The Odessa Jackalopes were riding a four-game win streak headed into the first game of the three-in-three this weekend against the Amarillo Wranglers.
The 1st period was exactly what the Jacks were hoping for. Just over a minute into the contest, a shot rang in from the point and on the rebound was James Richman, who deposited the puck in the back of the net giving the Jacks the 1-0 lead. The Jacks would receive a power play with 48 seconds remaining in the 1st, but be unsuccessful and take the remaining time into the 2nd period. Shots on goal after the 1st period were 9-7 in favor of Odessa.
The 2nd period was South division hockey at its finest. Chippy, physical play highlighted the middle frame, but it was on a power play that Amarillo would find the equalizer and tie the game up at one a piece. Amarillo would be granted two more power plays after the goal, but come up empty handed. The Jacks power play would also come up empty handed in the 2nd and the game would enter the 3rd period tied at 1. Shots on goal in the 2nd were 11-8 in favor of the Jacks, for a game total of 20-15 in favor of Odessa.
It would be all Wranglers in the 3rd period as they found the tiebreaker early on a glove-side, bardown shot from Jack Ivey, making it 2-1 Amarillo. The zone entries for the Jacks in the 3rd period of play were the challenge, as the Jacks really couldn’t get anything going, and would eventually drop the contest by a final score of 2-1.
The Jacks went 0-2 on the power play and 2-3 on the penalty kill. Following the game, Head Coach Scott Deur mentioned that in a three-in-three format it’s about tweaking the minor things and coming back to get two points the next night.
The Jacks fall to 12-11-4 (28pts) and the next Jacks game is tomorrow, Friday, December 15th, as the Jacks take on the Amarillo Wranglers at 7:15 P.M..
These games will be broadcast to NAHLTV with an audio only version available on the Odessa Jackalopes YouTube page.
Reminder Jacks fans single game tickets are on sale and season ticket packages are still available. You can find them online or call 432-552-7825 and Tania can help you out. Come be a part of the Jacks family as we celebrate 27 continuous years of hockey in Odessa!