White-Hot Stefishen-Tassone-Irwin Line Powers Jackals Past Beast

ELMIRA, N.Y. - The line of Taylor Stefishen, Matt Tassone and Brayden Irwin powered the Jackals to victory last night with 12 combined points. Each of the three notched four points in the Jackals' 5-3 victory against the Brampton Beast.

The white-hot line for the Jackals got the team on the board just 3:23 into the opening stanza. Stefishen fed Irwin from below the goal-line and Irwin muscled his way to the net-front where he found Tassone for the captain's fourth goal of the season. Later in the first period, Irwin was the beneficiary of a net-front dish from Stefishen and potted his fourth of the season at 16:30. The Jackals peppered Brampton goaltender Trevor Cann, posting 22 shots in the first 20 minutes.

Paul McIlveen got the Jackals started at 9:19 of the second period with a rebound goal from the slot. Mike Seidel's wrap-around attempt bounced off of Cann and out to McIlveen, who recorded his second of the season. Seidel added an assist for the second straight night after making his Jackals debut on Friday and Allan McPherson also recorded an assist. Just a minute and seven seconds later Irwin found the scoresheet again after Stefishen fed him cross-ice for the one-timer to put Elmira up 4-0. Tassone also added an assist on Irwin's second of the night. Jason Pitton scored late in the second to get Brampton on the board. Josh McQuade and Cailin Wild recorded the assists.

Pitton struck again on the power-play in the third period to cut the Jackals lead to two. He redirected the shot from the point and swayed some momentum to the Brampton side. Matt Maione scored his first professional goal in his Brampton debut at 16:21 of the third to inch within one. However, it was the Tassone-Stefishen-Irwin unit who would snuff out the Beast's comeback effort with the empty-net tally. Tassone finished with two goals and two assists, Irwin ended with two goals and two assists and Stefishen recorded four assists in the Jackals 5-3 victory.

Sam Marotta stopped 29 of 32 shots faced for the win in his first professional start. Cann was pulled halfway through the second period, but stopped 32 of 36 shots faced and took the loss. Grant Rollheiser stopped all 12 shots he faced once entering the game in the second period.

Jackals Eye Weekend Sweep Against Brampton

ELMIRA, N.Y. - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and AHL's Rochester Americans, eye the weekend sweep against Brampton after defeating the Beast in overtime last night.

  

WHO: Elmira Jackals - Buffalo/NHL & Rochester/AHL (3-2-1) vs. Brampton Beast - Independent/NHL & Independent/AHL (0-2-1) 

 

WHAT: Jackals Home Game #5. Kids 12 years old and under who come in their Halloween costume get in for FREE tonight. November kicks off Kids Month and kids tickets are just $5 all month long!

WHEN: 7:05 p.m EDT

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

The Jackals face the Brampton Beast for the second of six meetings this season, and the second of three at First Arena. Last night the Jackals won the inaugural meeting between the two clubs in overtime courtesy of Brayden Irwin 1:13 into overtime. Matt Tassone got the Jackals on the board first with a shorthanded, individual effort late in the first period. Kevin Hart added Elmira's second tally in the second period with a blast from the point for his first professional goal. Dustin Ekelman cut the Jackals lead to one in the second period and former Jackal standout Tyler Donati tied the game in the third period. Brampton netminder Trevor Cann stopped 46 of 49 shots faced but couldn't stop Irwin's slap-shot in overtime, which propelled the Jackals to a 3-2 victory. Travis Fullerton stopped 20 of 22 shots faced for the victory. The Jackals improved to 3-2-1 on the season and 1-0-0 against Brampton.

This week the Jackals made multiple moves to their active roster. On Monday, Elmira released goaltender Tony Capobianco and signed netminder Sam Marotta. The team also signed forward Mike Seidel. Additionally, the Jackals loaned forward Brodie Reid to St. John's (AHL) and defenseman Matt MacKenzie was recalled to Rochester (AHL).

Brayden Irwin is on a six-game point streak (three goals, five assists) to start the season. He recorded two goals (one power-play goal) and three assists last weekend and added the game-winning-goal in overtime against Brampton last night.

Jackals Defeat The Beast In Overtime on Halloween

ELMIRA, N.Y. - Brayden Irwin scored 1:13 into overtime to give the Jackals a 3-2 win over the Brampton Beast and sent the home fans happy with a Halloween treat.

Tonight was the first ever meeting between these two clubs as the Jackals enter their eighth season in the ECHL and 15th season overall, while Brampton enters their first ECHL season and second in franchise history.

Jackals captain Matt Tassone got Elmira on the board first with a tenacious, individual effort while shorthanded 15:26 into the first period. Tassone pick-pocketed Brampton blueliner Elgin Reid at the top of Brampton's left circle and powered to the net on the backhand, switching to the forehand as Reid hacked his skates causing Tassone to fly through the air as he buried the puck top shelf over the shoulder of Brampton netminder Trevor Cann. The Jackals took a 1-0 lead into the dressing room and led the shot advantage 19-7 after the first 20 minutes.

Kevin Hart scored his first professional goal 5:39 into the second frame with a blast from the blueline that went bardown over Cann's left shoulder. Justin Kea and Mike Seidel added the assists on Hart's first tally. Seidel earned his first point as a Jackal in his team debut. Dustin Ekelman got Brampton on the board at 14:14 of the second stanza just as Mike MacIsaac exited the penalty box. Ekelman streamed down the left wing and cut to the slot depositing a backhand through Travis Fullerton's five-hole. Elmira took a 2-1 lead into the second intermission and held a 33-16 shot advantage.

