Hat Trick From Frank Littlejohn Leads The Elmira Jackals To 5-4 UHL Victory Over The Port Huron Flags

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MLN Newswire - www.mlntherawfeed.com – Elmira, NY - Frank Littlejohn scored three goals as the Elmira Jackals earned their third consecutive victory with a 5-4 win over the Port Huron Flags Friday night at First Arena.

In the Jackals final home game of the 2006-2007 season Frank Littlejohn got the action going early with his 40th goal of the season at 4:39 of the first period, assisted by Mike Oliveira and Joe Markusen. Littlejohn, who is now improving his own Jackals single season, is the first ever Elmira player to score 40 or more goals in one season. Rookie David Morelli then knocked in a Dan Veenema shot, but referee Mike Baker disallowed the goal, saying that he lost sight of the puck and blew the whistle before Morelli scored. Port Huron answered when Ryan Markham tied the game at 11:36, assisted by Scott Wray and Ben Gustavson.

Mike Olynyk put the Flags in the lead for the first time at 5:15 of the second period, as he ripped a wrist shot past the blocker of Zach Sikich for an unassisted goal. But Elmira responded back with authority as they produced four unanswered goals in a span of 3 minutes and 42 seconds to close out the period. Marc Lefebvre scored his 5th goal of the season at 9:59, assisted by Dan Veenema and David Morelli. Frank Littlejohn tallied his 2nd goal of the game at 10:55, assisted by Nick Harloff to put Elmira ahead 3-2. Dan Veenema then scored his 6th goal of the season at 12:58, from Lefebvre and Morelli, giving the Jackals a 2-goal lead. Less than a minute later Littlejohn completed his hat trick at 13:41, his 42nd goal of the season, for a 5-2 Elmira lead after forty minutes.

But the Flags would not go away quietly as Ryan Markham fired a wrist shot past Sikich at 8:46, from Wray and Gustavson, pulling Port Huron back within two goals. Then Wray knocked in a power play goal at 11:26, assisted by Mark Cadotte and Pat Sutton. But the Jackals were able to hold off the Port Huron surge and cling to a 5-4 win, their third straight victory.

Zach Sikich earned his 7th win of the season, and 3rd in a row, as he made 29 saves on 33 shots, helping the Jackals improve to 30-44-1 on the year. Port Huron goaltender Noah Ruden took the loss, stopping 25-of-30 shots as the Flags dropped to 28-36-10. Elmira was 0-for-5 on the power play; Port Huron finished 1-for-7.