The 6-foot-6 225-pound blueliner has appeared in 38 games for the Jackals this season, posting 13 points (two goals, 11 assists) and 84 penalty minutes. Tuzzolino has also skated in 10 games with Binghamton, recording one assist and 23 penalty minutes, in addition to one game with the Utica Comets. In 517 professional games, the Buffalo, New York native has collected 223 points (53 goals, 170 assists) and 1,136 penalty minutes.
 

Next up for the Jackals will be a two-game home stand on Friday, February 20th and Saturday, February 21st against the Indy Fuel at First Arena. Puck drop is at 7:05 p.m.

Kea and McPherson Head To Rochester

ELMIRA, NY  - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and the AHL's Rochester Americans, announced today that rookie forward Justin Kea has been reassigned to Rochester by Buffalo and rookie forward Allan McPherson has been recalled by Rochester.

Kea, 21, has been reassigned to Rochester for the third time this season. The Woodville, Ontario native has collected 12 points (five goals, seven assists) and 65 penalty minutes in 35 games with the Jackals this season. Kea has also appeared in three games with the Americans this year. The 6-foot-4 220-pound forward spent the last four seasons in the Ontario Hockey League with the Saginaw Spirit, recording 117 points (51 goals, 66 assists) and 324 penalty minutes in 253 OHL games. Kea was selected by the Buffalo Sabres in the third round (#73 overall) of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.

McPherson, 23, returns to Rochester for his third AHL stint this season. The Kinburn, Ontario native has recorded 23 points (eight goals, 15 assists) in 23 games for the Jackals. The 5-foot-11 185-pound forward has also skated in 21 games with Rochester this season. Prior to turning pro, McPherson spent the previous four seasons at Clarkson University. In 150 NCAA games, McPherson reached the 100-point club, amassing 103 points (41 goals, 62 assists). He was a two-time MVP at Clarkson, earning the award in his junior and senior seasons and was also a two-time leading scorer.

Next up for the Jackals will be a two-game home stand on Friday, February 20th and Saturday, February 21st against the Indy Fuel at First Arena. Puck drop is at 7:05 p.m.

Shamanski Returns From Springfield

ELMIRA, NY - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and the AHL's Rochester Americans, announced today that rookie defenseman Steven Shamanski has been returned to the club from loan to the Springfield Falcons of the American Hockey League.

Shamanski, 25, returns to Elmira following his second AHL call-up of the season. The Carberry, Manitoba made his AHL debut with Rochester on October 11th and appeared in one game with Springfield on February 14th. The rookie defenseman returns as the Jackals' leading scorer with 28 points (11 goals, 17 assists) in 48 games with Elmira. He leads all rookie blueliners with 11 goals and represented the Jackals in this year's ECHL All-Star Game. Prior to turning pro, Shamanski played four seasons at Providence College, collecting 36 points (11 goals, 25 assists) in 141 NCAA contests.

Next up for the Jackals will be a two-game home stand on Friday, February 20th and Saturday, February 21st against the Indy Fuel at First Arena. Puck drop is at 7:05 p.m.

Jackals Weekly Release 2/16-2/22

ELMIRA, NY - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and AHL's Rochester Americans, will host the Indy Fuel on Friday and Saturday for the first ever meetings at First Arena. The inaugural meeting between these two teams occurred on January 31st at Indiana Farmers Coliseum in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Last Week's Record: 0-1-0
Overall Record: 26-19-5; fourth place in East Division, sixth place in Eastern Conference

Leaders:
Goals: Mike Seidel (15)
Assists: Justin Daniels (19)
Points: Steven Shamanski (28)
+/-: Matt Tassone (+15)
PIMs: Justin Sawyer (124)
PPG: Steven Shamanski (5)
SHG: Matt Tassone, Taylor Stefishen, Ryan Rashid, Mike Seidel & Zach Tolkinen (1)
Wins: Travis Fullerton (16)
GAA: Sam Marotta (2.52)
SVP: Sam Marotta (.913)

Previewing the Upcoming Week:

2/20 vs. Indy Fuel - 7:05 p.m. EST; 2/21 vs. Indy Fuel - 7:05 p.m. EST
Home vs. IND 0-0-0, Away vs. IND 0-1-0
This weekend the Jackals will host the Indy Fuel for the first two meetings ever at First Arena. The inaugural meeting between these two teams occurred on January 31st at Indiana Farmers Coliseum in Indianapolis, Indiana. Elmira out-shot the Fuel 41-18, but the goaltending of Mac Carruth proved to be the difference in the 3-0 Indy win. Despite meeting for the first time, these feisty foes racked up 68 penalty minutes, 12 power-plays and six fighting majors. The Jackals and Fuel will meet for the second and third times this season, and the only two matchups at First Arena. Elmira and Indy will conclude the season series on April 5th in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Recapping Last Week:

2/14 vs. Reading Royals: L 3-7
The Jackals would get an offensive boost with the return of captain Matt Tassone in addition to the reassignments of Allan McPherson and Kevin Sundher from Rochester. The captain would help the Jackals jump out to an early lead with the primary helper on the game's first goal. Kevin Hart, who made his return after missing the past two games, fed the puck to Tassone for the one-timer, which was tipped in by Ryan Rashid. The Royals would even the score with a power-play goal of their own at 17:28 of the opening frame. Adam Hughesman moved the puck to Cam Reid, who found Olivier Labelle sitting backdoor for the tap-in tally. Just 34 seconds later Pat Mullane would settle into the high slot and blast a one-timer past Travis Fullerton to put the Royals ahead 2-1. The Jackals power-play would prevail again in the second period at 13:29 of the frame. Riley Wetmore tipped in the tying tally off a shot from Mike Seidel in the left circle. Allan McPherson also added an assist on Wetmore's fifth goal of the year. However, the Royals would regain their one goal lead just 15 seconds later. Cam Reid was the beneficiary of a bouncing puck in the slot and passed it to Adam Hughesman, who tapped it into the open cage. Less than a minute later Cam Reid would net his 20th goal of the season on the power-play with a short-side shot over Fullerton's glove. The Jackals would strike quickly when Taylor Stefishen bounced a pass in off of a skate in the slot. Zach Tolkinen and Ryan Rashid earned the assists on Stefishen's 11th goal of the season. Elmira entered the third period with a one-goal deficit and a power-play which carried over from the second frame, but it would be a former Jackal who would score the first goal of the period. Maxim Lamarche blasted a one-timer from the point past Fullerton on the power-play and extended Reading's lead to two goals. Minutes later Pat Mullane would add his second goal of the night and 20th of the season on the power-play to extend the Royals' lead to 6-3. Sean Wiles added his 17th goal of the season to increase the cushion to four goals with less than two minutes remaining.

