Nov. 12, 2011
JACKS RALLY BACK, EARN WEEKEND SWEEP 5-3
Faust leads charge in comeback win.
ODESSA, TX– For the first time this season, the Odessa Jackalopes earned a victory in a game in which they did not score the initial goal, rallying back from deficits of 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2 to defeat the New Mexico Mustangs 5-3, earning a weekend sweep of the NAHL South Division’s last-place team Saturday at Ector County Coliseum in Odessa. With the win, the Jackalopes improved to 7-10-2 on the season, and with 16 points remain alone in fifth place in the South Division standings, just two points behind the Corpus Christi IceRays for fourth.
The star of the night for Odessa was without question the Jackalopes’ captain Willie Faust. The Stillwater, Minnesota native had two goals and an assist in the game, including a tremendous individual effort on a breakaway tally at 8:53 of the first period, an unassisted marker that tied the game at one. Faust’s three points vaulted him into the team lead in goals with nine and pulled him within one point of Jalen Krogman for the team lead in points with 13. Other Odessa players earning points in Saturday’s game were Matt Williams (1G, 1A), Tyler Minx (2A), Alex Ostrowski (1G), Andrew Palushaj (1A), Krogman (1A) and Aditya Karandikar who notched his first game-winning goal of the season, his second goal and third point this year at 5:57 of the third period.
Jackalopes netminder Connor Hellebuyck stopped 26 of the 29 shots he faced to earn his sixth win of the season in his 14th start and fifth consecutive appearance in net for the Jacks.
Next up for the Jackalopes, it’s the finale of a three game homestand, a Thursday night showdown with first-place Amarillo on November 17 at Ector County Coliseum with the opening faceoff scheduled for 7:05 pm.
The Odessa Jackalopes celebrate their 15th Anniversary in 2011-12 and drop the puck on their inaugural campaign as a member of the North American Hockey League. Season tickets, mini-plans, and single game tickets are available by calling (432) 552-7825 or by visiting the Jacks online at www.jackalopes.org.
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 —