Former Jackal standout Tyler Donati scored at 6:28 of the third period to even the score at 2-2. Chad Painchaud and Jason Dale earned the assists. The Jackals continued to press but Cann shut the door and sent the game to extra time. Irwin took a cross-ice saucer pass from Tassone and blasted a slap-shot past Cann for the game-winner just 1:13 into overtime.

Fullerton stopped 20 of 22 shots faced for the win and Cann stopped 46 of 49 shots faced but earned the overtime loss. The Jackals went 0-for-4 on the power-play while Brampton went 0-for-2 with the man advantage.

Game Preview: Elmira Jackals vs. Brampton Beast 10-31-14

ELMIRA, N.Y. - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and AHL's Rochester Americans, host the Brampton Beast for the first time ever tonight. Come enjoy the Halloween fun at First Arena as kids 12 years old and under in costume are FREE this weekend.

WHO: Elmira Jackals - Buffalo/NHL & Rochester/AHL (2-2-1) vs. Brampton Beast - Independent/NHL & Independent/AHL (0-2-0)

WHAT: Jackals Home Game #4. The Jackals return home to take on the Brampton Beast for their first all-time meeting. Kids 12 years old and under who come in costume are FREE this weekend. There will be a costume parade during the first information and pumpkin curling during the second intermission.

WHEN: 7:05 p.m EDT

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

 The Jackals return home looking to continue their winning ways against the Brampton Beast after defeating the Reading Royals 3-1 on Sunday. Friday will mark the first ever meeting between the Elmira Jackals and the Brampton Beast. Brampton is in its second year of existence and first season in the ECHL. The Jackals just completed their first three-in-three weekend of the season, earning three of a possible six points against the rival Royals. Brayden Irwin led the charge with five points over the weekend, bringing his season total to seven points (two goals, five assists) in five games. Rookies Allan McPherson and Taylor Stefishen have also provided an offensive spark for Elmira in the early going. McPherson leads all ECHL rookies with four goals and Stefishen is tied for second in the league with two power-play goals and is tied for the league-lead among rookies in power-play tallies.

This week the Jackals made multiple moves to their active roster. On Monday, Elmira released goaltender Tony Capobianco and signed netminder Sam Marotta. The team also signed forward Mike Seidel. Additionally, the Jackals loaned forward Brodie Reid to St. John's (AHL) and defenseman Matt MacKenzie was recalled to Rochester (AHL).
Elmira has been a tough team to play against this season, which can result in a rash of penalty minutes. The Jackals are tied for third in the ECHL in penalty minutes with 130. Elmira has collected 35 minor penalties, six majors, two ten-minute misconducts and one game misconduct this year. 

Jackals Invite Kids In Costume To Come Free This Weekend

ELMIRA, N.Y. - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and AHL's Rochester Americans, would like to invite all children who are 12 years old and under to attend both Jackals games for FREE this weekend after trick-or-treating.

The Jackals are kicking off the November Kids Month tomorrow night with the Halloween celebration and FREE tickets for children 12 years old and under in costume. Courtesy of a corporate sponsor, all kids tickets throughout the month of November will be $5.

During the first intermission of tomorrow night's Halloween game, there will be a costume parade on the ice and candy will be distributed to participating children. Also, during the second intermission, fans will have the opportunity to participate in pumpkin curling. The person who curls the closest pumpkin rock to the goal line will win a prize.

Additionally, corporate sponsors have provided $5 tickets for ALL fans in our Community Section, 109. There will be a limited number of seats available in section 109 for each game, so fans are encouraged to get their $5 tickets ahead of time.

Jackals Sign Forward Mike Seidel

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 forward Mike Seidel to a standard player contract.

Seidel, 26, split last year in the ECHL with Evansville and Gwinnett. The 5-foot-11 180-pound forward recorded 31 points (12 goals, 19 assists) in 67 combined games between the Icemen and Gladiators in his first professional season. Prior to turning pro, the Chicago, Illinois native spent four seasons at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. Seidel notched 88 points (47 goals, 41 assists) in 150 NCAA games and won the 2010-11 NCAA championship with the Bulldogs. He played three seasons in the United Stated Hockey League with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders and posted 163 points (60 goals, 103 assists) in 173 USHL games.

Jackals Weekly Release 10/27-11/2

ELMIRA, N.Y. - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and AHL's Rochester Americans, finished their second weekend of the season going 1-1-1 in their three-in-three set against the East Division rival Reading Royals.

