Jackals Weekly Release 4/7-4/12

ELMIRA, NY - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and the AHL's Rochester Americans, conclude their 2014-2015 campaign with a home-and-home against the Wheeling Nailers on Friday and Saturday.

Last Week's Record: 1-3-0
Overall Record: 32-31-7; sixth place in East Division, t-ninth place in Eastern Conference

Leaders:
Goals: Mike Seidel (22)
Assists: Ryan Rashid (25)
Points: Mike Seidel (41)
+/-: x Matt Tassone (+15)
PIMs: Justin Sawyer (166)
PPG: x Steven Shamanski & x Taylor Stefishen (6)
SHG: Mike Seidel (3)
Wins: Travis Fullerton (20)
GAA: Travis Fullerton (2.68)
SVP: Travis Fullerton (.911)

Previewing the Upcoming Week:

4/10 at Wheeling Nailers - 7:35 p.m. EDT; 4/11 vs. Wheeling Nailers - 7:05 p.m. EDT
Home vs. WHL 3-1-1, Away vs. WHL 1-3-2
The Jackals conclude their 2014-15 campaign with a home-and-home weekend set against the Wheeling Nailers. Friday's contest in Wheeling marks the 12th of 13 meetings this season and the final of six at First Arena. Last Wednesday, Travis Fullerton set a Jackals' record with 56 saves on 57 shots faced en route to a 4-1 win. Matt Harlow scored his first professional goal as time expired in the first period; Ryan Rashid earned the eventual game-winner and Thomas Nesbitt and Lucas Bloodoff also chipped in offensively. In the previous meeting on March 21st, Trevor Gerling scored his first professional goal on a breakaway pass from Keith Buehler. Taylor Stefishen added the eventual game-winner in the second period and Travis Fullerton shut the door, making 35 saves on 36 shots faced. His only blemish came in the third period when former Jackal Chaz Johnson scored on the power-play. The Jackals hung on to defeat the rival Nailers 2-1. In the last meeting at WesBanco Arena, the Jackals won for the first time since December 12th, 2013. Sam Marotta made 33 stops and the Jackals received their offensive output from Zach Tolkinen, Ryan Rashid, Taylor Stefishen and Mike Seidel. Elmira holds a 41-29-11 all-time record against Wheeling.

 
Recapping Last Week:

4/1 vs. Wheeling Nailers: W 4-1

The Elmira Jackals ended their seven-game homestand in grand style last Wednesday against the Wheeling Nailers. Travis Fullerton set a team record with 56 saves and Matt Harlow scored his first professional goal in the Jackals' 4-1 win. The opening period provided the visiting team with three power-plays in the first 20 minutes, but the Jackals' penalty kill thwarted each Wheeling attack. Travis Fullerton got into an early groove and established a steady presence in the net. The Nailers' offensive thrust would eventually lead to a goal at 14:53 of the first frame. Jarrett Burton won a face-off in the Jackals' end and finished the play at the net on a rebound following Mike Ratchuk's point shot. Despite getting out-shot 24-11 in the opening stanza, Elmira endured the early push and countered at the end of the period. With seconds remaining in the first period, Steven Shamanski dropped the puck to Trevor Gerling, who released a quick shot on target. The puck squeezed through Eric Hartzell's legs and trickled to the goal-line, but wouldn't have crossed the line without a final push from Matt Harlow. Harlow's first pro marker proved to beat the buzzer and swing momentum to the Jackals' side heading into the first intermission. The Jackals carried the momentum into the second period and capitalized at 8:34 with Ryan Rashid's 15th goal of the season. Joe Houk fed MIke Seidel up the wall and as Seidel entered the offensive zone he sauced a pass over to Rashid for the bar-in bury. Rashid's eventual game-winner was the lone goal scored by either team in the middle frame. As the third period began, the Jackals were on the hunt to extend their lead and received the cushion from Thomas Nesbitt at 4:40 of the final frame. While the Jackals were shorthanded, Mike Bergin tipped the puck away from the Nailers' attack and started a three-on-one up the ice. Steven Shamanski and Thomas Nesbitt led the rush into the Nailers' end as Bergin followed the play from behind. The Jackals' trio moved the puck with precision as they neared the Nailers' net, until Nesbitt attempted a cross-crease pass to Shamanski, which deflected off of Derek Army's stick and past Hartzell. Lucas Bloodoff added another insurance goal at 16:45 of the third period as he received a pass from Nesbitt on a two-on-one rush and deposited a wrist shot past Hartzell. Nick Tuzzolino also assisted Bloodoff's 10th goal of the season. Travis Fullerton set a Jackals' record with 56 saves on 57 shots faced to earn his 20th win of the season.

