FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Oct. 11, 2012
JACKS POPPED IN AMARILLO, 5-2
Cornellier, Doucet both tally, Pikul stops 40 in loss.
AMARILLO, TX– In the first of a two-game, end-of-the-week series in the Texas panhandle, the Odessa Jackalopes dropped their third consecutive game on Thursday, 5-2 to the Amarillo Bulls at Cal Farley Coliseum. With the loss, the Jacks fell to 3-6-1 overall on the season and with seven points, remain tied with the Corpus Christi IceRays for fifth place in the NAHL’s South Division standings.
After the first period slipped by scoreless, the two-time defending South Division champion Bulls stormed out to a two-goal lead as Clint Carlisle at 7:49, and Richie Marenis four minutes later, each added second period, even-strength goals. Ryan Doucet got Odessa on the board at 13:44 of the middle frame, as the San Jose, California native took advantage of a Joe Grabowski blunder, breezing past the fallen Amarillo defenseman to wire home his third goal of the season, just one day removed from his 20th birthday.
It looked as though the Jacks were headed to the third period with just a one goal deficit with which to contend, but Amarillo’s TJ Sarcona had other ideas, as he took advantage of a lax Odessa breakout in the final minute of the second to pot his fifth goal of the season at 19:20.
Leading 3-1 entering the third, the Bulls put their foot on the gas in the final period, netting goals at 2:32 and 6:10 from Gage Christianson and Hampus Gustavsson respectively, before Odessa’s Lawrence Cornellier capped the scoring at 7:28, squeezing a power-play marker, his team-leading eighth of the season, past Bulls netminder Collin Delia to set the final margin at 5-2.
Despite his second consecutive loss in net, Jacks goaltender Andrew Pikul was impressive on Thursday, turning in a 40 save performance on a night in which the Jacks were outshot 45-12. In two appearances for Odessa this season, the native Canadian has stopped74 of the 82 shots he’s faced.
Next up for the Jackalopes, it’s the final game before the 2012-13 home opener, a Friday night showdown with the Bulls with the opening faceoff set for 7:00 pm at Cal Farley Coliseum at the Amarillo Civic Center.
In 2012-13, the Odessa Jackalopes drop the puck on their second season as a member of the North American Hockey League. Season ticket packages for the Jacks’ sophomore campaign are available now starting at just $179. To reserve your seats, contact the Jackalopes’ ticket office today at 432-552-7825 or log on to www.jackalopes.org for more information.
Be sure to follow the Jackalopes on Twitter @LetsGoJacks all season long and don’t forget to ‘Like’ the official “Odessa Jackalopes” fan page on Facebook.
— ODESSA JACKALOPES —