Last Week's Record: 1-1-1
Overall Record: 2-2-1; third place in East Division, fifth place in Eastern Conference

Leaders:
Goals: Allan McPherson (4)
Assists: Brayden Irwin (5)
Points: Brayden Irwin (7)
+/-: Patch Alber (+2)
PIMs: Andrew Conboy (21)
PPG: Taylor Stefishen (2)
SHG: None
Wins: Travis Fullerton (2)
GAA: Travis Fullerton (3.32)
SVP: Travis Fullerton (.880)

Previewing the Upcoming Week:

10/31 vs. Brampton Beast - 7:05 p.m.; 11/1 vs. Brampton Beast - 7:05 p.m.
Home vs. BRM 0-0-0, Away vs. BRM 0-0-0
The Jackals return home looking to continue their winning ways against the Brampton Beast after defeating the Reading Royals 3-1 on Sunday. Friday will mark the first ever meeting between the Elmira Jackals and the Brampton Beast. Brampton is in its second year of existence and first season in the ECHL. The Jackals just completed their first three-in-three weekend of the season, earning three of a possible six points against the rival Royals. Brayden Irwin led the charge with five points over the weekend, bringing his season total to seven points (two goals, five assists) in five games. Rookies Allan McPherson and Taylor Stefishen have also provided an offensive spark for Elmira in the early going. McPherson leads all ECHL rookies with four goals and Stefishen is tied for second in the league with two power-play goals and is tied for the league-lead among rookies in power-play tallies.

Recapping Last Week:
10/24 vs. Reading: SOL 5-6

These two East Division rivals opened the season series with a wild one on Friday night at First Arena. The Jackals jumped out to a 2-0 lead after the first period, courtesy of rookie Allan McPherson's third goal in as many games and Justin Kea's first goal as a pro. The momentum shifted to Reading's side with a three-goal second period and five unanswered less than four minutes into the third period. Elmira showed its resiliency and battled back, scoring three goals in the final 10 minutes, including a penalty shot goal by Brayden Irwin with 53 seconds left to send the game to overtime. Despite the valiant effort, the Jackals fell in the shootout to Reading 6-5.

10/25 at Reading: L 1-5
The loveless rivalry continued on Saturday in Reading with more fights than goals in the first period. Taylor Stefishen and Adam Comrie dropped the mitts and Matt MacKenzie followed a minute later with Brett Flemming. Olivier Labelle gave the Royals a 1-0 lead at the intermission. For the second straight night the Jackals allowed three goals in the second period to Reading, giving the home team a 4-0 lead after two periods. Lucas Bloodoff dropped the gloves with Derek Mathers late in the second in an attempt to reignite the Jackals' flame for a third period comeback. Brayden Irwin got the Jackals on the board with a power-play blast but Reading quickly answered with a power-play goal of its own, snuffing out the Jackals comeback bid.

10/26 at Reading: W 3-1
The Jackals came out flying from the drop of the puck and capitalized on their first scoring chance just 34 seconds into the game. Matt Tassone found the loose change in the slot and buried the puck past Royals netminder Martin Ouellette for his first of the season. Lucas Bloodoff and Bryant Molle dropped the mitts on the ensuing faceoff continuing the tough play in this nasty rivalry. Seven minutes later Allan McPherson snapped a bouncing puck past Ouellette from the slot doubling the Jackals lead. Reading was able to cut the Jackals lead to one in the third period with a Mike Marcou power-play goal, but that would be as close as the Royals would get. Tassone scored the empty-net goal for his second of the night to seal the Jackals victory. Travis Fullerton stopped 34 of 35 shots faced for his second win of the season.

Quick Hits:
* Brayden Irwin is on a five-game point streak (two goals, five assists) to start the season. He recorded two goals (one power-play goal) and three assists this weekend. Irwin is tied for the league-lead with 4 power-play points.

* Allan McPherson leads all rookies with 4 goals.

* Taylor Stefishen is tied for second in the league with two power-play goals and is tied for the league-lead among rookies in power-play tallies.

* Elmira is tied for third in the ECHL on the power-play at 31.8% (7-for-22) and is second in the league at home on the power-play at 35.7% (5-for-14).

Jackals Make Roster Moves on Monday

 ELMIRA, N.Y. - 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 from Elmira to Rochester and forward Brodie Reid has been loaned to the St. John's IceCaps. Additionally, the Jackals announced today that they have signed goaltender Sam Marotta and have released goaltender Tony Capobianco.

MacKenzie, 23, recorded 11 penalty minutes in three games with the Jackals. He has also recorded one assist in two games with Rochester this season. The Burnaby, 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 19 points (two goals, 17 assists) and 168 penalty minutes in 116 career AHL games with Rochester. He was selected by the Buffalo Sabres in the third round (83rd overall) of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

Reid, 25, has notched four points (one goal, three assists) in five games with the Jackals this season. The Delta, British Columbia native spent the last three seasons with the Worcester Sharks, the AHL affiliate of the NHL's San Jose Sharks. The 6-foot-1 195-pound forward posted double-digit goals in each of his three seasons with the Sharks and totaled 71 points (31 goals, 40 assists) in 155 AHL games.

Marotta, 23, joins the Jackals after starting the season with the Fayetteville FireAntz of the Southern Professional Hockey League. He appeared in one game with the FireAntz after participating in the Reading Royals' training camp. Marotta stopped all 13 shots he faced in 20 minutes of work against the Jackals on October 11 in the team's second preseason game. The Bridgewater, Massachusetts native competed for four seasons at Merrimack College before entering the professional ranks.

Capobianco, 24, appeared in two games this season and posted a 0-0-0 record with a 5.20 goals-against-average and a .838 save percentage. He joined Elmira following the conclusion of his collegiate career at Canisius College and posted an 0-1-0 record with a 4.34 goals-against-average and an .844 save percentage in two games. Capobianco also played in three games for the Adirondack Phantoms of the American Hockey League last season and recorded a 1-2-0 record with a 2.88 goals-against-average and a .906 save percentage.

