Elmira Invites Florida To Town On Alumni Recognition Night

ELMIRA, NY - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and AHL's Rochester Americans, invite the Florida Everblades to town for the final two meetings this season. Tonight, Elmira is celebrating Alumni Recognition Night with past Jackals greats Eddy Lowe, Frank Littlejohn, James Sheehan, Josh Piro, Tom Clayton and Ben White in attendance.

WHO: Elmira Jackals - Buffalo/NHL & Rochester/AHL (31-26-7) vs. Florida Everblades - Carolina/Tampa Bay/NHL & Charlotte/Syracuse/AHL (44-13-7) 
  
WHAT: Jackals Home Game #33.

WHEN: 7:05 p.m. EST 

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

Tonight, the Jackals continue their seven-game homestand against the Florida Everblades with the third of four meetings this season and the second of three contests at First Arena. In the last meeting, the Jackals clawed back from a three-goal deficit and defeated Florida 6-5 in overtime. Riley Wetmore recorded a goal and two assists to lead the Jackals with three points. Thomas Nesbitt and Mike Seidel each scored twice and Mike Bergin and Justin Kea added two assists apiece. Lucas Bloodoff scored the game-winner in overtime and added an assist in their wild comeback win. The first meeting of the season occurred on December 10th, 2014 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. Elmira is 8-9-0 all-time against Florida.

Jackals Sign Cornell Defenseman

ELMIRA, NY - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and AHL's Rochester Americans, announced today that they have signed rookie defenseman Jacob MacDonald to a standard player contract.

MacDonald, 22, joins the Jackals following the conclusion of his collegiate career at Cornell University. The 6-foot 200-pound blueliner recorded 21 points (four goals, 17 assists) in 104 NCAA games. Prior to attending Cornell, MacDonald skated in 87 games with the Waterloo Black Hawks of the United States Hockey League and posted 40 points (12 goals, 28 assists).

Additionally, the Jackals have announced that rookie forwards Trevor Gerling and Matt Harlow have been released from their amateur tryout agreements and have signed standard player contracts. In addition, the club has released Dan Turgeon from his standard player contract and has activated Mitch Holmberg from the 21-day IR.

Gerling, 24, was originally signed to an amateur tryout agreement follow the conclusion of his collegiate career at the University of Connecticut. He was released from his amateur tryout agreement and signed a standard player contract on Tuesday. The 6-foot 195-pound forward has skated in four games with Elmira and recorded his first professional goal on March 21st. While at UConn, Gerling collected 64 points (33 goals, 31 assists) in 124 career NCAA games. Before attending the University of Connecticut, Gerling skated for three seasons with the Langley Chiefs of the British Columbia Hockey League. The Renton, Washington native captained the Chiefs in his third season with the squad.

Harlow, 22, signed an amateur tryout agreement after completing his collegiate career at Brown University. Like Gerling, Harlow was released from his amateur tryout agreement and signed a standard player contract on Tuesday. He has skated in four contests for the Jackals and registered his first professional point, an assist, on Wednesday night. The 5-foot-10 185-pound forward appeared in 127 NCAA games and collected 36 points (17 goals, 19 assists) along with 68 penalty minutes. Harlow joins teammate Sam Marotta as the second member of the Jackals to hail from Bridgewater, Massachusetts.

Turgeon, 24, skated in five games for the Jackals and recorded his first ECHL goal on March 13th. He started his first professional season with the Danville Dashers of the Federal Hockey League. In 39 games with Danville, Turgeon recorded 37 points (16 goals, 21 assists) and a plus-18 rating. Prior to turning pro, the 6-foot-3 210-pound forward played one season at Buffalo State and led the team with 27 points (12 goals, 15 assists) in 25 games. Before attending Buffalo State, the Centennial, Colorado native played two seasons at Monroe Community College, recording 102 points (49 goals, 53 assists) in 51 games.

Holmberg, 22, has been activated from the 21-day IR and placed on the active roster. Holmberg has not played since suffering an injury in Wheeling, WV on March 3rd. The Sherwood Park, Alberta native has recorded 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in 26 games with the Jackals this season. Holmberg began the season with the Bakersfield Condors, collecting one assist in eight games, before he was recalled by the Oklahoma City Barons and traded to the Utica Comets. He was then reassigned to Elmira.

 

Jackals Fall to Fort Wayne, 7-3

ELMIRA, NY - The Jackals allowed a season-high five goals in the first period and fell 7-3 tonight at First Arena against the Fort Wayne Komets. Mike Seidel and Ryan Rashid recorded two-point nights and Matt Harlow earned his first professional point in the loss.

The first period was dominated by the Komets, who registered five unanswered goals in the opening stanza. Eric Faille started the scoring with a snipe from the right circle past Travis Fullerton for his 21st goal of the season at 4:02 of the first frame. Drew Daniels and Joey Leach earned the assists. Faille added his second of the night at 7:17 of the first period with a power-play tally. Mike Embach and Daniels added the helpers. Christian Ouellet buried his 15th goal of the season at 10:47 of the period with a wrist shot past Fullerton on a two-on-one rush. Travis Fullerton was pulled for Sam Marotta following Ouellet's marker. Shawn Szydlowski didn't waste any time netting his 32nd of the year with a backhand past Marotta on the first shot he faced, at 11:13 of the frame. The Komets capitalized on the power-play again in the opening period with Ouellet's second of the night and 16th of the season.

Taylor Stefishen provided a spark for the Jackals with his 15th goal of the season just 17 seconds into the second period. Ryan Rashid and Mike Seidel earned the helpers on Stefishen's wrap-around marker. However, Szydlowski reestablished Fort Wayne's five goal advantage at 3:02 of the period with his second of the night and 33rd of the season. Just 2:08 later, Szydlowski turned from goal-scorer to dish master as he fed Matt Pistilli for his 21st of the season. Mike Seidel added his team-leading 21st of the year at 17:53 of the middle frame to make it 7-2 Fort Wayne after 40 minutes. Matt Harlow and Ryan Rashid added the assists on Seidel's goal. Harlow's helper was his first professional point.

The lone goal scored in the third period came off of Steven Shamanski's stick at 12:18 of the frame. Nick Tuzzolino and Thomas Nesbitt added the assists on Shamanski's 13th goal of the season. Shamanski's marker ties him with Eric Regan for the Jackals' single-season record by a defenseman.

Travis Fullerton stopped two of five shots faced. Sam Marotta turned aside 24 of 28 shots faced and was handed the loss. Roman Will stopped 30 of 33 shots faced for the win. The Jackals went 0-for-3 on the power-play and the Komets finished 2-for-5 with the man advantage.

Elmira Continues Homestand With Komets In Town

ELMIRA, NY - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and AHL's Rochester Americans, host the Fort Wayne Komets tonight at First Arena for the only time this season. Tonight's matchup marks the second of three meetings this season.

WHO: Elmira Jackals - Buffalo/NHL & Rochester/AHL (31-25-7) vs. Fort Wayne Komets - Colorado/NHL & Lake Erie/AHL (42-15-6) 
  
WHAT: Jackals Home Game #32.

WHEN: 7:05 p.m. EST 

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

Tonight the Jackals and Komets clash for the second of three meetings this season and the only meeting at First Arena. The last time these two teams met occurred on January 30th, 2015. The Komets scored early, but the Jackals battled back and received goals from Zach Tolkinen and Mike Seidel to pull ahead of Fort Wayne. Sam Marotta shut the door and turned aside 22 of 23 shots faced for the victory. Last season, the Jackals and Komets faced off seven times and Elmira earned five wins. The last meeting at First Arena came on January 26th, 2014. Mike Vaskivuo scored twice and added an assist as the Jackals pushed past the Komets, 4-1. Jake Trask and Rob Bellamy also scored for the Jackals. The Jackals are 8-3-0 all-time against Fort Wayne.

Jackals Offer Early Bird Season Ticket Specials Through April 15

ELMIRA, NY  - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and the AHL's Rochester Americans, announced that they are offering early bird season ticket specials through April 15th, 2015.

