PHN’s Best Shots of the Game: Jackals Outscore Beast 5-1 In First Game of Weekend Set

BRAMPTON, ONTARIO – Brampton Beast starting goaltender Kenny Reiter weathered the barrage of shots thrown at him for as long as he could, but the Elmira Jackals pulled ahead late in the game and earned a 5-1 win over the Beast at the Powerade Centre on Friday night.

Colin Murray netted a shorthanded goal late in the third period to break the shutout of Jackals starter Shane Owen, but the visiting goaltender stopped all but one of the 23 shots he faced to earn the win.

The Jackals came out flying in the opening period, outshooting the Beast 16-9 after the opening 20 minutes of play. Beast starting goaltender Kenny Reiter was up to the task, making several heroic saves in the early going to keep the game close.

The Jackals were, however, the first to find the back of the net as Nick Tuzzolino accepted a pass in the high slot and placed a perfect wrist shot over the blocker of Reiter for his first tally of the season at 4:50.

Elmira earned a 2-0 lead by the end of the second frame as Chris Langkow picked the top corner from the faceoff dot at 15:08.

The Jackals kept their foot on the gas in the final period and continued to roll as Tuzzolino netted his second goal of the game on a one-timer from the blue line that squeaked through the pads of Reiter just 5:17 into the third period.

Tuzzolino completed the hat trick at 10:09 as he settled the puck down at the blue line and sent a wrist shot toward the goal. Reiter got a piece of the shot with his blocker but the puck tumbled over the goaltender and into the net, giving Elmira the 4-0 lead.

Less than a minute later, Colin Jacobs made it a 5-0 game with a wrister from the top of the circle for his 12th goal of the season at 11:06.

The Beast were finally able to beat Owen in the final two minutes of the game as Luc-Olivier Blain sent Colin Murray in alone on a shorthanded breakaway. He beat the defenseman and sent a backhand shot through the goaltender for his second goal in as many games as a member of the Beast at 18:25.

That’s as close as the Beast would come as the Jackals shut the door for the remainder of the game and skated away with the victory. Owen earned the win with 22 saves, while Reiter faced a season-high 42 shots and made 37 saves.

With Brampton Beast release

Contact the photographer: John.Warren@prohockeynews.com