4/3 at Fort Wayne Komets: L 1-4
The Elmira Jackals battled valiantly against the Fort Wayne Komets, but could not overcome the Komets' quick start and fell 4-1. With the Jackals' loss in regulation and the Orlando Solar Bears earning a point tonight, Elmira has been eliminated from playoff contention. The Komets opened the scoring at 3:15 of the first period with Eric Faille's 25th goal of the season. Faille's marker was assisted by Drew Daniels and Mike Embach. Each team fired seven shots on goal in the opening stanza, but Faille's tally was the lone goal in the period. In the second frame, the Komets capitalized 3:31 into the period and doubled their lead with James Martin's eighth goal of the season. Martin's marker was assisted by C.J. Severyn and Matt Krug. Just two minutes and one second later Shawn Szydlowski scored his team-leading 38th goal of the season to put Fort Wayne up 3-0. C.J. Severyn and James Martin earned the helpers on Szydlowski's goal. Through 40 minutes of action, there were just two minor penalties called and both of them were against the Komets. In the third period, the Jackals attempted to mount a comeback and generate offensive opportunities, but the Komets' captain, Kaleigh Schrock, capitalized on a rush down the left wing side and buried a backhand shot over Travis Fullerton's shoulder to increase Fort Wayne's lead to four at 6:09 of the third period. Brett Perlini added the assist on Schrock's fourth goal of the season. One minute later the Jackals got on the scoreboard with Taylor Stefishen's power-play goal. Ryan Rashid and Steven Shamanski assisted Stefishen's 16th goal of the season. Unfortunately, the hole was too deep for the Jackals to climb out of at the end of the night.

4/4 at Toledo Walleye: L 2-4

The Elmira Jackals out-shot the Toledo Walleye, but were stung by three first-period goals and fell 4-2 in their only visit to the Huntington Center. Mike Seidel scored his team-leading 22nd goal of the season and Mike Bergin notched his third goal of the season. The Walleye jumped out in front at 3:33 of the opening frame with Kyle Bonis' team-leading 35th goal of the season. Cody Lampl and Kyle Rogers added the assists on Bonis' first goal of the night. Then, at 6:38, Alden Hirschfeld circled from behind the net and buried a wrist shot past Sam Marotta for his 11th goal of the season. Hirschfeld's shorthanded marker was just the second shorthanded goal allowed by the Jackals this season. Mike Seidel got the Jackals on the board with his team-leading 22nd goal of the season at 11:47 of the period. Lucas Bloodoff earned the lone assist. However, the Walleye would reestablish their two-goal lead at 16:14 of the frame with Kyle Bonis' second goal of the night and 36th of the season. Richard Nedomlel and Shane Berschbach added the helpers on Bonis' tally. Following Bonis' goal, Sam Marotta was replaced in net by Travis Fullerton. The Jackals out-shot the Walleye 7-6 in the first period, but trailed 3-1 after 20 minutes. A.J. Jenks added to Toledo's total with his 11th goal of the season at 7:47 of the second period. Kyle Bonis and former Jackal Justin Daniels added the assists. The Jackals out-shot the Walleye 12-7 in the second period, but trailed 4-1 heading into the third frame. Mike Bergin gave the Jackals a spark at 4:03 of the third period with a blast from the blueline for his third goal of the season. Nick Tuzzolino and Taylor Stefishen earned the assists. However, the Jackals were unable to cut any further into the Walleye lead and fell 4-2.

4/5 at Indy Fuel: L 2-4
The Elmira Jackals ended their three-game road trip on Easter in Indy with a 4-2 loss at the hands of the Fuel. Nardo Nagtzaam recorded his first two professional goals in the defeat. The Fuel fired the opening salvo at 2:42 of the frame with a blast from Nicklas Lindberg on the power-play. Nick Bruneteau and Garett Bembridge added the assists on Lindberg's ninth goal of the season. Indy added to its lead at 17:29 of the period with a shorthanded marker from Anders Franzon, who banked the puck in off of Travis Fullerton from behind the goal-line. The Jackals answered just 27 seconds later to cut Indy's lead back down to one. Keith Buehler and Thomas Nesbitt cycled the puck down the wall and Nesbitt found Nardo Nagtzaam all alone in front. The Netherlands native buried the puck top-shelf for his first professional goal. The Jackals built on the momentum from Nagtzaam's marker and provided waves of pressure in the offensive zone. The second period appeared to be winding down without an equalizer until Nagtzaam poked a bouncing puck past the pad of Shane Owen with 9.9 seconds remaining. Nagtzaam's second pro goal and second of the game was assisted by Nick Tuzzolino and Mike Bergin. Elmira aimed to capture the go-ahead tally following Nagtzaam's late goal in the second period, but the Fuel would find the back of the net first. Jamie Wise won an offensive zone face-off back to Rhett Bly, who whistled a shot off of Fullerton and into the net for his 12th goal of the year at 4:59 of the third period. One minute and one second later, Peter Schneider stole the puck and raced down the right wing side, finishing with a snipe past Fullerton for his sixth point in seven pro games. Owen shut the door the rest of the way and earned his 15th win of the season.

Quick Hits:
* Nardo Nagtzaam recorded his first two professional goals on Sunday.

* Elmira is 22-0-2 when leading after two periods.

* Shamanski ranks third among all ECHL defensemen and leads all rookie blueliners with 14 goals.

* Elmira is the only team that has not lost in overtime. The Jackals are 5-0-0 in OT.

* Zach Tolkinen is the only Jackal to skate in all 70 games this season.

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