Whether you are a returning special ticket holder, or a new addition to the Jackals season ticket holder team, you can purchase your FULL 2015-2016 season ticket, which includes 36 games, for as LOW as $216!

By locking in your 2015-2016 season ticket now, you will receive a VIP credential with a Jackals lanyard, which provides a 10% discount off ALL concessions and merchandise in addition to the FIRST choice to purchase 2015-2016 playoff tickets!

There are FOUR ways to buy your 2015-2016 Jackals season ticket:

1. Online: http://www.jackalshockey.com/

2. Phone: (607) 734-PUCK (7825)

3. Mail: If you were a 2014-2015 season ticket holder, you can fill out your renewal invoice and select a payment method.

4. Box Office: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Monday-Friday, or noon on Game Days

Fans have multiple Pick-A-Payment Plan options to pay for their 2015-2016 season ticket:

1. Pay in full by April 15
                  or
2. Pay in six monthly installments (First payment is due April 15. Credit card only.)

Jackals Weekly Release 3/23-3/29

ELMIRA, NY - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and the AHL's Rochester Americans, continue their seven-game homestand with three games this week. On Wednesday, the Jackals host the Fort Wayne Komets and on Friday and Saturday, the Florida Everblades visit First Arena.

Last Week's Record: 1-1-1
Overall Record: 31-25-7; sixth place in East Division, eighth place in Eastern Conference

Leaders:
Goals: Mike Seidel (20)
Assists: Taylor Stefishen (23)
Points: Mike Seidel & Taylor Stefishen (37)
+/-: x Matt Tassone (+15)
PIMs: Justin Sawyer (158)
PPG: Steven Shamanski (6)
SHG: Mike Seidel (3)
Wins: Travis Fullerton (19)
GAA: Sam Marotta (2.54)
SVP: Sam Marotta (.915)

Previewing the Upcoming Week:

3/25 vs. Fort Wayne Komets - 7:05 p.m. EST
Home vs. FW 0-0-0, Away vs. FW 1-0-0
On Wednesday, the Jackals and Komets clash for the second of three meetings this season and the only meeting at First Arena. The last time these two teams met occurred on January 30th, 2015. The Komets scored early, but the Jackals battled back and received goals from Zach Tolkinen and Mike Seidel to pull ahead of Fort Wayne. Sam Marotta shut the door and turned aside 22 of 23 shots faced for the victory. Last season, the Jackals and Komets faced off seven times and Elmira earned five wins. The last meeting at First Arena came on January 26th, 2014. Mike Vaskivuo scored twice and added an assist as the Jackals pushed past the Komets, 4-1. Jake Trask and Rob Bellamy also scored for the Jackals. The Jackals are 8-3-0 all-time against Fort Wayne.

3/27 vs. Florida Everblades - 7:05 p.m. EST; 3/28 vs. Florida Everblades - 7:05 p.m. EST
Home vs. FLA 1-0-0, Away vs. FLA 0-1-0
On Friday and Saturday, the Jackals continue their seven-game homestand against the Florida Everblades with the final two of four meetings this season and the second and third of three contests at First Arena. In the last meeting, the Jackals clawed back from a three-goal deficit and defeated Florida 6-5 in overtime. Riley Wetmore recorded a goal and two assists to lead the Jackals with three points. Thomas Nesbitt and Mike Seidel each scored twice and Mike Bergin and Justin Kea added two assists apiece. Lucas Bloodoff scored the game-winner in overtime and added an assist in their wild comeback win. The first meeting of the season occurred on December 10th, 2014 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. Elmira is 8-9-0 all-time against Florida.

Recapping Last Week:

3/16 vs. Toledo Walleye: L 0-3
The Jackals opened a seven-game homestand tonight against the Toledo Walleye in search of their third straight win, but Jeff Lerg would spoil Elmira's effort in a 3-0 Toledo victory. The Jackals generated multiple scoring chances in the first period, including a blast off the crossbar by Nick Tuzzolino, but the Walleye would strike first at 13:15 of the frame. Cody Lampl out-waited Trevor Gerling's sliding block attempt, walked into the slot and ripped home his seventh goal of the season. Alden Hirschfeld and Michael Leone earned the assists. Just over three minutes later the Walleye would double their lead with Kyle Bonis' one-time blast. A.J. Jenks forced a turnover at the Jackals' blueline and fed the puck to former Jackal Justin Daniels, who returned the feed to Jenks for the connection with Bonis in the right circle for his team-leading 29th goal of the season. Tyler Barnes added to Toledo's lead at 9:15 of the second period with his 21st goal of the season. Troy Schwab and Shane Sims earned the helpers on Barnes' power-play tally. The Walleye out-shot the Jackals 18-7 in the middle frame and 32-15 through 40 minutes of play. Neither team found the back of the net in the third period as the Jackals' comeback effort fell short. Sam Marotta stopped 36 of 39 shots faced, but was saddled with the loss. Jeff Lerg stopped all 21 shots faced for his fourth shutout of the season.

3/20 vs. Wheeling Nailers: SOL 1-2

Zach Tolkinen scored a power-play goal late in the third period to tie the game and send it to overtime, but the Nailers would close out the Jackals in the shootout, 2-1. Neither team scored in the opening stanza, but there were three separate fights and 46 combined penalty minutes in the first 20 minutes of play. Joe Houk recorded his first professional fight with an early bout against Pat McGrath. Then, Lucas Bloodoff dropped the gloves with Harrison Ruopp and pumped the Nailer with a combination of rights and lefts. To round out the first period fight card, Justin Sawyer and Pat McGrath dropped the mitts off of a face-off and Sawyer proved to be the clear victor. Neither team netted the game's first marker in the second period either, so the game went to the third frame tied 0-0. Former Jackal Chaz Johnson recorded the game's first goal at 9:34 of the third period with a backdoor feed from Derek Army. Rookie blueliner Zach Tolkinen knotted the tying marker on the man advantage at 16:31 with a shot from the point that snuck through Franky Palazzese. Sixty-five minutes would not be enough to decide a winner, so the game went to a shootout. David Gilbert and Mike Ratchuk scored for the Nailers and Palazzese stopped attempts from Nick Tuzzolino, Steven Shamanski, Trevor Gerling and Mike Seidel to steal the extra point. Travis Fullerton stopped 33 of 34 shots faced and two more in the shootout, but was handed the hard-fought loss.

3/21 vs. Wheeling Nailers: W 2-1
Trevor Gerling scored his first professional goal as the Jackals powered past the Wheeling Nailers, 2-1. Taylor Stefishen scored the game-winning-goal and Travis Fullerton stopped 35 of 36 shots faced for his 19th win of the season. The first period resembled last night's contest as we saw two separate fights and a rash of penalty minutes in the early going. First, Pat McGrath hit Mike Seidel from behind and Taylor Stefishen came in to protect his teammate. Then, Paul Cianfrini popped Mike Bergin from behind and Bergin returned to his feet to challenge the Nailer. However, unlike last night, the Jackals would bury in the opening stanza and take the momentum into the first intermission. Keith Buehler intercepted a lazy pass across the Jackals blue line and fed Trevor Gerling for a breakaway with just 43 seconds left in the period. Gerling made a silky move to the backhand and buried his first professional goal past Franky Palazzese to give the Jackals a 1-0 lead. The Jackals carried their momentum over from the late first period goal into the second frame and added to their lead just 3:31 into the middle stanza. Ryan Rashid passed the puck to Nick Tuzzolino, who stretched it ahead to Taylor Stefishen and the North Vancouver, British Columbia native fished the play with a quick wrist-shot past Palazzese for his 14th goal of the season. Late in the period, Steven Shamanski hammered Jarrett Burton in the corner and obliged the Nailer to a fight which was easily won by the Carberry, Manitoba native. In the third period, the Jackals controlled the play and held their two-goal lead until a late power-play and an extra attacker provided Chaz Johnson with his 14th goal of the season. Zack Torquato and Mike Ratchuk earned the assists. However, that would be as close as the Nailers would get as Travis Fullerton shut the door and powered the Jackals to victory.

Quick Hits:

* The Jackals are 21-0-0-2 when leading after two periods.

* Elmira is 27-2-2 when scoring three of more goals.

