FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Mar. 22, 2013
PORTNER BURIES TENTH IN 7-1 DEFEAT
Winless streak hits 18 in loss to Wichita Falls.
WICHITA FALLS, TX – In the first clash of a four-game, season-ending road trip, the Odessa Jackalopes fell to the Wichita Falls Wildcats Friday at Kay Yeager Coliseum in Wichita Falls. With the loss, the Jacks fell to 6-48-3 overall this season and with 15 points, remain alone in sixth place in the NAHL’s South Division standings.
After a tight-checking start to the game, Wichita Falls took a 1-0 lead at 7:55 of the opening period on a slick, forehand-backhand move by Nick Farmer. Just 19 seconds later, former Amarillo Bull Conor ONeil doubled the Wildcat lead as he redirected a Kyle Bauman feed through Odessa goaltender Nick Deery.
In the second period, the Jackalopes found a way to strike back, as Taylor Portner wired home his tenth goal of the season on the power-play, assisted by Matt Volonnino and Anthony Olguin, to draw Odessa within a goal at 2-1. The Wildcat response was rapid and sizeable however, as ONeil wristed home his second of the game less than one minute later, followed by a George Pagonis goal and a Bauman score, with all three tallies coming within just over a two-minute span.
In the third, the Wildcat onslaught continued with a Brian LeBlanc goal just 31 seconds into the period, followed by a Rudy Junda score at 12:18 that capped off Wichita Falls’ 7-1 win.
Next up for the Jacks, it’s a Saturday rematch with the Wildcats with the opening faceoff set for 7:15 pm at Kay Yeager Coliseum in the final matchup between the Jackalopes and Wildcats in the 2012-13 regular season.
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 —
