Elmira Jackals Split Opening Weekend
The Elmira Jackals began the 2014-2015 season with a bang defeating the Kalamazoo Wings by a score of 6-2 on Friday at First Arena. The teams then came together the following night when the roles reversed, with Kalamazoo coming out on top 6-2.
With that, the Jackals now sit third in the East Division with two points on the season, having both scored and allowed eight goals. Currently, the Ontario Reign sit atop the ECHL standings with a 3-0-0-0 record and six points. The Reign have scored 11 goals and allowed just two.
After the opening weekend, rookie Taylor Stefishen leads the Elmira Jackals with three points (2-1). Multiple players had a pair of points over the weekend, including Allan McPherson, Thomas Nesbitt and Steven Shamanski, to name a few.
Friday’s game saw the Kalamazoo Wings take an early lead, with rookie Dane Fox scoring his first ECHL goal at the 2:46 mark to open the scoring. Elmira came back roughly ten minutes later, tying the game at one on a goal by alternate captain Andrew Conboy.
The Wings would take the lead once more early in the second on a goal by Ludwig Blomstrand, but then the Elmira Jackals would score five unanswered goals, including four in the third period, to capture the 6-2 victory.
Shamanski, Stefishen, Nesbitt and McPherson all scored, with Brodie Reid tallying the sixth marker with 41 seconds remaining in regulation.
Elmira Jackals goaltender Travis Fullerton was named first star of the game for his 24-save performance. On the other side, Kalamazoo’s Joel Martin had 28 saves on 33 shots faced. (McPherson’s goal was an empty-netter.)
Nesbitt, along with Justin Kea and Kevin Hart, all led the team with a plus-2 on the night. Reid led the team with six shots.
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After Friday’s decisive victory, the Elmira Jackals and Kalamazoo Wings met once more on Saturday night at First Arena.
This time, it would be Elmira who would open the scoring with a goal by McPherson, but Kalamazoo would take charge with a trio of goals before the Jackals could net another one. In the end, 12 different players had at least a point for the Wings, with Blomstrand leading the way with two goals and an assist.
Jackals goals came from McPherson and Paul McIlveen. The Jackals put up 25 shots, but the game simply didn’t come together. Fullerton allowed five goals on 13 shots in 34:18 of play before he was pulled in favor of Tony Capobianco, who then allowed one goal on 10 shots in the remaining 25 minutes and change.
Elmira Jackals defenseman Tony Orlando was served with 16 penalty minutes during Saturday’s game, including a 10-minute misconduct for unsportsmanlike conduct late in the third period.
The Jackals now face a tough test ahead as they prepare for a 3-in-3 with the Reading Royals this weekend. The two teams will meet on Friday in Elmira before a pair of games in Reading on Saturday (7:05 p.m.) and Sunday (5:05 p.m.) Reading has played just one game so far in this young season, falling to Wheeling 6-3 on October 18.
The good news for the Elmira Jackals is that they’ll have captain Matt Tassone back in the lineup this coming weekend. Tassone missed both games against the Wings after being suspended for his actions during a preseason game on October 11. Tassone was assessed a major penalty and game misconduct for spearing, resulting in a fine and suspension.