* Elmira is 13-4-0-7 in one-goal games.

* Zach Tolkinen is the only Jackal to skate in all 63 games this season.

* Nineteen rookies have recorded at least one point for the Jackals this season.

* Sam Marotta ranks second among rookie goaltenders with a 2.54 goals-against-average and also ranks second with a .915 save percentage.

*Steven Shamanski is tied for first among all rookies with 15 power-play points.

Don't miss a minute of the action with Jackals season tickets! Call (607) 734-7825 or visit jackalshockey.com to order your season tickets today. Can't make it to every game? No problem! The Jackals are offering 10 and 20-game select and flex ticket plans!

Follow the Jackals at www.jackalshockey.com,on Facebook, Twitter (@JackalsHockey) and Instagram for all the latest news and updates.

Group tickets are a great way to entertain employees, co-workers, clients, friends and family. For more information on discounted group tickets and a list of group benefits, call (607) 734-7825 or visit http://www.jackalshockey.com/groups/.

Officially licensed Elmira Jackals replica team jerseys, apparel and headwear can be purchased online at: http://www.jackalshockey.com/


Upcoming Events:

 Wednesday, March 25: Elmira Jackals vs. Fort Wayne Komets, 7:05 p.m. EST. All Elmira Jackals broadcasts are carried on WNGZ 104.9 FM and 93.5 FM in Elmira. Neulion provides pay-per-view internet TV broadcasts of all Jackals games as well. Check out how you can watch the Jackals on Neulion by clicking here . All Jackals broadcasts begin 15 minutes prior to faceoff with the Pregame Show. Visit jackalshockey.com for tickets.

Friday, March 27: Elmira Jackals vs. Florida Everblades, 7:05 p.m. EST. All Elmira Jackals broadcasts are carried on WNGZ 104.9 FM and 93.5 FM in Elmira. Neulion provides pay-per-view internet TV broadcasts of all Jackals games as well. Check out how you can watch the Jackals on Neulion by clicking here. All Jackals broadcasts begin 15 minutes prior to faceoff with the Pregame Show. Visit jackalshockey.com for tickets.

Saturday, March 28: Elmira Jackals vs. Florida Everblades, 7:05 p.m. EST. All Elmira Jackals broadcasts are carried on WNGZ 104.9 FM and 93.5 FM in Elmira. Neulion provides pay-per-view internet TV broadcasts of all Jackals games as well. Check out how you can watch the Jackals on Neulion by clicking here. All Jackals broadcasts begin 15 minutes prior to faceoff with the Pregame Show. Visit jackalshockey.com for tickets.

Jackals Power Past Wheeling, 2-1

ELMIRA, NY - Trevor Gerling scored his first professional goal tonight as the Jackals powered past the Wheeling Nailers, 2-1. Taylor Stefishen scored the game-winning-goal and Travis Fullerton stopped 35 of 36 shots faced for his 19th win of the season.

The first period resembled last night's contest as we saw two separate fights and a rash of penalty minutes in the early going. First, Pat McGrath hit Mike Seidel from behind and Taylor Stefishen came in to protect his teammate. Then, Paul Cianfrini popped Mike Bergin from behind and Bergin returned to his feet to challenge the Nailer. However, unlike last night, the Jackals would bury in the opening stanza and take the momentum into the first intermission. Keith Buehler intercepted a lazy pass across the Jackals blue line and fed Trevor Gerling for a breakaway with just 43 seconds left in the period. Gerling made a silky move to the backhand and buried his first professional goal past Franky Palazzese to give the Jackals a 1-0 lead.

The Jackals carried their momentum over from the late first period goal into the second frame and added to their lead just 3:31 into the middle stanza. Ryan Rashid passed the puck to Nick Tuzzolino, who stretched it ahead to Taylor Stefishen and the North Vancouver, British Columbia native fished the play with a quick wrist-shot past Palazzese for his 14th goal of the season. Late in the period, Steven Shamanski hammered Jarrett Burton in the corner and obliged the Nailer to a fight which was easily won by the Carberry, Manitoba native.

In the third period, the Jackals controlled the play and held their two-goal lead until a late power-play and an extra attacker provided Chaz Johnson with his 14th goal of the season. Zack Torquato and Mike Ratchuk earned the assists. However, that would be as close as the Nailers would get as Travis Fullerton shut the door and powered the Jackals to victory.

Travis Fullerton stopped 35 of 36 shots faced to earn his 19th win of the season. Franky Palazzese stopped 28 of 30 shots faced, but was handed his 18th loss of the year. The Jackals went 0-for-4 on the power-play and the Nailers finished 1-for-4 with the man advantage.

 

Jackals Finish Weekend Set At Home Against Wheeling

ELMIRA, NY - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and AHL's Rochester Americans, finish their weekend set against the Wheeling Nailers tonight at First Arena. Tonight's contest marks the 10th of 13 meetings between the Jackals and Nailers this season.

WHO: Elmira Jackals - Buffalo/NHL & Rochester/AHL (30-25-7) vs. Wheeling Nailers - Montreal/Pittsburgh/NHL & Hamilton/Wilkes-Barre/Scranton/AHL (30-28-2) 
  
WHAT: Jackals Home Game #31.

WHEN: 7:05 p.m. EST 

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

Tonight the Jackals host the Wheeling Nailers for the 10th of 13 meetings this season and the fourth of six at First Arena. Last night, the Jackals and Nailers battled through the first 49:34 without a goal, until former Jackal Chaz Johnson opened the scoring for the Nailers. Zach Tolkinen tied the game late in the third period on the power-play and sent it to extra time. Travis Fullerton stopped 33 shots and two more in the shootout, but was saddled with the hard-fought 2-1 shootout loss. The last time these two teams met at First Arena was November 23rd, 2014. Derek Army scored the game-winner and the empty-net goal in Wheeling's 2-0 win. Sam Marotta stopped 24 of 25 shots faced, but Eric Hartzell turned aside all 38 shots faced for the shutout. The previous night, Elmira buried three power-play goals and defeated the Nailers 6-3. Mike Seidel, Steven Shamanski and Allan McPherson recorded four points apiece to lead the Jackals offensively. Travis Fullerton stopped 25 of 28 shots faced for the victory. Elmira holds a 39-29-11 all-time record against Wheeling.

 

Jackals Open Weekend Set At Home Against Wheeling

ELMIRA, NY - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and AHL's Rochester Americans, continue their seven-game homestand tonight against the Wheeling Nailers. Tonight marks the third time this season the Jackals have hosted the Nailers.

WHO: Elmira Jackals - Buffalo/NHL & Rochester/AHL (30-25-6) vs. Wheeling Nailers - Montreal/Pittsburgh/NHL & Hamilton/Wilkes-Barre/Scranton/AHL (29-28-2) 
  
WHAT: Jackals Home Game #30.

WHEN: 7:05 p.m. EST 

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

Tonight the Jackals host the Wheeling Nailers for the ninth of 13 meetings this season and the third of six at First Arena. Despite already playing six times at WesBanco Arena, the Jackals have hosted the Nailers just twice this season. Those meetings came on November 22-23, 2014. The previous meeting occurred last Saturday in Wheeling, WV and the Jackals came away victorious, earning their first win at WesBanco Arena since December 12th, 2013. Zach Tolkinen, Ryan Rashid, Taylor Stefishen and Mike Seidel scored for the Jackals and Sam Marotta stopped 33 shots in the 4-1 win. The last time these two teams met at First Arena was November 23rd, 2014. Derek Army scored the game-winner and the empty-net goal in Wheeling's 2-0 win. Sam Marotta stopped 24 of 25 shots faced, but Eric Hartzell turned aside all 38 shots faced for the shutout. The previous night, Elmira buried three power-play goals and defeated the Nailers 6-3. Mike Seidel, Steven Shamanski and Allan McPherson recorded four points apiece to lead the Jackals offensively. Travis Fullerton stopped 25 of 28 shots faced for the victory. Elmira holds a 39-29-10 all-time record against Wheeling.