Quick Hits:

* Steven Shamanski leads all rookie defensemen with 11 goals.

* Elmira is the only team that has not allowed a shorthanded goal.

* Elmira leads the Eastern Conference with 1,093 penalty minutes.

* Sam Marotta leads all rookie goaltenders with a 2.52 goals-against-average and ranks second with a .913 save percentage.

* Elmira is 18-5-3 when scoring first.

* Elmira is 17-0-2 when leading after two periods.

Jackals, Nailers Game Tomorrow Postponed Due To Weather

ELMIRA, NY  - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and the AHL's Rochester Americans, have announced today that their Monday, February 16th game against the Wheeling Nailers at WesBanco Arena has been postponed. No makeup date has been announced yet.

Due to inclement weather and winter storm warnings along the travel route, transportation for the Jackals has been deemed dangerous.

Next up for the Jackals will be a two-game home stand on Friday, February 20th and Saturday, February 21st against the Indy Fuel at First Arena. Puck drop is at 7:05 p.m.

Jackals Stumble Against Red-Hot Royals, 7-3

ELMIRA, N.Y. - The Reading Royals power-play shot arrows through the hearts of Jackals fans on Valentine's Day and powered the Royals past Elmira 7-3 in a snowy Saturday Night Showdown.
 

The Jackals would get an offensive boost with the return of captain Matt Tassone in addition to the reassignments of Allan McPherson and Kevin Sundher from Rochester. The captain would help the Jackals jump out to an early lead with the primary helper on the game's first goal. Kevin Hart, who made his return after missing the past two games, fed the puck to Tassone for the one-timer, which was tipped in by Ryan Rashid. The Royals would even the score with a power-play goal of their own at 17:28 of the opening frame. Adam Hughesman moved the puck to Cam Reid, who found Olivier Labelle sitting backdoor for the tap-in tally. Just 34 seconds later Pat Mullane would settle into the high slot and blast a one-timer past Travis Fullerton to put the Royals ahead 2-1. Ian Watters and Bryant Molle added the assists on Mullane's 19th goal of the season.

The Jackals power-play would prevail again in the second period at 13:29 of the frame. Riley Wetmore tipped in the tying tally off a shot from Mike Seidel in the left circle. Allan McPherson also added an assist on Wetmore's fifth goal of the year. However, the Royals would regain their one goal lead just 15 seconds later. Cam Reid was the beneficiary of a bouncing puck in the slot and passed it to Adam Hughesman, who tapped it into the open cage. Less than a minute later Cam Reid would net his 20th goal of the season on the power-play with a short-side shot over Fullerton's glove. The Jackals would strike quickly when Taylor Stefishen bounced a pass in off of a skate in the slot. Zach Tolkinen and Ryan Rashid earned the assists on Stefishen's 11th goal of the season.

Elmira entered the third period with a one-goal deficit and a power-play which carried over from the second frame, but it would be a former Jackal who would score the first goal of the period. Maxim Lamarche blasted a one-timer from the point past Fullerton on the power-play and extended Reading's lead to two goals. Minutes later Pat Mullane would add his second goal of the night and 20th of the season on the power-play to extend the Royals' lead to 6-3. Sean Wiles added his 17th goal of the season to increase the cushion to four goals with less than two minutes remaining.

Fullerton stopped 26 of 33 shots faced but was handed the loss. Kenny Reiter allowed three goals on 37 shots faced and earned the win. The Jackals went 2-for-4 on the power-play and Readng went 4-for-7 with the man advantage.

Next up for the Jackals is a trip to Wheeling, West Virginia and a matchup against the Wheeling Nailers on Monday, February 16th at 1:05 p.m.

Jackals Add McPherson; Loan Shamanski To Springfield

ELMIRA, N.Y.  - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and AHL's Rochester Americans, announced today that forward Allan McPherson has been assigned to Elmira from Rochester. Additionally, the team announced today that defenseman Steven Shamanski has been loaned to the Springfield Falcons of the American Hockey League.

McPherson, 23, returns to Elmira following his second AHL stint this season. The Kinburn, Ontario native was last assigned to Elmira on January 22nd and in four games he posted seven assists. McPherson has recorded 22 points (eight goals, 14 assists) in 22 games with Elmira this season. The rookie forward has also skated in 21 games with Rochester this season. Prior to turning pro, McPherson spent the previous four seasons at Clarkson University. In 150 NCAA games, McPherson reached the 100-point club, amassing 103 points (41 goals, 62 assists). He was a two-time MVP at Clarkson, earning the award in his junior and senior seasons and was also a two-time leading scorer.

Shamanski, 25, heads to the AHL for the second time this season. The Carberry, Manitoba made his AHL debut with Rochester on October 11th. The rookie defenseman heads to Springfield as the Jackals' leading scorer with 28 points (11 goals, 17 assists) in 48 games with Elmira. Shamanski also represented the Jackals in this year's ECHL All-Star Game. Prior to turning pro, Shamanski played four seasons at Providence College, collecting 36 points (11 goals, 25 assists) in 141 NCAA contests.

Jackals Joust With Royals On Valentine's Day

ELMIRA, NY - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and AHL's Rochester Americans, host the rival Reading Royals tonight in the 12th meeting of the DeMets Candy Turtle Cup Challenge. The Jackals are 5-4-2 against the Royals this season.

WHO: Elmira Jackals - Buffalo/NHL & Rochester/AHL (26-18-5) vs. Reading Royals - Philadelphia/NHL & Lehigh ValleyAHL (33-13-3) 
  
WHAT: Jackals Home Game #23.

