Elmira Jackals

Pro hockey team
text_color = #EF2637
bg_color = #13264E
team = Elmira Jackals

logosize = 180px
city = Elmira, New York
league = ECHL
conference = American Conference
division = North Division
founded = 2000
arena = First Arena
colors = Navy Blue, Red, Silver, White
owner = Mostafa Afr
coach = Steve Martinson
GM = Robbie S. Nichols
media =
affiliates = Ottawa Senators, Binghamton Senators
name1 = Elmira Jackals
dates1 = 2000 to present
reg_season_titles = None
division_titles = 2001-02
conf_titles = None
kelly_cups = None

The Elmira Jackals are an ice hockey team that play in the ECHL. Their home games are played in First Arena in Elmira, New York and they refer to themselves as "the beasts of the east". Their mascot is named Blade, and they were originally part of the United Hockey League.

The UHL Years

Logo when they were in the UHL

The Jackals were born as a member of the United Hockey League before the 2000-2001 season, as an affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets. Eventually, they severed ties with the Blue Jackets and became an independent operation for the rest of their years in the league. During their tenure in the UHL, their average attendance was 3,308 per game, which included 31 sellouts. The largest crowd was a standing-room-only of 4,126 on October 13, 2006.

Playoff History

The team made a splash in their first season by immediately making the playoffs. Improving dramatically in the off-season, the Jackals won the Eastern Conference for the first time, in just their second season. They even got as far as playing the Muskegon Fury in the Colonial Cup finals, but lost in a hard fought 6 game series. They returned to the playoffs in 2003, but didn't get the chance to play for The Cup again until the 2004 season when they again faced the Muskegon Fury. After being swept in the 2004 Colonial Cup series, they never returned to the playoffs in the UHL.

The Final Year

Their final season in the league, was especially disappointing. They hired a new head coach who'd proven successful elsewhere and signed a few solid players, giving the team hope for a return to the playoffs. The season brought three head coaching changes, after the first one suffered a mini-stroke. There were also some injuries to key players. One of which, limited top ranked goalie Shawn Degagne to only 4 games.

Despite finishing in last place, there were some bright spots. Star forward Frank Littlejohn scored a franchise record 42 goals. The fans were very supportive of the team, averaging 3,427 per game during the season in an arena that only seats 4,000. Then on April 14, 2007, ownership announced they would be leaving the UHL for the North Division of the ECHL. [ [http://www.echl.com/cgi-bin/mpublic.cgi?action=show_news&cat=1&id=10749 ECHL - Premier 'AA' Hockey League ] ]

ECHL

The Elmira Jackals joined the ECHL in the summer of 2007 with a new logo and jerseys. They are a member of the North division.

Returning from a loss in Cincinnati, the team bus was involved in crash on Interstate 90 in Pennsylvania early in the morning of November 29, 2007. Several players sustained minor injuries. The Jackals suffered their worst loss in their first year. They lost to Johnstown 9-3. On March 9th, 2008 after three seasons of being out of playoff contention in the United Hockey League, the Elmira Jackals qualified for the East Coast Hockey League playoffs. [ [http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/news?slug=ap-hockeyteam-crash&prov=ap&type=lgns Bus carrying New York minor league hockey team crashes on Pennsylvania highway - NHL - Yahoo! Sports ] ]

eason-by-season record

The complete seasonal records throughout team history.

References

External links

* [http://www.jackalshockey.com/ Elmira Jackals official website]
* [http://www.stargazettenews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=SPORTS0301 Local Newspaper - Jackals articles]
* [http://mhockey.us/ Jackals Coach's Show Audio Downloads]