Jackals Blanked By Walleye, 3-0

ELMIRA, NY - The Jackals opened a seven-game homestand tonight against the Toledo Walleye in search of their third straight win, but Jeff Lerg would spoil Elmira's effort in a 3-0 Toledo victory.

The Jackals generated multiple scoring chances in the first period, including a blast off the crossbar by Nick Tuzzolino, but the Walleye would strike first at 13:15 of the frame. Cody Lampl out-waited Trevor Gerling's sliding block attempt, walked into the slot and ripped home his seventh goal of the season. Alden Hirschfeld and Michael Leone earned the assists. Just over three minutes later the Walleye would double their lead with Kyle Bonis' one-time blast. A.J. Jenks forced a turnover at the Jackals' blueline and fed the puck to former Jackal Justin Daniels, who returned the feed to Jenks for the connection with Bonis in the right circle for his team-leading 29th goal of the season.

Tyler Barnes added to Toledo's lead at 9:15 of the second period with his 21st goal of the season. Troy Schwab and Shane Sims earned the helpers on Barnes' power-play tally. The Walleye out-shot the Jackals 18-7 in the middle frame and 32-15 through 40 minutes of play.

Neither team found the back of the net in the third period as the Jackals' comeback effort fell short. Sam Marotta stopped 36 of 39 shots faced, but was saddled with the loss. Jeff Lerg stopped all 21 shots faced for his fourth shutout of the season. The Jackals went 0-for-1 on the power-play and the Walleye finished 1-for-3 with the man advantage.

Next up for the Jackals is a two-game weekend set at home against the Wheeling Nailers. Puck drop on Friday, March 20th and Saturday, March 21st is at 7:05 p.m.

Elmira Adds Three On Roster Move Monday

ELMIRA, NY - 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 reassigned to Elmira by Rochester and Kevin Sundher has been reassigned to Elmira by Buffalo from Rochester. Additionally, the club has signed forward Trevor Gerling to an amateur tryout agreement.

McPherson, 23, joins the Jackals following his third AHL stint of the 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 30 games with Rochester this season, registering one goal and three assists. 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.

Sundher, 23, has appeared in eight games with Elmira this season, posting one goal and three assists. The Surrey, British Columbia native has also registered one goal and two assists in 18 games with Rochester this season. He has registered 36 points (11 goals, 25 assists) in 116 career AHL games. 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.

Gerling, 24, has signed an amateur tryout agreement with the Jackals following the conclusion of his collegiate career at the University of Connecticut. The 6-foot 195-pound forward collected 64 points (33 goals, 31 assists) in 124 career NCAA games. Before attending the University of Connecticut, Gerling skated for three seasons with the Langley Chiefs of the British Columbia Hockey League. The Renton, Washington native captained the Chiefs in his third season with the squad.

In separate transactions, forward Stephen Buco has been released from his amateur tryout agreement and forward Mitch Holmberg has been placed on the 21-day IR, retroactive to March 4th.

Buco, 25, skated in one game with the Jackals. This season, the North Providence, Road Island native led all NCAA III skaters with 32 assists and 1.78 points-per-game. Buco finished tied for first among all NCAA III skaters with 48 points in just 27 games. The 5-foot-8 180-pound forward transferred to UMass-Boston from UMass-Lowell during the 2013-14 campaign. Buco compiled 92 points (33 goals, 59 assists) in 98 games combined between the NCAA and NCAA III.

Holmberg, 22, has been placed on the 21-day IR, retroactive to March 4th. Holmberg has not played since suffering an injury in Wheeling, WV on March 3rd. The Sherwood Park, Alberta native has recorded 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in 26 games with the Jackals this season. Holmberg began the season with the Bakersfield Condors, collecting one assist in eight games, before he was recalled by the Oklahoma City Barons and traded to the Utica Comets. He was then reassigned to Elmira.

Jackals Open Seven-Game Homestand Against Toledo

ELMIRA, NY - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and AHL's Rochester Americans, open their seven-game homestand tonight against the Toledo Walleye. The Jackals are 1-2-0 against Toledo this season.

WHO: Elmira Jackals - Buffalo/NHL & Rochester/AHL (30-24-6) vs. Toledo Walleye - Detroit/NHL & Grand Rapids/AHL (38-13-6) 

  

WHAT: Jackals Home Game #29.

WHEN: 7:05 p.m. EST 
 

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

Tonight the Jackals host the Toledo Walleye for the fourth of five meetings this season and the fourth and final meeting at First Arena. These two Eastern Conference foes met last Friday at First Arena and put on an exciting show for the home crowd. The Jackals clawed their way back into the contest with goals from Lucas Bloodoff and Mike Seidel, but their furious push for the equalizer fell one goal short despite firing 21 shots on goal in the third period. The previous meeting resulted in the same score, but the opposite outcome with the Jackals coming out on top. Taylor Stefishen and Mike Bergin each notched a goal and an assist to lead the Jackals offensive effort. Thomas Nesbitt recorded the game-winning goal and Travis Fullerton turned aside 38 of 40 shots to propel the Jackals past the Walleye, 3-2 on February 7th. 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 10-8-2 all-time against Toledo.

Jackals Snap Woes At WesBanco Arena With 4-1 Win

WHEELING, WV - In their first five visits to WesBanco Arena the Jackals earned just two combined points, but tonight, the pack shook off the demons and defeated the Nailers 4-1. Ryan Rashid and Taylor Stefishen led the way offensively with three points apiece and Sam Marotta stopped 33 shots for the victory.

The first period opened with an inauspicious beginning when Mike Ratchuk sniped his second of the season past Sam Marotta on Wheeling's first shot of the night. Zack Torquato and Derek Army assisted Ratchuk's opening salvo. The resilient Jackals battled back and knotted the game at one apiece at 6:07 of the frame. Ryan Rashid fed the puck through the neutral zone to Taylor Stefishen, who muscled down the left-wing side and slid a one-handed backhand pass to Zach Tolkinen for the backdoor tap-in.

The contest remained tied through the early stages of the second period until Ryan Rashid buried the eventual game-winner at 10:38 of the stanza. Taylor Stefishen fired a pass to Joe Houk, who found Rashid waiting all alone on the doorstep for his 14th goal of the season. Houk's assist marked his first point as a member of the Jackals.

In the third period, the Jackals continued to pressure Wheeling and created two power-play opportunities. On the second man advantage of the period, Steven Shamanski took a slap-shot that bounced off of the back wall and onto the waiting stick of Taylor Stefishen, who deposited the puck past Eric Hartzell for his 13th goal of the season at 15:04 of the frame. Nick Tuzzolino also assisted Stefishen's power-play tally. Mike Seidel added a shorthanded empty-net goal to seal the deal at 19:16 for his team-leading 20th goal of the season.

Sam Marotta made 33 saves on 34 shots faced for his second consecutive victory. Eric Hartzell allowed three goals on 35 shots faced and was saddled with the loss. The Jackals finished 1-for-4 on the power-play and the Nailers went 0-for-3 with the man advantage.

Next up for the Jackals is a date with the Toledo Walleye on Monday, March 16th at First Arena. Puck drop is at 7:05 p.m.

Jackals Add Two Forwards on ATOs

ELMIRA, NY - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and the AHL's Rochester Americans, announced that they have signed forwards Stephen Buco and Matt Harlow to amateur tryout agreements. Additionally, the team has released forward Evan Haney from his Standard Player Contract.

Buco, 25, made his professional debut last night after joining the club following the conclusion of his collegiate career at UMass-Boston (NCAA III). This season, the North Providence, Road Island native led all NCAA III skaters with 32 assists and 1.78 points-per-game. Buco finished tied for first among all NCAA III skaters with 48 points in just 27 games. The 5-foot-8 180-pound forward transferred to UMass-Boston from UMass-Lowell during the 2013-14 campaign. Buco compiled 92 points (33 goals, 59 assists) in 98 games combined between the NCAA and NCAA III.

Harlow, 22, turns pro after completing his collegiate career at Brown University. The 5-foot-10 185-pound forward appeared in 127 NCAA games and collected 36 points (17 goals, 19 assists) along with 68 penalty minutes. Harlow joins teammate Sam Marotta as the second member of the Jackals to hail from Bridgewater, Massachusetts.