WHEN: 7:05 p.m. EST 

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

Tonight the Jackals host the Reading Royals for the 12th of 15 meetings this season and the sixth of seven at First Arena. The Jackals are 5-4-2 against the rival Royals this season, giving Reading a one-game advantage in the DeMets Candy Turtle Cup Challenge. The last time these two teams met was the final contest of a three-game mini series on Monday, January 19th. The Jackals traveled to Santander Arena for the Monday matinee affair, but were bested by the Royals 4-2. The most recent meeting at First Arena came two days before and Thomas Nesbitt, Mitch Holmberg and Mike Seidel scored in the second period, but the Jackals allowed two third period tallies and fell 4-3 in the shootout. The previous night the Jackals jumped ahead of the Royals 3-0 in the first period with goals coming from Mike Seidel, Ryan Rashid and Andrew Conboy. Steven Shamanski added his ninth goal of the season to cushion the Jackals lead in the third period. Travis Fullerton made 36 saves as the Jackals cruised to a 4-2 win. Elmira's all-time record against Reading is 49-47-12.

Jackals Receive Sundher From Rochester

ELMIRA, N.Y. - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and AHL's Rochester Americans, announced today that forward Kevin Sundher has been reassigned to Elmira by Buffalo from Rochester.

Sundher, 23, brings 113 games of AHL experience to Elmira. The Surrey, British Columbia native has recorded one assist in 15 games with Rochester this season. Sundher also appeared in one game for the Jackals this season on November 28th. He has registered 34 points (10 goals, 24 assists) in his professional career. The 5-foot-11 195-pound forward was selected in the third round (#75 overall) of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft by the Buffalo Sabres.

Jackals Sign Defenseman Zach Josepher

ELMIRA, N.Y.  - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and AHL's Rochester Americans, announced today that they have signed defenseman Zach Josepher to a Standard Player Contract.

Josepher, 26, joins the Jackals with 73 games of professional experience. The 6-foot 200-pound defenseman has appeared in eight games with the Missouri Mavericks this season and recorded two assists after being traded to Missouri from the Wichita Thunder. Josepher did not skate in any games with Wichita, but did add two contests with the Pensacola Ice Flyers of the Southern Professional Hockey League. The Wantagh, New York native has collected 13 points (three goals, 10 assists) and 63 penalty minutes in 73 career games split between Pensacola, Missouri and the St. Charles Chill of the Central Hockey League.

Jackals Weekly Release 2/9-2/15

ELMIRA, N.Y.  - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and AHL's Rochester Americans, returned to First Arena following their six-game road trip and swept their three-game home stand before dropping the weekend finale in Wheeling.

Last Week's Record: 3-1-0
Overall Record: 26-18-5; third place in East Division, fifth place in Eastern Conference

Leaders:
Goals: Mike Seidel (15)
Assists: Justin Daniels (19)
Points: Steven Shamanski (28)
+/-: Matt Tassone (+15)
PIMs: Justin Sawyer (122)
PPG: Steven Shamanski (5)
SHG: Matt Tassone, Taylor Stefishen, Ryan Rashid, Mike Seidel & Zach Tolkinen (1)
Wins: Travis Fullerton (15)
GAA: Travis Fullerton (2.47)
SVP: Travis Fullerton (.916)

Previewing the Upcoming Week:

2/14 vs. Reading Royals - 7:05 p.m. EST
Home vs. REA 2-1-2, Away vs. REA 3-3-0
Tonight the Jackals host the red-hot Reading Royals for the 12th of 15 meetings this season and the sixth of seven at First Arena. The Jackals are 5-4-2 against the rival Royals this season, giving Reading a one-game advantage in the DeMets Candy Turtle Cup Challenge. The last time these two teams met was the final contest of a three-game mini series on Monday, January 19th. The Jackals traveled to Santander Arena for the Monday matinee affair, but were bested by the Royals 4-2. The most recent meeting at First Arena came two days before and Thomas Nesbitt, Mitch Holmberg and Mike Seidel scored in the second period, but the Jackals allowed two third period tallies and fell 4-3 in the shootout. The previous night the Jackals jumped ahead of the Royals 3-0 in the first period with goals coming from Mike Seidel, Ryan Rashid and Andrew Conboy. Steven Shamanski added his ninth goal of the season to cushion the Jackals lead in the third period. Travis Fullerton made 36 saves to earn his 12th win of the season as the Jackals cruised to a 4-2 win. Elmira's all-time record against Reading is 49-47-12.

Recapping Last Week:

2/4 vs. Florida Everblades: W 6-5

Mike Seidel and Thomas Nesbitt each notched two goals and Lucas Bloodoff scored the overtime game-winner in a wild 6-5 come-from-behind win against the Florida Everblades. The Everblades got on the board first with Matt Marquardt's wrap-around goal at 3:13 of the opening frame. Just over two minutes later Riley Wetmore tied the game with a blast from the right circle that went top-shelf over the shoulder of Andy Iles. Florida would regain the lead at 12:17 of the first period when Mike Aviani recorded his eighth of the season on the power-play. In the second period, the Everblades would increase their lead to 3-1 when Patrick McEachen jammed home his first of the season at 2:40 of the middle frame. Florida would add to its lead at 7:01 of the second period when Adam Brace benefited from a loose puck that popped out in front for his 19th goal of the season. Jackals netminder Chris Rawlings was pulled following Brace's goal and Nick Niedert entered the game in net for the Jackals. Mike Seidel began the Jackals comeback effort at 10:14 of the second period when he batted a puck out of mid-air and past Iles to cut the Jackals deficit to two. The Jackals carried a power-play into the third period and Thomas Nesbitt buried his ninth goal of the season just 1:35 into the final regulation frame. Nesbitt wasn't done yet, as he would tie the game at 12:53 of the third period with his second goal of the night and 10th goal of the season. The Jackals looked to complete the comeback at 18:51 of the period when Mike Seidel bounced his second goal of the night off of a Florida defenseman. However, just 21 seconds later Burt would tie the game with his fifth goal of the season. In the overtime frame, Lucas Bloodoff would prove to be the game's hero with his sixth goal of the season at 2:10 of the extra period. Niedert turned aside 16 of 17 shots faced and earned the win.