Jackals Upend Royals In Weekend Finale, 3-1

 READING, P.A. - The Elmira Jackals finished their first three-in-three weekend of the season with a 3-1 road victory at Santander Arena against the Reading Royals.

The Jackals came out flying from the drop of the puck and capitalized on their first scoring chance just 34 seconds into the game. Elmira controlled the puck off of the opening faceoff and quickly set up in the offensive zone. Brayden Irwin moved the puck from the wall to Zach Tolkinen at the point, who released a shot towards the net and Matt Tassone found the loose change in the slot. The Jackals captain buried the puck past Royals netminder Martin Ouellette for his first of the season. Lucas Bloodoff and Bryant Molle dropped the mitts on the ensuing faceoff continuing the tough play in this nasty rivalry. Seven minutes later Allan McPherson snapped a bouncing puck past Ouellette from the slot doubling the Jackals lead. Ryan Rashid and Irwin registered the assists on McPherson's fourth of the season. Travis Fullerton didn't face a shot until almost halfway through the first period. He turned aside all nine shots he faced in the opening 20 minutes.

After giving up three goals in the second period in each of the last three games the Jackals played lock-down defensively and stifled the Royals attack in the middle frame. Fullerton shut the door and stopped each of the 14 shots he faced in the second period and led the Jackals into the second intermission up 2-0.

Reading was able to cut the Jackals lead to one 12:20 into the third period when Mike Marcou blasted a slap shot past Fullerton on the power-play. Elmira rallied defensively and shut down the Royals comeback in the final 7:40. Consecutive Reading penalties put the Jackals on a five-on-three power-play in the final minute of regulation, ending the Royals chance of tying the game. In a desperate effort Reading pulled Ouellette, but Tassone was gifted a pass from Irwin and Taylor Stefishen and tapped in the empty netter for his second of the night.

Fullerton stopped 34 of 35 shots faced for the win and Ouellette stopped 27 of 29 shots faced but shouldered the loss. The Jackals finished 1-for-5 on the power-play and 7-for-8 on the penalty kill.

Game Preview: Elmira Jackals at Reading Royals 10-26-14

READING, P.A. - Today the Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and AHL's Rochester Americans, take on the Reading Royals in the third of 15 meetings this season and the second of eight at Santander Arena.  

WHO: Elmira Jackals - Buffalo/NHL & Rochester/AHL (1-2-1) vs. Reading Royals - Philadelphia/NHL & Lehigh Valley/AHL (2-1-0) 

 

WHAT: Jackals Away Game #2. The Jackals look to rebound from a 5-1 loss in Reading's home opener last night.

WHEN: 5:05 p.m EDT

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

The Jackals face the Royals tonight for the third of 15 meetings, and second of eight at Santander Arena. There is no love lost between these two East Division rivals. Last night there were more fights than goals in the first period. Taylor Stefishen and Adam Comrie dropped the mitts and Matt MacKenzie followed a minute later with Brett Flemming. Olivier Labelle gave the Royals a 1-0 lead at the intermission. For the second straight night the Jackals allowed three goals in the second period to Reading, giving the home team a 4-0 lead after two periods. Lucas Bloodoff dropped the gloves with Derek Mathers late in the second in an attempt to reignite the Jackals' flame for a third period comeback. Brayden Irwin got the Jackals on the board with a power-play blast but Reading quickly answered with a power-play goal of its own, snuffing out the Jackals comeback bid.

Ten different Jackals have lit the lamp in the team's first three games. Rookie forward Allan McPherson leads the Jackals with three goals in as many games, which ties him for the league-lead among rookies. Fellow rookie Taylor Stefishen is tied for second in the league with two power-play tallies. Fourteen Jackals have recorded at least one point this season.

The Jackals have one of the least-experienced teams in the ECHL, but that hasn't stopped their rookies from getting into the mix. Six rookies have scored for Elmira this season and eight rookies have recorded at least one point. Eleven first-year players have appeared for the Jackals this year.

Jackals Unable To Spoil Royals Home Opener

READING, P.A. - The Elmira Jackals were unable to spoil the Reading Royals' home opener and fell 5-1 at Santander Arena.

Elmira hit the road for the first time this season, following last night's wild affair at First Arena against the Royals. The Jackals rolled into Reading with revenge on their mind after dropping last night's game 6-5 in a shootout. The game started with a continuation of the rough stuff from the night before. Taylor Stefishen took a cross-check after the whistle just 4:21 into the game and dropped the gloves with Adam Comrie in retaliation. One minute and one second later Matt MacKenzie dropped the mitts with Brett Flemming in front of the Jackals' bench. However, it was the Royals who got on the scoreboard first when Olivier Labelle buried his first of the season at 16:50 of the first period. The shots were even 11-11 at the end of the first 20 minutes.

Cam Reid opened the scoring in the second period with an unassisted tally at 4:18. Nick Tuzzolino was taken down at the blueline, which opened the door for Reid to snap a quick shot from the high slot and beat Travis Fullerton glove side. Brock Higgs added to the Royals' lead four minutes and 20 seconds later with his first of the year, assisted by Ian Watters and Derek Mathers. Pat Mullane netted Reading's fourth goal just 2:15 later when he took a long stretch pass from Labelle and out-waited Fullerton on a 2-on-1. Lucas Bloodoff tried to reignite the Jackals by dropping the gloves with Mathers at 17:21 of the second period.