Haney, 24, recorded one assist in two games with the Jackals this season. The 6-foot-2 205-pound forward started the season with the Quad City Mallards and posted seven points (one goal, six assists) with 12 penalty minutes in 28 games. Last season, the Sainte-Marthe, Quebec native signed an amateur tryout with the Jackals and appeared in one contest following the conclusion of his collegiate career at Hamilton College (NCAA III).

Jackals Visit Nailers For Sixth Meeting At WesBanco Arena

ELMIRA, NY - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and AHL's Rochester Americans, travel to Wheeling, WV for their sixth meeting at WesBanco Arena and eighth overall against the Nailers this season.

WHO: Elmira Jackals - Buffalo/NHL & Rochester/AHL (29-24-6) at Wheeling Nailers - Montreal & Pittsburgh/NHL & Hamilton & Wilkes-Barre/Scranton/AHL (29-27-1) 
  
WHAT: Jackals Away Game #32.

WHEN: 7:35 p.m. EST 

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

Tonight the Jackals will pay their sixth visit of the season to WesBanco Arena. Overall, this contest will mark the eighth of 13 meetings this season and the sixth of seven on the Nailers' home ice. WesBanco Arena has not been a friendly destination for the Jackals this season who hold a 0-3-2 mark in Wheeling. In the previous meeting, rookie goaltender Franky Palazzese earned his first professional shutout as the Nailers defeated the Jackals 5-0. Back on February 27th, these two rivals battled to an exciting 10-round shootout, but the home team earned the extra point with former Jackal Chaz Johnson netting the shootout winner. The Jackals had to claw back twice in the third period, with goals coming from Ryan Rashid and Kevin Hart, to earn the single point. 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 38-29-10 all-time record against Wheeling.

Pesky Pack Prevails Over Reading In Overtime, 4-3

ELMIRA, NY - The resilient Jackals battled back from a two-goal deficit to defeat the rival Reading Royals 4-3 in overtime tonight at First Arena. Lucas Bloodoff scored the game-tying goal in the third period and the game-winning marker in overtime.

The Jackals jumped on the Royals right off the opening face-off when Mike Seidel swung through the neutral zone with the puck and fired a shot from the right circle that rebounded out to Taylor Stefishen. Stefishen returned the rebound, which was saved by Connor Knapp, but the puck popped out to Seidel for his team-leading 19th goal of the season just 18 seconds into regulation. The Royals answered on the power-play at 3:00 of the opening stanza with Ryan Cruthers' 13th goal of the season. Olivier Labelle and Mike Marcou assisted Cruthers' marker. Later in the first frame, Reading jumped ahead 2-1 with Brandon Alderson's sixth goal of the season assisted by Cruthers and Bryant Molle.

The Royals built their lead to two at 4:00 of the second period when Sean Wiles barreled down the right side and snuck a shot past Travis Fullerton for his 21st goal of the season. Following Wiles' tally, Fullerton was pulled and Sam Marotta entered the game. Just 1:04 after the Royals increased their lead, Daniel Turgeon buried his first career ECHL goal past Knapp to cut Reading's lead back down to one. Evan Haney earned his first assist as a Jackal and Steven Shamanski registered a helper as well.

Entering the third period down 3-2, the Jackals eyed the tying tally on the man advantage when David Marshall was whistled for tripping at 2:56. With just 19 seconds remaining on the power-play, Zach Tolkinen's point shot resulted in a loose puck scrum in the slot and Lucas Bloodoff hammered home the tying goal for his eighth goal of the season.

Sixty minutes of regulation wasn't enough to decide a winner in the 15th and final meeting between the Jackals and Royals this season, so the contest headed to overtime. In the bonus frame, Mike Seidel was tripped by Michael Caruso, which sent the Jackals to a power-play for the rest of the game. During the four-on-three man advantage, Nick Tuzzolino's point shot squeezed through traffic and, after hitting Knapp, fell to the feet of Bloodoff for the game-winner and his second goal of the night.

Sam Marotta turned aside all 25 shots faced in 40:26 of work to earn his 10th win of the season. Travis Fullerton stopped 14 of 17 shots faced in 24:00 of action. Connor Knapp allowed four goals on 46 shots faced and was handed the loss. The Jackals finished 2-for-4 on the power-play and Reading went 1-for-2 on the man advantage.

Jackals, Royals Face-Off at First Arena For Fifteenth and Final Meeting

ELMIRA, NY - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and AHL's Rochester Americans, host the rival Reading Royals for the 15th and final meeting this season. Tonight marks the seventh contest at First Arena between these two East Division foes.

WHO: Elmira Jackals - Buffalo/NHL & Rochester/AHL (28-24-6) vs. Reading Royals - Philadelphia/NHL & Lehigh Valley/AHL (38-15-4) 
  
WHAT: Jackals Home Game #28.

WHEN: 7:05 p.m. EST 

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

Tonight, the Jackals will host their East Division rival for the 15th and final meeting this season, and the seventh of seven at First Arena. These two foes opened March at Santander Arena with the final two meetings in Reading, Pennsylvania this season. In the first contest, Elmira stormed out in the opening frame, peppering Connor Knapp with 20 shots on goal and 14 on target before the Royals recorded their first shot. Steven Shamanski scored on a 5-on-3 power-play in the opening stanza to give the Jackals a 1-0 lead. In the third period, Sean Wiles and Adam Hughesman netted early markers and paced the Royals 3-1 victory, which also clinched the DeMets Candy Turtle Cup Challenge. The next night, Kevin Sundher scored his first goal as a Jackal, but the Royals came away with the 5-1 win. In their previous meeting at First Arena on Valentine's Day, the Jackals received no love from Reading and fell 7-3, setting a new season-high in goals allowed. Elmira is 49-50-12 all-time against Reading.

Jackals Weekly Release 3/10-3/15

ELMIRA, NY - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and the AHL's Rochester Americans, will face-off against the Reading Royals for the 15th and final time this season in addition to paying a visit to Wheeling, West Virginia this weekend.

Last Week's Record: 0-3-0
Overall Record: 28-24-6; t-fifth place in East Division, t-seventh place in Eastern Conference

Leaders:
Goals: Mike Seidel (18)
Assists: Taylor Stefishen (20)
Points: Mike Seidel (34)
+/-: x Matt Tassone (+15)
PIMs: Justin Sawyer (149)
PPG: Steven Shamanski (6)
SHG: Mike Seidel (2)
Wins: Travis Fullerton (18)
GAA: Sam Marotta (2.65)
SVP: Sam Marotta & Travis Fullerton (.909)

Previewing the Upcoming Week:
 

3/13 vs. Reading Royals - 7:05 p.m. EST
Home vs. REA 2-2-2, Away vs. REA 3-5-0
On Friday the 13th, the Jackals will host their East Division rival for the 15th and final meeting this season, and the seventh of seven at First Arena. These two foes opened March at Santander Arena with the final two meetings in Reading, Pennsylvania this season. In the first contest, Elmira stormed out in the opening frame, peppering Connor Knapp with 20 shots on goal and 14 on target before the Royals recorded their first shot. Steven Shamanski scored on a 5-on-3 power-play in the opening stanza to give the Jackals a 1-0 lead. In the third period, Sean Wiles and Adam Hughesman netted early markers and paced the Royals 3-1 victory, which also clinched the DeMets Candy Turtle Cup Challenge. The next night, Kevin Sundher scored his first goal as a Jackal, but the Royals came away with the 5-1 win. In their previous meeting at First Arena on Valentine's Day, the Jackals received no love from Reading and fell 7-3, setting a new season-high in goals allowed. Elmira is 49-50-12 all-time against Reading.

3/14 at Wheeling Nailers - 7:35 p.m. EST
Home vs. WHL 1-1-0, Away vs. WHL 0-3-2
On Saturday, the Jackals will pay their next to last visit of the season to WesBanco Arena. Overall, this contest will mark the eighth of 13 meetings this season and the sixth of seven on the Nailers' home ice. WesBanco Arena has not been a friendly destination for the Jackals this season who hold a 0-3-2 mark in Wheeling. In the previous meeting, rookie goaltender Franky Palazzese earned his first professional shutout as the Nailers defeated the Jackals 5-0. Back on February 27th, these two rivals battled to an exciting 10-round shootout, but the home team earned the extra point with former Jackal Chaz Johnson netting the shootout winner. The Jackals had to claw back twice in the third period, with goals coming from Ryan Rashid and Kevin Hart, to earn the single point. 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 38-29-10 all-time record against Wheeling.