2/6 vs. Cincinnati Cyclones: W 4-1
The Jackals scored four unanswered goals and powered past the Cyclones, 4-1, in an emotional, penalty-filled contest at First Arena. The Cyclones struck first when David Pacan redirected Michael Quinn's point shot past Travis Fullerton at 3:12 of the opening frame. The Jackals would quickly even the score in the second period with Taylor Stefishen's ninth goal of the season. Stefishen muscled his way down the left wing side, turned to the forehand and wristed the tying goal past Rob Madore at 1:51 of the middle frame. The Jackals would build on their momentum and take the lead at 10:37 of the period with Justin Kea's fifth goal of the season. Mitch Holmberg and Lucas Bloodoff added the assists on Kea's go-head marker. Off of the ensuing faceoff Justin Sawyer and Jaynen Rissling dropped the gloves at center ice and excited the crowd. The Jackals carried their 2-1 lead into the final frame of regulation and added to it at 15:28 when Riley Wetmore blasted a slapshot past Madore for his fourth goal of the season. Lucas Bloodoff earned the lone assist. Just 13 seconds later Mike Seidel would intercept a wrap up the boards by Madore and beat him from the wall for his 14th goal of the season. As the Jackals cruised towards victory with the final buzzer sounding, mayhem ensued with gloves, sticks and helmets littering the ice. The two teams combined for 144 penalty minutes, 10 fighting majors and six misconducts. Fullerton turned aside 30 of 31 shots faced for his 15th win of the season.

2/7 vs. Toledo Walleye: W 3-2
Travis Fullerton made 38 saves to lead the Jackals past the Toledo Walleye, 3-2. The Jackals allowed the first goal in each of their last six games entering tonight's contest, but Taylor Stefishen would get the pesky pack on the board first at 16:24 of the opening frame. The rookie from North Vancouver, British Columbia ripped a wrist-shot past Jeff Lerg for his 10th goal of the season and second goal in as many days. Colin Jacobs and Mike Bergin earned the assists on Stefishen's opening marker. Elmira carried its 1-0 lead into the second period, but Martin Frk would quickly tie the game 1-1 with a power-play goal just 25 seconds into the frame. Frk's 18th of the year, assisted by Shane Berschbach and Shane Sims, whistled through the legs of Zach Tolkinen and past Travis Fullerton. Mike Bergin would answer just over three minutes later and regain the lead for the Jackals. Lerg allowed a juicy rebound off of Taylor Stefishen's shot and Bergin drove to the slot to deposit the loose change for his second goal of the season. Thomas Nesbitt would extend the Jackals lead less than four minutes later with a put-back past Lerg off of Keith Buehler's blast from the left circle. Ryan Rashid also added an assist on Nesbitt's 11th goal of the season. Justin Mercier would cut the Jackals lead back down to one at 12:03 of the second period with his 18th goal of the season. In the third period, the Jackals withstood Toledo's attack and suppressed the Walleye's offensive push in the final 20 minutes of regulation. Elmira was out-shot 14-6 in the third period, but Fullerton was up to the task each time and shut down Toledo's comeback bid. Fullerton turned aside 38 of 40 shots faced and earned his 16th win the season.

2/8 at Wheeling Nailers: L 1-3

Elmira entered WesBanco Arena with a three-game winning streak, but it came to an end in the weekend finale, which was the fourth game in five days for the Jackals. Josh Archibald, who has spent the majority of his rookie season with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League, opened the scoring at 8:00 of the first period. David Gilbert pushed the puck towards the net front and Archibald was waiting for the loose puck in the slot. Late in the first period, tempers began to flair between the two rivals and resulted in Justin Kea bundling Clark Seymour with rights, sending the Nailer down to the ice in a heap with a cut over his eye. In the second period, the resilient Jackals battled back to tie the game at 15:14 of the frame. Thomas Nesbitt moved the puck to Ryan Rashid, who's shot popped off the pad of Eric Hartzell onto the awaiting stick of Mike Seidel for his team-leading 15th goal of the season. The game appeared to be heading to the third period tied 1-1, but with 1.7 seconds left on the clock Derek Army fired a shot from the goal-line that deflected off of Sam Marotta and in for his team-leading 19th goal of the season. As the final frame of regulation began, the Nailers looked to build upon their momentum from Army's late second period tally. At 6:20 of the period Archibald picked the puck up in the neutral zone and wheeled from Wheeling's blueline across center ice and snapped a quick wrist shot past Marotta for his second goal of the night. As the third period progressed the frustration reached a boiling point and Justin Sawyer dropped the mitts with Pat McGrath after crushing Archibald along the wall. Seconds later, Archibald pushed Mike Bergin into Marotta and another scrum ensued, which resulted in a penalty to Archibald and misconducts to Colin Jacobs and Zack Torquato. Marotta stopped 30 of 33 shots faced but was handed the loss.

Quick Hits:

* The Jackals have a current six-game point streak at home.

* Elmira is the only team that has not allowed a shorthanded goal.
 

* Elmira is 24-1-2 when scoring three or more goals.

* Sam Marotta leads all rookie goaltenders with a 2.52 goals-against-average and ranks second with a .913 save percentage.

* Elmira is 18-4-3 when scoring first.

* Elmira is 17-0-2 when leading after two periods.
 

* Elmira leads the league with 1,062 penalty minutes.

Jackals Fall To Wheeling In Weekend Finale, 3-1

WHEELING, WV - Elmira entered WesBanco Arena with a three-game winning streak, but it came to an end in the weekend finale, which was the fourth game in five days for the Jackals.

Josh Archibald, who has spent the majority of his rookie season with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League, opened the scoring at 8:00 of the first period. David Gilbert pushed the puck towards the net front and Archibald was waiting for the loose puck in the slot. Late in the first period, tempers began to flair between the two rivals and resulted in Justin Kea bundling Clark Seymour with rights, sending the Nailer down to the ice in a heap with a cut over his eye.

In the second period, the resilient Jackals battled back to tie the game at 15:14 of the frame. Thomas Nesbitt moved the puck to Ryan Rashid, who's shot popped off the pad of Eric Hartzell onto the awaiting stick of Mike Seidel for his team-leading 15th goal of the season. The game appeared to be heading to the third period tied 1-1, but with 1.7 seconds left on the clock Derek Army fired a shot from the goal-line that deflected off of Sam Marotta and in for his team-leading 19th goal of the season.