Brayden Irwin got the Jackals on the board just 2:35 into the third period and created a shift of momentum with his power-play tally. Irwin took a beautiful touch pass from Patch Alber, who received the puck at the blueline from Steven Shamanski, and blasted a slap shot past Connor Knapp from the left dot. However, the comeback would be snuffed out with a Zach Davies power-play goal 2:14 later. The Jackals generated some offensive opportunities after the Davies' goal but the clock was Elmira's worst enemy in the final 20 minutes.

Fullerton finished with 22 saves on 27 shots faced and shouldered the loss. Knapp stopped 29 of 30 shots faced and earned the win.

Game Preview: Elmira Jackals at Reading Royals 10-25-14

READING, P.A. - Today the Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and AHL's Rochester Americans, take on the Reading Royals in the second of 15 meetings this season. This is the first road game of the season for the Jackals.

  

WHO: Elmira Jackals - Buffalo/NHL & Rochester/AHL (1-1-1) vs. Reading Royals - Philadelphia/NHL & Lehigh Valley/AHL (1-1-0) 

 

WHAT: Jackals Away Game #1. The Jackals look to rebound from a wild shootout loss last night at home and spoil the Opening Night for the Royals at Santander Arena.

WHEN: 7:05 p.m EDT

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

The Jackals face the Royals tonight for the second of 15 meetings, and first of eight at Santander Arena. These two East Division rivals opened the season series with a wild one last night at First Arena. The Jackals jumped out to a 2-0 lead after the first period, courtesy of rookie Allan McPherson's third goal in as many games and Justin Kea's first goal as a pro. The momentum shifted to Reading's side with a three-goal second period and five unanswered less than four minutes into the third period. Elmira showed its resiliency and battled back, scoring three goals in the final 10 minutes, including a penalty shot goal by Brayden Irwin with 53 seconds left to send the game to overtime. Despite the valiant effort, the Jackals fell in the shootout to Reading 6-5. Tonight is the first road game of the season for the Jackals.

Ten different Jackals have lit the lamp in the team's first three games. Rookie forward Allan McPherson leads the Jackals with three goals in as many games, which ties him for the league-lead among rookies. Fellow rookie Taylor Stefishen is tied for second in the league with two power-play tallies. Fourteen Jackals have recorded at least one point this season.

The Jackals boast one of the least-experienced teams in the ECHL, but that hasn't stopped their rookies from getting into the mix. Six rookies have scored for Elmira this season and eight rookies have recorded at least one point. Eleven first-year players have appeared for the Jackals this year.

Jackals Mount Comeback But Fall In Shootout to Reading

ELMIRA, N.Y. - The Elmira Jackals battled back from three goals down in the third period, but fell in a shootout to the Reading Royals, 6-5.

Allan McPherson got the Jackals on the board first with his third goal in as many games at the 6:09 mark of the first period. Brodie Reid and Zach Tolkinen added the assists on McPherson's third of the season. Justin Kea potted his first professional goal with 16 seconds left in the opening frame, giving the Jackals a 2-0 lead heading into the first intermission.

The Jackals carried their 2-0 lead into the second period, but relinquished three goals in the final eight minutes of the middle frame and trailed 3-2 at the intermission. Pat Mullane got the Royals on the board with his second of the year at 12:13 of the second period, assisted by Brock Higgs and Justin Daniels. Reading didn't wait long to even the score and Sean Wiles buried his first of the year at 15:21 of the period, assisted by Colby Cohen and Adam Hughesman. The Royals seized the momentum and added another goal with 38 seconds left in the second when Brett Flemming recorded his second of the year, assisted by Zach Davies and Ian Watters. The chippy play picked up throughout the middle frame and escalated in the final seconds when a post-whistle scrum ensued and resulted in 17 penalty minutes, including a game misconduct, to Jackals forward Andrew Conboy.

The Royals took the lead into the intermission and added to it 3:18 into the third period when Brett Flemming blasted a one-timer past Tony Capobianco on the power-play. Hughesman passed the puck from the wall to Mike Marcou at the point who fed Flemming for his second of the night. Reading added to its lead 16 seconds later, on the power-play, when Adam Hughesman one-timed a pass from former Jackal Maxim Lamarche past Capobianco. Sean Wiles also added an assist on Hughesman's first goal of the season and third point of the night. Following the Royals' fifth unanswered goal, Capobianco was pulled and Travis Fullerton entered the game. Taylor Stefishen got the Jackals back into the game with his second of the year at 10:58 of the third period, making a nifty move along the goal line following a pass from Patch Alber with the man advantage. The Jackals continued the climb back into the game less than two minutes later when rookie Lucas Bloodoff jammed home a rebound on the power-play for his first professional goal. Brodie Reid and Brayden Irwin added the assists on Bloodoff's tally. Irwin tied the game with a penalty shot goal at 19:07 of the third period after the Royals were whistled for covering the puck in the crease.

Neither team was able to capitalize during the four-on-four overtime period, so they headed to a shootout. Reid was the long Jackals scorer during the skills competition and Ryan Cruthers and Pat Mullane scored for the Royals. Reading goaltender Martin Ouellette stopped Stefishen to snuff out the Jackals comeback bid.