Recapping Last Week:

3/2 at Reading Royals: L 1-5
The parade to the penalty box began early in the opening stanza and remained constant throughout the first 20 minutes. There were seven minor penalties called in the period and the Royals would capitalize on their first power-play opportunity. Ryan Cruthers, who received two minor penalties in the first period, stepped out of the sin bin and quickly joined Reading's man advantage. After receiving a pass from Mike Marcou, Cruthers walked to the top of the left circle and blasted a shot past Sam Marotta. Then, with 47 seconds remaining in the period, Sean Wiles took a drop pass from Andrew Johnston and sniped his 19th goal of the season over the shoulder of Marotta to put Reading ahead 2-0 at the intermission. After getting out-shot 15-2 in the first period, the Jackals quickly rebounded and cut the Royals' lead in half with Kevin Sundher's power-play goal just 30 seconds into the second frame. Mike Seidel and Taylor Stefishen earned the helpers on Sundher's first goal as a Jackal. Elmira received another power-play opportunity late in the middle stanza when the Royals were whistled for too many men on the ice. However, the Jackals saw their chance to tie the game slip away with Sean Wiles' shorthanded breakaway goal. The Royals added two more goals in the third period to solidify their victory in the final meeting this season at Santander Arena. Olivier Labelle notched his 21st goal of the year at 11:19 of the frame assisted by Adam Hughesman and Cam Reid. Then, at 19:01, Cruthers added his second goal of the night and 12th of the year assisted by Wiles and Brett Flemming.

3/3 at Wheeling Nailers: L 0-5
Jarrett Burton opened the scoring with his ninth goal of the season at 11:46 of the first period. Burton popped out of the slot and blasted a one-timer past Travis Fullerton for the eventual game-winning goal. Then, at 15:22, Brace would bury his 16th goal of the season on a two-on-one rush. Clark Seymour earned the assist on Brace's marker. Late in the first period tempers flared and Taylor Stefishen dropped the gloves with Alex Boak at 19:20 of the frame. Then, off of the ensuing face-off, Justin Sawyer and Pat McGrath dropped the mitts and Sawyer hammered the Nailer into the ice. The Nailers added to their lead at 4:57 of the second period with Zack Torquato's 12th goal of the season. Derek Army and Seymour added the helpers. Tyler Fernandez sniped his sixth goal of the season from the left dot at 9:23 of the middle frame to extend Wheeling's lead to 4-0. Jarrett Burton and Pat McGrath assisted Fernandez's tally. Travis Fullerton was pulled following Fernandez's marker and Sam Marotta entered the game. The Jackals mounted a push in the third period, out-shooting the Nailers 14-7, but former Jackal Chaz Johnson would add Wheeling's fifth goal at 16:51 of the stanza. Shane Bakker and Skelly earned the assists on Johnson's 11th goal of the season. Franky Palazzese stopped all 26 shots faced for his first professional shutout.

3/6 vs. Toledo Walleye: L 2-3
The resilient Jackals scrapped and clawed tonight against the Toledo Walleye, but their passionate pursuit of a comeback fell one goal short. The Jackals out-shot the Walleye 12-10 in the opening stanza, but the visiting team would strike first, 9:29 into regulation. Alden Hirschfeld fed Martin Frk in the slot from the corner for a quick shot that snuck through Sam Marotta's five-hole. Toledo would increase its lead to 2-0 at 17:16 of the first frame when Tyler Barnes took a pass from Shane Berschbach and tucked his 19th goal of the season past Marotta. The Jackals would battle back late in the first period and cut into Toledo's lead with just 58 seconds remaining. Mike Seidel fed Steven Shamanski in the offensive zone with a cross-ice pass and Shamanski's blast from the top of the right circle was tipped in by Lucas Bloodoff. Bloodoff's seventh goal of the season swung some momentum back to Elmira's side heading into the first intermission. The second period was played evenly and seemed to be melting away without any goals until a late strike by the Walleye. Shane Berschbach moved the puck ahead to Tyler Barnes at the Jackals blueline for a two-on-one with Troy Schwab, who tapped in Toledo's third goal of the night off of Barnes' backdoor feed. Mike Seidel led the comeback charge in the third period with a whistling shot off of an offensive zone face-off at 14:14 of the final frame of regulation. Riley Wetmore earned the assist on Seidel's team-leading 18th goal of the season. The Jackals furiously tried to score the tying marker, but could not deposit the equalizer past Jared Coreau.

Quick Hits:

* The Jackals are 19-0-2 when leading after two periods.

* Sixteen rookies have recorded at least one point for the Jackals this season.
 

* Steven Shamanski leads all rookie defensemen with 14 power-play points (six goals, eight assists). Shamanski also leads all Jackals skaters in power-play goals, power-play assists and power-play points.
 

* Elmira is 25-2-2 when scoring three or more goals.

* Sam Marotta is tied for second among all rookie goaltenders with a 2.65 goals-against-average and ranks fourth with a .909 save percentage.

Jackals Acquire Joe Houk From Toledo

ELMIRA, NY - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and the AHL's Rochester Americans, announced today that they have acquired rookie defenseman Joe Houk from the Toledo Walleye in exchange for forward Justin Daniels.

Houk, 24, joins the Jackals after beginning his professional career with the Toledo Walleye. The 6-foot 205-pound defenseman recorded seven points (one goal, six assists) and a plus-13 rating in 25 games with Toledo. Prior to turning pro, Houk skated for two seasons at Hamilton College (NCAA III) from 2009-2011 and recorded 52 points (21 goals, 31 assists) and 84 penalty minutes in 51 games. Following his second season at Hamilton College, Houk transferred to UMass-Lowell and registered 19 points (four goals, 15 assists) and 90 penalty minutes in 74 NCAA games. The Richboro, Pennsylvania native helped lead UMass-Lowell to the 2013 Hockey East Championship.

Additionally, the Elmira Jackals announced today that they have released defenseman Zachary Josepher from his Standard Player Contract.

Josepher, 26, skated in nine games with the Jackals and recorded two goals.

Jackals Fall To Toledo In Frantic Finish, 3-2

ELMIRA, NY - The resilient Jackals scrapped and clawed tonight against the Toledo Walleye, but their passionate pursuit of a comeback fell one goal short. Mike Seidel led the way offensively with a goal and an assist in the Jackals 3-2 defeat at the hands of the Walleye.

The Jackals out-shot the Walleye 12-10 in the opening stanza, but the visiting team would strike first, 9:29 into regulation. Alden Hirschfeld fed Martin Frk in the slot from the corner for a quick shot that snuck through Sam Marotta's five-hole. Toledo would increase its lead to 2-0 at 17:16 of the first frame when Tyler Barnes took a pass from Shane Berschbach and tucked his 19th goal of the season past Marotta. The Jackals would battle back late in the first period and cut into Toledo's lead with just 58 seconds remaining. Mike Seidel fed Steven Shamanski in the offensive zone with a cross-ice pass and Shamanski's blast from the top of the right circle was tipped in by Lucas Bloodoff. Bloodoff's seventh goal of the season swung some momentum back to Elmira's side heading into the first intermission.

The second period was played evenly and seemed to be melting away without any goals until a late strike by the Walleye. Shane Berschbach moved the puck ahead to Tyler Barnes at the Jackals blueline for a two-on-one with Troy Schwab, who tapped in Toledo's third goal of the night off of Barnes' backdoor feed.

Mike Seidel led the comeback charge in the third period with a whistling shot off of an offensive zone face-off at 14:14 of the final frame of regulation. Riley Wetmore earned the assist on Seidel's team-leading 18th goal of the season. The Jackals furiously tried to score the tying marker, but could not deposit the equalizer past Jared Coreau.

