ODESSA, TX– For the second straight postseason the Odessa Jackalopes and Allen Americans will go the distance in a playoff series after Allen’s 5-3 win on Thursday night at the Ector County Coliseum. The Americans have climbed out of a two-game hole as the road team has won every game in the best-of-five Berry Conference Semifinal Series.
Game five is scheduled for Friday at 7:30 PM CST in Allen, TX.
Judd Blackwater’s second goal of the game just 26 seconds into the third period proved to be the game-winner, snapping a 3-3 tie. Tobias Whelan added an empty-net goal in the final second of play.
The Jackalopes jumped to an early lead thanks to Todd Robinson’s goal from the bottom of the right circle just over a minute into the game. Thanks to a 4-0 power play disparity, the Americans scored two unanswered with Blackwater’s first of the night and a power play strike by Dave Bonk with 1:07 left in the frame.
The Jackalopes came back to tie the game in period two as Jeff Pierce scored on a 2-on-1 rush six minutes in to make the score 2-2. Jarret Lukin put Allen back on top after an Odessa turnover left him alone in front of the net. Robinson added his second goal of the game with less than five minutes remaining from the top of the right circle.
Joel Martin stopped 33 shots for the Jacks in the loss, while Chris Whitley picked up the win with a 23-save effort.
The Odessa Jackalopes are the Central Hockey League affiliate for the NHL’s New York Islanders and the AHL’s Bridgeport Sound Tigers. The team is currently in the middle of its 14th season. Season tickets, mini-plans, and single game tickets are available by calling (432) 552-7825 or visiting jackalopes.org.
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