As the final frame of regulation began, the Nailers looked to build upon their momentum from Army's late second period tally. At 6:20 of the period Archibald picked the puck up in the neutral zone and wheeled from Wheeling's blueline across center ice and snapped a quick wrist shot past Marotta for his second goal of the night. Zack Torquato and Paul Cianfrini added the assist's on Archibald's insurance goal. As the third period progressed the frustration reached a boiling point and Justin Sawyer dropped the mitts with Pat McGrath after crushing Archibald along the wall. Seconds later, Archibald pushed Mike Bergin into Marotta and another scrum ensued, which resulted in a penalty to Archibald and misconducts to Colin Jacobs and Zack Torquato.

Marotta stopped 30 of 33 shots faced but was handed the loss. Hartzell turned aside 19 of 20 shots faced for the win. The Jackals went 0-for-3 on the power-play and Wheeling went 0-for-4 with the man advantage.

Elmira Eyes Fourth Straight Win In Wheeling

WHEELING, WV - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and AHL's Rochester Americans, go on the hunt today for their fourth consecutive victory when they take on the Nailers at 4:05 p.m.

WHO: Elmira Jackals - Buffalo/NHL & Rochester/AHL (26-17-5) at Wheeling Nailers - Montreal, Pittsburgh/NHL & Hamilton Bulldogs, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton/AHL (21-23-0) 
  
WHAT: Jackals Away Game #27.

WHEN: 4:05 p.m. EST 

WHERE: WesBanco Arena - 2 14th Street, Wheeling, WV 26003

The Jackals head back on the road today to face the Wheeling Nailers for the fifth of 13 meetings this season and the third of seven at WesBanco Arena. The next three road games for the Jackals will all be played in Wheeling, West Virginia. The previous meeting between these two former Atlantic Division rivals resulted in a 4-2 win for the Nailers at WesBanco Arena. The Jackals jumped ahead 2-0 just 30 seconds into the second period but Wheeling clawed back and recorded the game-winning goal with 26 seconds left in regulation. In the first meeting at WesBanco Arena this season, the Jackals also scored the game's first two goals, but fell in the shootout, 3-2. Elmira is 38-27-9 all-time against the Nailers.

Jackals Score Four Unanswered To Silence The Cyclones

ELMIRA, NY -  The Jackals scored four unanswered goals and powered past the Cyclones, 4-1, in an emotional, penalty-filled contest tonight at First Arena.
The Cyclones struck first when David Pacan redirected Michael Quinn's point shot past Travis Fullerton at 3:12 of the opening frame. Brian Nugent also earned an assist on Pacan's sixth goal of the season. After 20 minutes, the Jackals headed into the first intermission trailing Cincinnati 1-0.

The Jackals would quickly even the score in the second period with Taylor Stefishen's ninth goal of the season. Stefishen muscled his way down the left wing side, turned to the forehand and wristed the tying goal past Rob Madore at 1:51 of the middle frame. The Jackals would build on their momentum and take the lead at 10:37 of the period with Justin Kea's fifth goal of the season. Mitch Holmberg and Lucas Bloodoff added the assists on Kea's go-head marker. Off of the ensuing faceoff Justin Sawyer and Jaynen Rissling dropped the gloves at center ice and excited the crowd.

The Jackals carried their 2-1 lead into the final frame of regulation and added to it at 15:28 when Riley Wetmore blasted a slapshot past Madore for his fourth goal of the season. Lucas Bloodoff earned the lone assist. Just 13 seconds later Mike Seidel would intercept a wrap up the boards by Madore and beat him from the wall for his 14th goal of the season. As the Jackals cruised towards victory with the final buzzer sounding, mayhem ensued with gloves, sticks and helmets littering the ice. The two teams combined for 144 penalty minutes, 10 fighting majors and six misconducts.

Fullerton turned aside 30 of 31 shots faced for his 15th win of the season. Madore allowed four goals on 20 shots and was handed the loss.

Pesky Pack Plays Host To Cincinnati

ELMIRA, NY - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and AHL's Rochester Americans, continues their three-game home stand tonight against the Cincinnati Cyclones. The Jackals are 2-1-0 against Cincinnati this season.

WHO: Elmira Jackals - Buffalo/NHL & Rochester/AHL (24-17-5) vs. Cincinnati Cyclones - Florida, Nashville/NHL & San Antonio, Milwaukee/AHL (20-18-4) 
  
WHAT: Jackals Home Game #21.

WHEN: 7:05 p.m. EST 

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

Tonight the Jackals host the Cincinnati Cyclones for the first and only time at First Arena this season, following three meetings at U.S. Bank Arena. The Jackals visited Cincinnati last Wednesday for the final time this season as a part of their six-game road trip and they showed their resiliency in the third period with three goals to storm past the Cyclones 4-2. Each team traded goals in the second period just 22 seconds apart with Taylor Stefishen getting the Jackals on the board with his eighth goal of the season. In the third period, Lucas Bloodoff tied the game on the power-play just 47 seconds into the final frame and added the empty-netter to seal the victory. Mike Seidel buried the game-winning goal in the third period as a part of a three-point night. Lucas Bloodoff's three-point evening was his first professional multi-point game. The Jackals are 22-14-6 all-time against Cincinnati.

Elmira Topples Toledo, 3-2

ELMIRA, NY - Travis Fullerton made 38 saves to lead the Jackals past the Toledo Walleye, 3-2, tonight at First Arena.

The Jackals allowed the first goal in each of their last six games entering tonight's contest, but Taylor Stefishen would get the pesky pack on the board first at 16:24 of the opening frame. The rookie from North Vancouver, British Columbia ripped a wrist-shot past Jeff Lerg for his 10th goal of the season and second goal in as many days. Colin Jacobs and Mike Bergin earned the assists on Stefishen's opening marker.