Sam Marotta stopped 29 of 32 shots faced, but was handed the hard-fought loss. Jared Coreau turned aside 44 of 46 shots faced for the win. The Walleye went 0-for-1 on the power-play and the Jackals did not have an opportunity with the man advantage.

Jackals Return Home To Host Toledo

ELMIRA, NY - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and AHL's Rochester Americans, return home from their four-game road trip to host the Toledo Walleye in the third of five meetings this season.

WHO: Elmira Jackals - Buffalo/NHL & Rochester/AHL (28-23-6) vs. Toledo Walleye - Detroit/NHL & Grand Rapids/AHL (34-12-5) 
  

WHAT: Jackals Home Game #27.

WHEN: 7:05 p.m. EST 
 

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

Tonight the Jackals return home from a four-game road trip to host the Toledo Walleye for the third of five meetings this season and the third of four at First Arena. In the last meeting, Taylor Stefishen and Mike Bergin each notched a goal and an assist to lead the Jackals offensive effort. Thomas Nesbitt recorded the game-winning goal and Travis Fullerton turned aside 38 of 40 shots to propel the Jackals past the Walleye, 3-2 on February 7th. In the first meeting of the season, Steven Shamanski and Ryan Rashid scored, but the Jackals were out-paced by Toledo's red-hot power play, 6-2. The Walleye scored the first four goals of the game on the man advantage. 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 10-7-2 all-time against Toledo.

Jackals Sign Forward Evan Haney

ELMIRA, NY  - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and AHL's Rochester Americans, announced today that they have signed rookie forward Evan Haney to a Standard Player Contract.

Haney, 24, joins the Jackals for the second time in his professional career. This season, Haney skated in 28 games with the Quad City Mallards and posted seven points (one goal, six assists) with 12 penalty minutes. Last season, the Sainte-Marthe, Quebec native signed an amateur tryout with the Jackals and appeared in one contest following the conclusion of his collegiate career. The 6-foot-2 205-pound forward served as team captain in each of the last two seasons at Hamilton College (NCAA III) and was an alternate captain in his second season. In 86 career NCAA III games, Haney recorded 32 points (15 goals, 17 assists) and 124 penalty minutes.

Jackals Shutout By Palazzese, Nailers 5-0

WHEELING, WV - The Jackals finished their road trip where it began, and for the second straight meeting, Wheeling netminder Franky Palazzese stole the show. The rookie netminder turned aside all 26 shots on goal the Jackals threw his way en route to a 5-0 Nailers win and his first professional shutout.

Jarrett Burton opened the scoring with his ninth goal of the season at 11:46 of the first period. Burton popped out of the slot and blasted a one-timer past Travis Fullerton for the eventual game-winning goal. Riley Brace and Shawn Skelly earned the assists. Then, at 15:22, Brace would bury his 16th goal of the season on a two-on-one rush. Clark Seymour earned the assist on Brace's marker. Late in the first period tempers flared and Taylor Stefishen dropped the gloves with Alex Boak at 19:20 of the frame. Then, off of the ensuing face-off, Justin Sawyer and Pat McGrath dropped the mitts and Sawyer hammered the Nailer into the ice.

The Nailers added to their lead at 4:57 of the second period with Zack Torquato's 12th goal of the season. Derek Army and Seymour added the helpers. Tyler Fernandez sniped his sixth goal of the season from the left dot at 9:23 of the middle frame to extend Wheeling's lead to 4-0. Jarrett Burton and Pat McGrath assisted Fernandez's tally. Travis Fullerton was pulled following Fernandez's marker and Sam Marotta entered the game.

The Jackals mounted a push in the third period, out-shooting the Nailers 14-7, but former Jackal Chaz Johnson would add Wheeling's fifth goal at 16:51 of the stanza. Shane Bakker and Skelly earned the assists on Johnson's 11th goal of the season.

Travis Fullerton stopped 10 of 14 shots faced in 29:23 of action, but shouldered the loss. Sam Marotta stopped 11 of 12 shots faced in 30:37 of work. Franky Palazzese stopped all 26 shots faced for his first professional shutout. The Jackals went 0-for-5 on the power-play and the Nailers went 0-for-3 with the man advantage.

Sundher and Jacobs Head To Rochester

ELMIRA, NY - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and AHL's Rochester Americans, announced today that forwards Kevin Sundher and Colin Jacobs have been reassigned by Buffalo to Rochester.

Sundher, 23, returns to Rochester following a seven-game stint with the Jackals. In eight total games with Elmira this season Sundher has recorded four points (one goal, three assists). The Surrey, British Columbia native has also registered one assist in 15 games with Rochester this season. He has registered 34 points (10 goals, 24 assists) in 113 career AHL games. 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.

Jacobs, 22, joins the Americans after posting 13 points (five goals, eight assists) and 113 penalty minutes in 40 games with Elmira. He has also appeared in two games with Rochester this season. Jacobs split the 2013-14 season between Elmira and Rochester, recording five points (two goals, three assists) in 20 games with the Jackals and adding two assists in 24 games with Rochester. In 37 career AHL games, all with the Americans, the 6-foot-1 200-pound forward has collected five points (one goal, four assists) and 29 penalty minutes. The Coppell, Texas native was drafted in the fourth round (107th overall) by Buffalo in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.

Pesky Pack Finishes Road Trip in Wheeling

WHEELING, WV - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and AHL's Rochester Americans, finish their four-game road trip in the same place that it started when they take the ice tonight against the Wheeling Nailers.
WHO: Elmira Jackals - Buffalo/NHL & Rochester/AHL (28-22-6) at Wheeling Nailers - Montreal/ Pittsburgh/NHL & Hamilton/Wilkes-Barre/Scranton/AHL (25-26-1) 
  
WHAT: Jackals Away Game #31.

WHEN: 7:05 p.m. EST 

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

Tonight the Jackals conclude their four-game road trip against the Wheeling Nailers with the seventh of 13 meetings this season and the fifth of seven at WesBanco Arena. Wheeling has not been a friendly destination for the Jackals this season; with Elmira holding a 0-2-2 mark at WesBanco Arena. Last Friday these two rivals battled to an exciting 10-round shootout, but the home team earned the extra point with former Jackal Chaz Johnson netting the shootout winner. The Jackals had to claw back twice in the third period, with goals coming from Ryan Rashid and Kevin Hart, to earn the single point. In their previous meeting, Mike Seidel scored the first goal of the game, but Josh Archibald led the Nailers to victory with two tallies en route to a 3-1 Wheeling win. 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 38-28-10 all-time record against Wheeling.

Jackals Drop Final Visit To Reading, 5-1

READING, PA - Last night, the Jackals dominated the first frame, peppering Connor Knapp with continuous shots and taking a lead into the intermission. Tonight, the script was flipped and it was the Royals who came out firing and striking first. The Jackals battled back within one early in the second, but that would be as close as they would get in the 5-1 defeat.

The parade to the penalty box began early in the opening stanza and remained constant throughout the first 20 minutes. There were seven minor penalties called in the period and the Royals would capitalize on their first power-play opportunity. Ryan Cruthers, who received two minor penalties in the first period, stepped out of the sin bin and quickly joined Reading's man advantage. After receiving a pass from Mike Marcou, Cruthers walked to the top of the left circle and blasted a shot past Sam Marotta. Pat Mullane also assisted Cruthers' 11th goal of the season. Then, with 47 seconds remaining in the period, Sean Wiles took a drop pass from Andrew Johnston and sniped his 19th goal of the season over the shoulder of Marotta to put Reading ahead 2-0 at the intermission.

After getting out-shot 15-2 in the first period, the Jackals quickly rebounded and cut the Royals' lead in half with Kevin Sundher's power-play goal just 30 seconds into the second frame. Mike Seidel and Taylor Stefishen earned the helpers on Sundher's first goal as a Jackal. Elmira received another power-play opportunity late in the middle stanza when the Royals were whistled for too many men on the ice. However, the Jackals saw their chance to tie the game slip away with Sean Wiles' shorthanded breakaway goal. The Jackals were the only team in the ECHL that had not given up a shorthanded tally until Wiles' 20th goal of the season and second of the night at 17:33 of the second period.