Capobianco stopped 21 of 26 shots faced and Fullerton stopped all seven shots he faced in the third period and overtime, but was handed the shootout loss. Ouellette stopped 27 of 32 shots faced for the win. The Jackals went 2-for-5 on the power-play and 7-for-9 on the penalty kill.

Matt MacKenzie Reassigned 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 defenseman Matt MacKenzie has been reassigned to Elmira from Rochester. Additionally, the team announced that they have traded forward Nick McParland to the Rapid City Rush.

MacKenzie, 23, has recorded one assist in two games with Rochester this season. The Burnaby, 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 19 points (two goals, 17 assists) and 168 penalty minutes in 116 career AHL games with Rochester. The 6-foot-1 190-pound blueliner also appeared in seven career ECHL games with the Gwinnett Gladiators and the Greenville Road Warriors. MacKenzie posted his first career ECHL goal on November 23, 2012 against the Reading Royals. He was selected by the Buffalo Sabres in the third round (83rd overall) of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

McParland, 27, did not appear in any regular season contests for the Jackals, but did record an assist in one preseason appearance. The Schreiber, Ontario native posted 23 points (seven goals, 16 assists) in 51 games last season with the Wichita Thunder of the Central Hockey League. He also played in eight ECHL games with the Orlando Solar Bears at the conclusion of his collegiate career and posted four points. McParland skated in 142 NCAA games at Lake Superior State University, posting 66 points (29 goals, 37 assists) and 92 penalty minutes.

All Elmira Jackals broadcasts are carried on WNGZ 104.9 FM and 93.5 FM in Elmira. Fans can also access live streaming of the broadcast online on their computer, smartphone, or tablet at www.jackalshockey.com. 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.

Game Preview: Elmira Jackals vs. Reading Royals 10-24-14

ELMIRA, N.Y. - Today the Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and AHL's Rochester Americans, take on the Reading Royals in the first of 15 meetings this season. This is also Game 1 of the DeMet's Turtle Cup between these two East Division rivals.

  

WHO: Elmira Jackals - Buffalo/NHL & Rochester/AHL (1-1-0) vs. Reading Royals - Philadelphia/NHL & Lehigh Valley/AHL (0-1-0) 

  

WHAT: Jackals Home Game #3. The Jackals look to exact revenge after struggling against the Reading Royals last season. Elmira does hold a one-game advantage in the all-time ECHL series between the two teams with a 44-43-10 record.

WHEN: 7:05 p.m EDT

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

The Jackals open their 15-game season series against the East Division rival Reading Royals tonight at First Arena. Last season the Jackals struggled against Reading, going 2-13-1 versus the Royals. In the all-time series, Elmira holds the advantage with a 44-43-10 record. This season is a year of new beginnings between these two rivals. In the off-season Elmira switched its affiliation from the NHL's Ottawa Senators and New Jersey Devils to the Buffalo Sabres. Meanwhile, Reading made a change as well, affiliating with the NHL's Philadelphia Flyers. New beginnings bring fresh change as the Jackals roster a young, talented group of players led by new bench boss Jamie Russell. Additionally, this will be the first year of the DeMet's Turtle Cup, which will be awarded to the winner of the season series.

Seven different Jackals have lit the lamp in the team's opening two games. Rookie forward Allan McPherson is the only Jackal to score twice this season, which ties him for the league-lead among rookies. Thirteen Jackals have recorded at least one point this season, seven of which are rookies.

Jackals captain Matt Tassone returns to the lineup tonight after serving a two-game suspension following an incident that occurred on October 11th in the Jackals' preseason finale at Santander Arena against the Royals. The Jackals captain is a familiar face for the Elmira faithful, having played part of the 2012-13 season in the Twin Tiers region.   

Jackals Weekly Release 10/20-10/26

ELMIRA, N.Y. - The Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and AHL's Rochester Americans, finished their first weekend of the season with a 1-1-0 record. The Jackals hosted the Kalamazoo Wings in both games, which will be the only two these teams play at First Arena this season.

Last Week's Record: 1-1-0
Overall Record: 1-1-0; third place in East Division, seventh place in Eastern Conference

Leaders:
Goals: Allan McPherson (2)
Assists: Taylor Stefishen & Brayden Irwin (2)
Points: Taylor Stefishen (3)
+/-: Taylor Stefishen, Paul McIlveen & Patch Alber (+1)
PIMs: Todd Orlando (16)
PPG: Taylor Stefishen, Allan McPherson & Steven Shamanski (1)
SHG: None
Wins: Travis Fullerton (1)
GAA: Tony Capobianco (2.33)
SVP: Tony Capobianco (.909)


Previewing the Upcoming Week:

10/24 vs. Reading - 7:05 p.m., 10/25 vs. Reading - 7:05 p.m., 10/26 vs. Reading - 5:05 p.m.
Home vs. REA 0-0-0, Away vs. REA 0-0-0

This Friday the Jackals open their 15-game season series against the East Division rival Reading Royals. Last season the Jackals struggled against Reading, going 2-13-1 versus the Royals. In the all-time series, Elmira holds the advantage with a 44-43-10 record. This season is a year of new beginnings between these two rivals. In the off-season Elmira switched its affiliation from the NHL's Ottawa Senators and New Jersey Devils to the Buffalo Sabres. Meanwhile, Reading made a change as well, affiliating with the NHL's Philadelphia Flyers. New beginnings bring fresh change as the Jackals roster a young, talented group of players led by new bench boss Jamie Russell. Additionally, this will be the first year of the DeMet's Turtle Cup, which will be awarded to the winner of the season series.