Elmira carried its 1-0 lead into the second period, but Martin Frk would quickly tie the game 1-1 with a power-play goal just 25 seconds into the frame. Frk's 18th of the year, assisted by Shane Berschbach and Shane Sims, whistled through the legs of Zach Tolkinen and past Travis Fullerton. Mike Bergin would answer just over three minutes later and regain the lead for the Jackals. Lerg allowed a juicy rebound off of Taylor Stefishen's shot and Bergin drove to the slot to deposit the loose change for his second goal of the season. Thomas Nesbitt would extend the Jackals lead less than four minutes later with a put-back past Lerg off of Keith Buehler's blast from the left circle. Ryan Rashid also added an assist on Nesbitt's 11th goal of the season. Justin Mercier would cut the Jackals lead back down to one at 12:03 of the second period with his 18th goal of the season. Anthony Luciani and Tyler Elbrech assisted Mercier's tally.

In the third period, the Jackals withstood Toledo's attack and suppressed the Walleye's offensive push in the final 20 minutes of regulation. Elmira was out-shot 14-6 in the third period, but Fullerton was up to the task each time and shut down Toledo's comeback bid.

Fullerton turned aside 38 of 40 shots faced and earned his 16th win the season. Lerg allowed three goals on 37 shots and was handed the loss.

Jackals Look To Continue Winning Ways Against The Walleye

ELMIRA, NY - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and AHL's Rochester Americans, finish their three-game home stand tonight against the Toledo Walleye. The Jackals have won six of their last eight games, including the first two of their current home stand.

WHO: Elmira Jackals - Buffalo/NHL & Rochester/AHL (25-17-5) vs. Toledo Walleye - Detroit/NHL & Grand Rapids/AHL (28-8-5) 
  
WHAT: Jackals Home Game #22.

WHEN: 7:05 p.m. EST 

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

Tonight, the Jackals finish their three-game home stand against the Toledo Walleye. This marks the second of five meetings this season and the second of four at First Arena. The first meeting of the year resulted in a 6-2 win for the Walleye back on December 6th. The Jackals allowed a season-high four power-play goals on five attempts as Toledo's special-teams unit was red-hot. Ryan Rashid and Steven Shamanski scored the goals for the Jackals. These two teams only met once last season and the Jackals came out victorious, 4-2, on February 1st, 2014. This year will mark the first time that Elmira will host Toledo for more than two games in a single season. Elmira is 9-7-2 all-time against Toledo.

 

Fullerton Rejoins The Jackals

ELMIRA, NY - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and the AHL's Rochester Americans, announced today that goaltender Travis Fullerton has been returned to the club from loan to Rochester.

Fullerton, 27, earned his first career AHL start on January 31st, making 31 saves in the Americans' 3-2 loss to Adirondack. He has appeared in 25 games with the Jackals this season, posting a 14-5-4 record with a 2.55 goals-against-average and a .912 save percentage. Last season, Fullerton appeared in 45 games for the Las Vegas Wranglers, collecting a record of 14-22-6, with a 3.26 goals-against-average and a .910 save percentage. In 72 career ECHL games with San Francisco, Las Vegas and Elmira, the Riverview, New Brunswick native has posted a 28-27-11 record with a 2.99 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage.

Additionally, the Jackals announced today that they have released goaltender Chris Rawlings from his Standard Player Contract.

Rawlings, 26, appeared in one game for the Jackals, making 13 saves on 17 shots in 27 minutes of action.

Jackals Edge Everblades In Overtime, 6-5

ELMIRA, NY - Mike Seidel and Thomas Nesbitt each notched two goals and Lucas Bloodoff scored the overtime game-winner in a wild 6-5 come-from-behind win tonight against the Florida Everblades.

The Everblades got on the board first with Matt Marquardt's wrap-around goal at 3:13 of the opening frame. Alex Lavoie and Gleason Fournier added the assists on Marquardt's second goal of the season. Just over two minutes later Riley Wetmore tied the game with a blast from the right circle that went top-shelf over the shoulder of Andy Iles. Florida would regain the lead at 12:17 of the first period when Mike Aviani recorded his eighth of the season on the power-play. Cameron Burt and Mike Little added the power-play helpers.

In the second period, the Everblades would increase their lead to 3-1 when Patrick McEachen jammed home his first of the season at 2:40 of the middle frame. Evan Bloodoff and Aviani added the assists on McEachen's first of the year. Florida would add to its lead at 7:01 of the second period when Adam Brace benefited from a loose puck that popped out in front for his 19th goal of the season. Artem Sergeev and Lavoie assisted Brace's marker. Jackals netminder Chris Rawlings was pulled following Brace's goal and Nick Niedert entered the game in net for the Jackals. Mike Seidel began the Jackals comeback effort at 10:14 of the second period when he batted a puck out of mid-air and past Iles to cut the Jackals deficit to two. Lucas Bloodoff and Riley Wetmore assisted Seidel's 12th goal of the season.

The Jackals carried a power-play into the third period and Thomas Nesbitt buried his ninth goal of the season just 1:35 into the final regulation frame. Mike Bergin and Justin Kea earned assists on Nesbitt's power-play marker. Nesbitt wasn't done yet, as he would tie the game at 12:53 of the third period with his second goal of the night and 10th goal of the season. Keith Buehler and Justin Kea assisted Nesbitt's game-tying tally. The Jackals looked to complete the comeback at 18:51 of the period when Mike Seidel bounced his second goal of the night off of a Florida defenseman. Zach Tolkinen and Wetmore assisted Seidel's 13th goal of the year. However, just 21 seconds later Burt would tie the game with his fifth goal of the season.

In the overtime frame, Lucas Bloodoff would prove to be the game's hero with his sixth goal of the season at 2:10 of the extra period. Justin Daniels and Taylor Stefishen assisted Bloodoff's game-winner.

Rawlings made 13 saves on 17 shots faced. Niedert turned aside 16 of 17 shots faced and earned the win. Iles allowed six goals on 35 shots and was handed the loss.

MacKenzie Recalled By Rochester

ELMIRA, NY - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and AHL's Rochester Americans, announced today that defenseman Matt MacKenzie has been recalled by Rochester.

