Elmira Jackals Game Day: Kalamazoo Wings

The Elmira Jackals, ECHL affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres and Rochester Americans, open their 2014-2015 season this weekend with a pair of home games against the Kalamazoo Wings.

The Wings are the ECHL affiliates of both the Vancouver Canucks and Columbus Blue Jackets, as well as their respective AHL teams in Utica and Springfield, and the Chicago Wolves of the AHL.

Since the Buffalo Sabres didn’t have a designated ECHL affiliate last season, many of their players were spread out among various ECHL clubs. With the affiliation with the Elmira Jackals becoming official in April 2014, the Sabres now have one designated spot to send all their ECHL prospects.

That being said, there’s a lot of turnover between last year’s Elmira Jackals roster and this year’s. Just five players on the Jackals’ opening-night roster skated for the team last season. There has also been a lot of turnover in the Kalamazoo organization, with seven players returning from last year.

Tonight’s game is the first of five meetings between the Elmira Jackals and Kalamazoo Wings this season.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: ELMIRA JACKALS

Elmira Jackals captain Matt Tassone would undoubtedly attract many eyes tonight in his first regular-season game leading the team — however, he will be out, as he was suspended two games for his actions in a preseason matchup with Reading. Last season, Tassone had 182 penalty minutes and 35 points in 62 games with the Las Vegas Wranglers. He was clearly a leader during training camp and has been honored with the C this season.

Fans may want to keep a close eye on left winger Lucas Bloodoff, who is entering his first pro season after spending the last few years with St. Mary’s University. The former Kelowna Rockets forward had 23 points in 27 games with St. Mary’s last season.

One more player to watch for the Elmira Jackals is forward Ryan Rashid. He played just six games with Elmira last season, spending most of the year with Niagara University up in Niagara Falls, NY. In those six games with the Jackals, he managed to notch two goals and two assists. What can he do in a full ECHL season?

Finally, keep watch on defenseman Nick Tuzzolino. The Buffalo native spent much of last season with the Rochester Americans but also briefly played with the Jackals, and he’ll undoubtedly look to make enough of an impression that he earns a call-up to the Amerks once again this season.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: KALAMAZOO WINGS

The first player to watch tonight for the Kalamazoo Wings is newly-named captain Jean Bourbeau.

The forward is a seven-year veteran and faces his old team tonight, as he spent the last three seasons as captain of the Elmira Jackals. Last season, he had 11 goals and 15 assists for 26 points in 58 games with Elmira.

Sam Ftorek and Eric Kattelus are two others to watch on Kalamazoo, both alternate captains for the Wings and both returning for another season with the ECHL club. Ftorek, a defenseman, had 13 goals and 34 assists for 47 points in 70 games last year with the Wings, while Kattelus had 35 points in 37 games.

The wild card player to watch tonight for the Wings will be forward Dane Fox, who is in his first pro season after completing a five-year OHL career. Last season, Fox led all OHL players with 64 goals in 67 games with the Erie Otters. He also had 43 assists for 107 total points in the regular season.

The 21-year-old was recently assigned to Kalamazoo from the AHL’s Utica Comets.

GAME INFORMATION

Tonight’s game is the first of the season for both teams, as Friday marks the opening night of the ECHL season, with seven games on tap league-wide.

After Friday’s meeting, the teams will face off once more in Elmira on Saturday at First Arena. The teams will then meet three more times this season, all in Kalamazoo.

Both the October 17 and 18 meetings begin with puck drop set for 7:05 p.m. Tickets are available here.

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