Recapping Last Week:
10/17 vs. Kalamazoo: W 6-2

The Jackals dressed ten rookies and were led by new bench boss Jamie Russell, who was making his professional head coaching debut. Six of the rookies earned at least one point and four first-year players scored their first professional goal in the Jackals' 6-2 victory on Opening Night. Rookie forward Taylor Stefishen recorded a power-play goal, which turned out to be the game-winner, and also added an assist. Travis Fullerton stopped 24 of 26 shots faced for the win in his team debut. Elmira went 2-for-5 on the power-play and 5-for-5 on the penalty kill.

10/18 vs. Kalamazoo: L 2-6
The Jackals jumped out to an early lead courtesy of rookie forward Allan McPherson's second goal in as many nights. However, they were unable to maintain the fast start and faltered in the first two periods, allowing three goals in each frame. Travis Fullerton started for the second straight night but was pulled in the second period after allowing five goals on 13 shots. Tony Capobianco, who appeared in two games with the Jackals last season, relieved Fullerton and stopped ten of 11 shots faced. Paul McIlveen scored the Jackals' second goal.

Quick Hits:
* The Jackals are now 7-1-0 in season openers in the team's ECHL history after defeating Kalamazoo 6-2 on Friday night.

* Elmira rookies stole the show on Opening Night as ten of them dressed and six of them recorded at least one point. Four of them (Thomas Nesbitt, Steven Shamanski, Taylor Stefishen and Allan McPherson) scored their first professional goal to propel the Jackals to a 6-2 victory.

* Eleven Jackals earned at least one point in the 6-2 win on Opening Night. Thomas Nesbitt, Steven Shamanski, Andrew Conboy and Taylor Stefishen each recorded multi-point efforts in the victory.

All Elmira Jackals broadcasts are carried on WNGZ 104.9 FM and 93.5 FM in Elmira. Fans can also access live streaming of the broadcast online on their computer, smartphone, or tablet at www.jackalshockey.com. 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.

Jackals Fall To Kalamazoo, 6-2

ELMIRA, N.Y. - One night after defeating the Kalamazoo Wings 6-2, the Elmira Jackals fell at First Arena by the same score. This match-up marked the final time these two teams will meet in Elmira this season.

Rookie forward Allan McPherson got the Jackals on the board early with a backdoor goal on the man advantage less than three minutes into the game. Brodie Reid picked up a blocked Nick Tuzzolino shot along the boards and weaved his way to the slot where McPherson was sitting alone waiting for the loose puck. That was McPherson's second goal in as many nights after he scored the Jackals' empty net goal last night. Kalamazoo forward Ludwig Blomstrand answered just over a minute later with a laser from the top of the circle. Blomstrand added his second of the night just after the halfway marker of the opening period. Alex Mallet netted his first of the year to give the Wings a 3-1 lead at the first intermission.

The second period provided the same story line as the first frame. Paul McIlveen buried his first of the season less than two minutes into the second period to cut the deficit to one. Brayden Irwin and Taylor Stefishen were awarded the assists on McIlveen's tally. However, that was as close as the Jackals would get throughout the night. Sacha Guimond, Dane Fox and Nathan Longpre each scored in the middle frame to extend Kalamazoo's lead to 6-2. Guimond's power-play goal came from the point as Ryan Rashid sat in the penalty box for poking Wings' goaltender Scott Munroe after the whistle. Dane Fox scored for the second straight night to extend the Wings' lead to three. Fox's tally also chased Jackals' starter Travis Fullerton from the net. Backup goalie Tony Capobianco entered the game in a tough situation and was immediately tested by Nathan Longpre. A defensive zone turnover by Elmira gave Longpre a breakaway from the top of the circle and he was able to score on the first shot that Capobianco faced.

The third period did not provide any scoring, but the chippy play and physicality picked up in the final 20 minutes. Elmira recorded 16 penalty minutes in the third period alone, including a 10-minute misconduct to Todd Orlando late in the game. Jackals starter Travis Fullerton allowed five goals in two-plus periods and Capobianco allowed just the one goal to Longpre. Fullerton was handed the loss and Kalamazoo netminder Scott Munroe earned the win.

Game Preview: Elmira Jackals vs. Kalamazoo Wings 10-18-14

ELMIRA, N.Y. - Today the Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and AHL's Rochester Americans, take on the Kalamazoo Wings for the final time at First Arena in the 2014-2015 season.

 
WHO: Elmira Jackals - Buffalo/NHL & Rochester/AHL (1-0-0) vs. Kalamazoo Wings - Vancouver and Columbus/NHL & Utica and Springfield and Chicago/AHL (0-1-0)
 
WHAT: Jackals Home Game #2. The Jackals look to finish their first weekend with a sweep against the Kalamazoo Wings. Last night Elmira defeated the Wings 6-2 in front of 3264 energizes Jackals fans.