MacKenzie, 23, returns to Rochester following his second stint with the Jackals this season. In eight games with Elmira, MacKenzie has recorded one power-play goal, one assist and 13 penalty minutes. He has also recorded one goal and four points in 23 games this season with Rochester. The New Westminster, British Columbia native set career highs with the Americans last season, posting 10 points (two goals, eight assists) and 84 penalty minutes in 64 games. MacKenzie has registered 22 points (three goals, 19 assists) and 179 penalty minutes in 137 career AHL games with Rochester. He was selected by the Buffalo Sabres in the third round (83rd overall) of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

Jackals Return Home To Battle The Everblades

ELMIRA, NY - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and AHL's Rochester Americans, return home from their six-game road trip to host the Florida Everblades for the second meeting this season and the first of three at First Arena.
 

WHO: Elmira Jackals - Buffalo/NHL & Rochester/AHL (23-17-5) vs. Florida Everblades - Carolina, Tampa Bay/NHL & Charlotte, Syracuse/AHL (29-7-4) 

  

WHAT: Jackals Home Game #20.

WHEN: 7:05 p.m. EST 
 

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

The Jackals return home from their six-game road trip to host the Florida Everblades. Wednesday's contest is the second of four meetings this season and the first of three at First Arena. The first meeting of the season occurred on December 10th at Germain Arena, which was the fifth game in a stretch where the Jackals played six games in seven nights. The Everblades struck just 12 seconds into the game and increased their lead just over four minutes later. Matt Tassone scored twice for the Jackals, including a power-play tally, but the Everblades added three more in the second and one in the third to push past Elmira 6-2. The last time these two teams met at First Arena was December 11, 2013. The Everblades edged the Jackals in a close 2-1 contest. Elmira is 7-9-0 all-time against Florida.

ECHL announces Conference and Divisional alignment for 2015-16 Season

PRINCETON, N.J. - The ECHL announced on Tuesday the Divisional alignment for the 2015-16 season, as well as the format for the 2016 Kelly Cup Playoffs, following the announcement last week of the League Membership.

As approved by the Board of Governors, the Conference and Divisional alignment for the 2015-16 Season will be as follows:

Eastern Conference

North Division
Brampton Beast, Kalamazoo Wings, Toledo Walleye, Wheeling Nailers

East Division
Adirondack, Elmira Jackals, Manchester, Norfolk, Reading Royals

South Division
Florida Everblades, Greenville Road Warriors, Gwinnett Gladiators, Orlando Solar Bears, South Carolina Stingrays

Western Conference

Midwest Division
Cincinnati Cyclones, Evansville IceMen, Fort Wayne Komets, Indy Fuel, Quad City Mallards

Central Division
Allen Americans, Missouri Mavericks, Tulsa Oilers, Wichita Thunder

West Division
Alaska Aces, Colorado Eagles, Idaho Steelheads, Rapid City Rush, Utah Grizzlies

The division winners will be seeded 1, 2 and 3 and the next five highest point totals in each conference will qualify for the 2016 Kelly Cup Playoffs. All series in the playoffs will be played in a best-of-seven format with the conference champions meeting in the Kelly Cup Finals to determine a national champion.

Jackals Sign Two Goaltenders

ELMIRA, N.Y.  - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and AHL's Rochester Americans, announced today that the club has signed goaltenders Chris Rawlings and Nick Niedert to Standard Player Contracts.

Rawlings, 26, joins the Jackals in his second professional season. Last year, the 6-foot-5 220-pound native of North Delta, British Columbia, appeared in five games with the Portland Pirates of the American Hockey League, six games with the Gwinnett Gladiators of the ECHL and 12 games with the Arizona Sundogs of the Central Hockey League. Rawlings also appeared in two games with the Idaho Steelheads of the ECHL and one game with Portland in 2012-13, following the conclusion of his collegiate career. In four years at Northeastern University, Rawlings posted a 47-55-16 record with a 2.83 goals-against-average and a .914 save percentage. He was named to the Hockey East All-Rookie Team in 2009-2010.

Niedert, 32, joins the Jackals in his 11th professional season. The 5-foot-8 185-pound native of Hudson, Iowa has played for 25 teams combined between the SPHL, MAHL, EPHL, AAHL, IHL, FHL, CHL and ECHL. Niedert appeared in three games with the Jackals during the 2011-12 campaign and posted a 2-0-0 record with a 2.07 goals-against-average and a .904 save percentage.

Jackals Weekly Release 2/2-2/8

ELMIRA, N.Y. - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and AHL's Rochester Americans, return home following a six-game road trip for a three-game home stand before traveling to Wheeling, West Virginia for a Sunday afternoon contest.

Last Week's Record: 2-1-0
Overall Record: 23-17-5; fourth place in East Division, sixth place in Eastern Conference

Leaders:
Goals: Matt Tassone (14)
Assists: Justin Daniels (18)
Points: Steven Shamanski (28)
+/-: Matt Tassone (+15)
PIMs: Justin Sawyer (97)
PPG: Steven Shamanski (5)
SHG: Matt Tassone, Taylor Stefishen, Ryan Rashid, Mike Seidel & Zach Tolkinen (1)
Wins: Travis Fullerton (14)
GAA: Sam Marotta (2.50)
SVP: Sam Marotta (.914)

Previewing the Upcoming Week:

2/4 vs. Florida Everblades - 7:05 p.m. EST
Home vs. FLA 0-0-0, Away vs. FLA 0-1-0
The Jackals return home from their six-game road trip to host the Florida Everblades. Wednesday's contest is the second of four meetings this season and the first of three at First Arena. The first meeting of the season occurred on December 10th at Germain Arena, which was the fifth game in a stretch where the Jackals played six games in seven nights. The Everblades struck just 12 seconds into the game and increased their lead just over four minutes later. Matt Tassone scored twice for the Jackals, including a power-play tally, but the Everblades added three more in the second and one in the third to push past Elmira 6-2. The last time these two teams met at First Arena was December 11, 2013. The Everblades edges the Jackals in a close 2-1 contest. Elmira is 7-9-0 all-time against Florida.