The Royals added two more goals in the third period to solidify their victory in the final meeting this season at Santander Arena. Olivier Labelle notched his 21st goal of the year at 11:19 of the frame assisted by Adam Hughesman and Cam Reid. Then, at 19:01, Cruthers added his second goal of the night and 12th of the year assisted by Wiles and Brett Flemming.

Sam Marotta turned aside 32 of 37 shots faced, but was handed the loss. Connor Knapp stopped 21 of 22 shots faced for the win.

Jackals Visit Santander Arena For Final Time This Season

READING, PA - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and AHL's Rochester Americans, pay their final visit to Santander Arena tonight in an East Division matchup against the Reading Royals.

WHO: Elmira Jackals - Buffalo/NHL & Rochester/AHL (28-21-6) at Reading Royals - Philadelphia/NHL & Lehigh Valley/AHL (36-14-4) 
  
WHAT: Jackals Away Game #30.

WHEN: 7:05 p.m. EST 

WHERE: Santander Arena - 700 Penn Street Reading, PA 19602

Tonight the Jackals visit Santander Arena for the final time this season and the 14th of 15 meetings overall. Last night, Elmira stormed out in the opening frame, peppering Connor Knapp with 20 shots on goal and 14 on target before the Royals recorded their first shot. Steven Shamanski scored on a 5-on-3 power-play in the opening stanza to give the Jackals a 1-0 lead. The Royals were able to battle back in the second period and capitalize on a penalty shot opportunity as Cam Reid scored his team-leading 22nd goal of the season. In the third period, Sean Wiles and Adam Hughesman netted early markers and paced the Royals 3-1 victory, which also clinched the DeMets Candy Turtle Cup Challenge. In their previous meeting at First Arena 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. In the Jackals' last win at Reading on December 31st, 2014, Sam Marotta earned his first professional shutout with 25 saves as the Jackals stormed past the Royals 4-0. Elmira is 49-49-12 all-time against Reading.

Jackals Jump Out Early But Fall Late In Reading, 3-1

READING, PA - The Jackals stormed out early and dominated the first period, but faltered late and fell 3-1 at Santander Arena.

The pesky pack pounced on the Royals early, producing 20 shots on goal in the first frame. The Jackals lead the shot advantage, 14-0, until the 10:09 mark when Reading recorded its first shot on goal. Despite the Jackals dominance in the opening stanza, they would find the back of the net just once due to the stellar goaltending of Royals' netmidner Connor Knapp. Steven Shamanski broke the ice at 14:12 of the first period with a 5-on-3 power-play blast from the right point. Kevin Sundher and Zach Tolkinen assisted Shamanski's 12th goal of the season. The rookie blueliner's sixth power-play goal of the season tied him for a Jackals' single-season record among defensemen, which was set by Mario Larocque (2011-12) and Eric Regan (2010-11).

The second period was more evenly played and the Jackals held their 1-0 lead until a late scrum in front of their net resulted in a penalty shot attempt for the Royals. Cam Reid would take the penalty shot for the Royals and score his team-leading 22nd goal of the season. The game went into the second intermission tied 1-1.

The Royals would quickly capitalize in the third period with Sean Wiles' 18th goal of the season just 1:24 into the frame. Andrew Johnston and Brett Flemming assisted his go-ahead-goal. Then, at 5:04 of the final regulation period, Adam Hughesman tapped in a backdoor feed from Olivier Labelle for his 19th goal of the season. Cam Reid also assisted Hughesman's tally.

Travis Fullerton turned aside 27 of 30 shots faced, but was handed the loss. Connor Knapp stopped 34 of 35 shots faced and earned the win. The Jackals went 1-for-4 on the power-play and Reading went 0-for-3 on the man advantage.

Pesky Pack Opens March Slate At Santander Arena

READING, PA - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and AHL's Rochester Americans, opens their March schedule in Reading against the East Division rival Royals.

WHO: Elmira Jackals - Buffalo/NHL & Rochester/AHL (28-20-6) at Reading Royals - Philadelphia/NHL & Lehigh Valley/AHL (35-14-4) 
  
WHAT: Jackals Away Game #29.

WHEN: 5:05 p.m. EST 

WHERE: Santander Arena - 700 Penn Street Reading, PA 19602

Tonight, 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.

Jackals Battle Back Twice In Third But Fall In Ten-Round Shootout

WHEELING, WV - The pesky Jackals showed their resilient nature once again with two third period comebacks tonight against the Wheeling Nailers at WesBanco Arena, but former Jackal Chaz Johnson would spoil the comeback with the shootout-winning goal in the tenth round.
In true Jackals-Nailers fashion, there were more fights recorded in the first period than goals scored. The first of the fisticuffs occurred just 2:03 into the contest when Stefan Fournier blindsided Justin Daniels and Colin Jacobs stepped in for his teammate. The second altercation came at 8:56 after Kevin Hart crushed Zack Torquato with a clean check and Nicholas Kuqali came down the ice searching for retribution. In between the two fights, the first goal of the game was scored by Riley Brace. Paul Cianfrini started the breakout in the Nailers' end and moved it up the right wing wall to Derek Army who fed Brace and the Wheeling forward sped down the ice and out-waited Travis Fullerton for his 15th goal of the season.

Neither team would capitalize in the second period, sending the tight contest to an exciting final frame. Ryan Rashid started the excitement with his 13th goal of the season at 2:59 of the third period. Taylor Stefishen and Riley Wetmore added the helpers as Rashid extended his point streak to seven games. However, less than two minutes later, at 4:53, David Makowski would answer and regain the Wheeling lead. Makowski's fifth goal of the year came with some controversy as Fournier appeared to make contact with Fullerton, but the referee signaled that the contact was initiated by a Jackal defender. The pesky pack battled back once more to tie the game late in the third period with Kevin Hart's blast following a net-front flurry. Hart's third goal of the season came on the power-play at 17:00 of the final frame of regulation.

Sixty-five minutes would not be enough to settle the score, so the contest went to a shootout. Neither team scored on their first two attempts, but then the goals starting coming in bunches. The Jackals received three consecutive goals from Rashid, Kevin Sundher and Taylor Stefishen, but the Nailers answered each goal with one of their own. Following back-to-back blanks in rounds six and seven, Steven Shamanski and Thomas Nesbitt scored to put the Nailers on the brink, but Wheeling responded to each attempt and eventually former Jackal Chaz Johnson who ended it in the tenth round.

Fullerton turned aside 24 of 26 shots faced and four more in the shootout, but was handed the loss. Franky Palazzese stopped 45 of 47 shots faced and five more in the skills competition to earn the win. The Jackals went 1-for-5 on the power-play and Wheeling went 0-for-4 on the man advantage.

Jackals Sign Buffalo State Product

Dan Turgeon Joins Jackals In Wheeling 

                               Photo credit to Dan Hickling/Hickling Images

ELMIRA, NY - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and AHL's Rochester Americans, announced today that the team has signed rookie forward Dan Turgeon to a Standard Player Contract.

Turgeon, 24, started his first professional season with the Danville Dashers of the Federal Hockey League. In 39 games with Danville, Turgeon recorded 37 points (16 goals, 21 assists) and a plus-18 rating. Prior to turning pro, the 6-foot-3 210-pound forward played one season at Buffalo State and led the team with 27 points (12 goals, 15 assists) in 25 games. Before attending Buffalo State, the Centennial, Colorado native played two seasons at Monroe Community College, recording 102 points (49 goals, 53 assists) in 51 games.

Jackals Open Four-Game Road Trip in Wheeling

ELMIRA, NY - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and AHL's Rochester Americans, open their four-game road trip with a visit to WesBanco Arena to take on the Wheeling Nailers.

WHO: Elmira Jackals - Buffalo/NHL & Rochester/AHL (28-20-5) at Wheeling Nailers - Montreal & Pittsburgh/NHL & Hamilton & Wilkes-Barre/Scranton/AHL (24-25-0)
 
WHAT: Jackals Away Game #28.

WHEN: 7:35 p.m. EST 

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

Tonight, 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.