WHEN: 7:05 p.m EDT

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

The Jackals are facing the Wings tonight for the second of four meetings this season and the second of two at First Arena. Elmira is 1-0-0 against the Wings this season and 9-11-7 against Kalamazoo in their all-time ECHL series. The Jackals dressed ten rookies last night with their new-look lineup and six of them earned at least one point. The jitters showed early with three first period penalties, but the goaltending of Travis Fullerton made the early difference. Fullerton stopped 24 of 26 shots for the win in his team debut. Eleven different Jackals got on the scoresheet and four rookies (Thomas Nesbitt, Steven Shamanski, Taylor Stefishen and Allan McPherson) scored their first professional goal. 

Jamie Russell took over as the eleventh head coach in Elmira Jackals history and earned his first professional head coaching victory in his debut last night. Russell ranked second in Michigan Tech history for career wins after he spent eight seasons as the head coach at Michigan Tech, posting a 70-197-37 record. He is also familiar with the Twin Tiers region after he spent three seasons as an assistant coach at Cornell University. Russell also played in Binghamton with the Whalers during the 1989-1990 season.

Jackals Clip Wings In Season Opener, 6-2

ELMIRA, N.Y. - Six different players scored for the Elmira Jackals tonight in their 6-2 victory over the Kalamazoo Wings in the team's season opener. Elmira scored five unanswered goals to seal a definitive win against the Wings.

Despite the final outcome, it was Kalamazoo that got on the scoreboard first just 2:46 into the game. Dane Fox found a soft spot in the Jackals' defense and blasted home a one-timer top shelf over the glove of Jackals goaltender Travis Fullerton. Nathan Longpre and Kane Lafranchise were credited with the assists. Andrew Conboy evened the score at 12:22 of the opening frame by using his big 6-foot-4 200-pound frame to muscle his way to the front of the net and bang home the loose puck. Paul McIlveen and Patch Alber earned the assists on Conboy's tally. Fullerton was stellar in the first period, stopping 15 of 16 saves, including a barrage of pucks during Kalamazoo's three first period power-plays. The Jackals mustered ten shots on goal in the first but Wings' goalie Joel Martin stifled the Elmira attack.

The second period provided the same result on the scoreboard, with each team scoring once during the middle frame. However, it was Elmira which controlled the play and recorded 18 shots on goal to Kalamazoo's six in the second period. Despite facing only six shots, Fullerton did allow one Wings' goal 4:03 into the second. Ludwig Blomstrand was the beneficiary of an offensive zone feed from Dane Fox following a neutral zone turnover by Spencer McAvoy. Curtis Valk also assisted Blomstrand's goal. The turning point in the game came during a 5-on-3 power-play for the Jackals when a blueline turnover gave Kalamazoo a breakaway opportunity and a chance to double its lead. Fullerton stood tall and made a strong save, which would quickly lead to Steven Shamanski scoring on the power-play at 10:08 in the second period.

The Jackals would build on their momentum in the third period and once they earned their first lead, they would not look back. Rookie forward Taylor Stefishen potted his first goal on the power-play at 5:01 of the third period when Steven Shamanski passed the puck into the slot towards Stefishen and Conboy, who also earned an assist. Thomas Nesbitt doubled the Jackals lead at 11:12 of the final frame with his first goal after Justin Kea drove hard to the net with a strong power move. Lucas Bloodoff also added an assist on Nesbitt's tally. Allan McPherson sealed the deal with an empty net goal and put the Jackals ahead 5-2 at 18:46 of the third period. The Jackals added salt in the wound with another goal at 19:19 of the third when Brodie Reid tapped home a backdoor feed from Stefishen and Ryan Rashid.

The Jackals finished the night 2-for-5 on the power-play and 5-for-5 on the penalty kill. Travis Fullerton stopped 24 of 26 shots faced en route to the victory and Joel Martin stopped 28 of 33 shots faced but suffered the loss.

Game Preview: Elmira Jackals vs. Kalamazoo Wings 10-17-14

 ELMIRA, N.Y. - Today the Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and AHL's Rochester Americans, open their eighth ECHL season at home against the Kalamazoo Wings.

  

WHO: Elmira Jackals - Buffalo/NHL & Rochester/AHL (0-0-0) vs. Kalamazoo Wings - Vancouver and Columbus/NHL & Utica and Springfield and Chicago/AHL (0-0-0) 

  

WHAT: Jackals Home Game #1. Come party with the characters from the movie Frozen at First Arena and enjoy the pre-game block party beginning at 4:00 p.m!

WHEN: 7:05 p.m EDT

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

The Jackals are facing the Wings tonight for the first of four meetings this season and the first of two at First Arena. Elmira is 8-11-7 against Kalamazoo in their all-time series. The Jackals take the ice tonight with a new head coach and a relatively new team. Jamie Russell takes over as the eleventh head coach in Elmira Jackals history and will make his professional hockey head coaching debut tonight against the Wings. Second-year defenseman Patch Alber returns to Elmira after skating in 65 games as a rookie a year ago. Nick Tuzzolino, Ryan Rashid and Tony Capobianco played briefly with the Jackals last season. Forwards Matt Tassone and Paul McIlveen also have a history in Elmira playing for the Jackals.

Matt Tassone, who played for the Jackals during the 2012-2013 season season, returns to lead a group of young, talented players. This week the St. Albert, Alberta native was named captain of the Jackals after exhibiting tremendous leadership throughout the team's training camp. Veteran defenseman Nick Tuzzolino and forward Andrew Conboy have been named the Jackals' alternate captains.