2/6 vs. Cincinnati Cyclones - 7:05 p.m. EST
Home vs. CIN 0-0-0, Away vs. CIN 2-1-0
On Friday night the Jackals will host the Cincinnati Cyclones for the first and only time at First Arena this season, following three meetings at U.S. Bank Arena. The Jackals visited Cincinnati last Wednesday for the final time this season as a part of their six-game road trip and they showed their resiliency in the third period with three goals to storm past the Cyclones 4-2. Each team traded goals in the second period just 22 seconds apart with Taylor Stefishen getting the Jackals on the board with his eighth goal of the season. In the third period, Lucas Bloodoff tied the game on the power-play just 47 seconds into the final frame and added the empty-netter to seal the victory. Mike Seidel buried the game-winning goal in the third period as a part of a three-point night. Lucas Bloodoff's three-point evening was his first professional multi-point game. The Jackals are 22-14-6 all-time against Cincinnati.

2/7 vs. Toledo Walleye - 7:35 p.m. EST
Home vs. TOL 0-1-0, Away vs. TOL 0-0-0
The Jackals finish their three-game home stand on Saturday night against the Toledo Walleye. This marks the second of five meetings this season and the second of four at First Arena. The first meeting of the year resulted in a 6-2 win for the Walleye back on December 6th. The Jackals allowed a season-high four power-play goals on five attempts as Toledo's special-teams unit was red-hot. Ryan Rashid and Steven Shamanski scored the goals for the Jackals. These two teams only met once last season and the Jackals came out victorious, 4-2, on February 1st, 2014. This year will mark the first time that Elmira will host Toledo for more than two games in a single season. Elmira is 9-7-2 all-time against Toledo.

2/8 at Wheeling Nailers - 4:05 p.m. EST
Home vs. WHL 1-1-0, Away vs. WHL 0-1-1
The Jackals head back on the road Sunday to face the Wheeling Nailers for the fifth of 13 meetings this season and the third of seven at WesBanco Arena. The next three road games for the Jackals will all be played in Wheeling, West Virginia. The previous meeting between these two former Atlantic Division rivals resulted in a 4-2 win for the Nailers at WesBanco Arena. The Jackals jumped ahead 2-0 just 30 seconds into the second period but Wheeling clawed back and recorded the game-winning goal with 26 seconds left in regulation. In the first meeting at WesBanco Arena this season, the Jackals also scored the game's first two goals, but fell in the shootout, 3-2. Elmira is 38-27-9 all-time against the Nailers.

Recapping Last Week:

1/28 at Cincinnati Cyclones: W 4-2

Lucas Bloodoff recorded his first professional multi-point effort with two goals and an assist in Wednesday's come-from-behind 4-2 win against the Cincinnati Cyclones. Cincinnati would strike first at 6:49 of the second period with Josh Shalla's team-leading 16th goal of the season. Just 22 seconds later Taylor Stefishen would capitalize on a centering feed from Ryan Rashid on the rush to tie the game 1-1. Matt Tassone started the attack down the right wing side before sliding the puck over to Rashid, who found Stefishen for his eighth goal of the season. Geoff Irwin would give the Cyclones the lead going into the second intermission with his 11th goal of the season. The Jackals opened the third period on the power-play and took advantage of the opportunity to claw back into the game. Lucas Bloodoff was left alone in front and buried his fourth goal of the season just 47 seconds into the final regulation frame. Allan McPherson and Mike Seidel were credited with the helpers on Bloodoff's power-play tally. The same trio would combine for another goal at 8:08 of the third period when Bloodoff worked the puck to McPherson below the goal-line and he found Seidel streaking into the slot for his 10th goal of the season. The Jackals played shut-down defense the rest of the period and sealed the deal when Bloodoff popped in the empty-net goal with 20 seconds left. Seidel and Mike Bergin earned the assists on Bloodoff's second goal of the night and fifth of the season. Travis Fullerton made 22 saves on 24 shots faced to earn his 14th win of the season.

1/30 at Fort Wayne Komets: W 2-1

The Jackals displayed their resilient nature on Friday night with a hard-fought 2-1 win against the Fort Wayne Komets. Fort Wayne jumped ahead early when C.J. Severyn knotted his fifth goal of the season just 2:10 into play. 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. 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. 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. 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.

1/31 at Indy Fuel: L 0-3

The Jackals could not solve Indy goaltender Mac Carruth and fell 3-0 despite out-shooting the Fuel 41-18 on Saturday night at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum. The Fuel struck first at 2:58 of the opening frame when Kyle Stroh won a face-off back to Garett Bembridge, who snapped a seeing-eye shot through traffic and past Sam Marotta. Later in the frame, Stroh carried the puck down the right side and ran into Marotta as he tried to muscle to the net. Marotta would stay in the game, but would be replaced after the second period by Justin Sand. Even though the Jackals out-shot the Fuel 17-7 in the first period, Indy took a 1-0 lead into the intermission. The Jackals continued to pepper Carruth in the second period, but the Indy netminder turned aside each shot sent his way. With 59 seconds remaining in the middle frame, Kirill Gotovets fired a shot from the left circle through traffic and past Marotta. Despite holding a 27-12 shot advantage after two periods, the Jackals trailed 2-0. Justin Sand made his first appearance in the ECHL in the third period, replacing the injured Sam Marotta and turned aside five of six shots faced. The lone goal in the final frame was scored when Justin Holl squeaked one past Sand on the power-play. The Jackals continued to fire rubber to the net, but were stoned by Carruth 14 times in the period. Marotta turned aside 10 of 12 shots faced in 40 minutes of action but was handed the loss and Sand stopped five of six shots faced.

Quick Hits:

* Elmira is the only team that has not allowed a shorthanded goal.

* Matt Tassone leads the league with seven first goals.

* Steven Shamanski leads all rookie defensemen with 11 goals, 5 power-plays and is tied for first with 13 power-play points.

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

* Sam Marotta leads all rookie goaltenders with a 2.50 GAA and ranks second with a .914 SV%

* Elmira is 15-0-2 when leading after two periods.

* The Jackals have a three-game point streak at home.

Jackals Announce Change To Game Schedule

ELMIRA, NY - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and AHL's Rochester Americans, announced today that their game against the Reading Royals on Saturday, February 28th, 2015 has been rescheduled to Monday, March 2nd, 2015.

The game will still be played at Santander Arena in Reading, PA and the game time will remain 7:05 p.m. EST.