Game Recaps 10/10/23

ELMIRA RIVER SHARKS at WATERTOWN WOLVES

Wolves Down River Sharks in Exhibition Game

by Jeff Barrett

Watertown, NY - It was only an exhibition game, but hockey finally returned to the Watertown Municipal Arena for a Tuesday night primer between the 3 time Commissioner's Cup champion Watertown Wolves and the reincarnation of pro hockey in Elmira, the River Sharks, after a long off season.

The game would start with both teams trying to get comfortable with their linemates, and getting used to the flow of game action for the first time this season.

Ricards Jelenskis would break the stalemate at the 12:25 mark of period one with a blast that beat Travis Ridgen over the shoulder to give the River Sharks a 1-0 lead. The lead didn't last long as Marc Bottero would even the score at 1 a piece assisted by Chase DiBari at 12:40 of the period.

Period one ended with that score. The Wolves outshot Elmira 13 to 12 with both teams going 0 for 2 on power plays.

At the 6:17 point of period two, Chris Corgan would break the tie with his first of two goals on the night, as he was able to slide the puck under Danic Rodrigue from the left side, giving the Wolves their first lead of the night. The assist on the goal belonged to Pier-Luc Bellard.

Corgan would lengthen the Watertown lead to 3-1 at the 18:55 mark, assisted by Justin LaPorte.

Watertown would hold that lead through the end of the second, and the third period would be a scoreless affair, giving the Wolves a 3-1 win.

Elmira outshot Watertown in period two 9 to 8 with Watertown regaining the shot advantage 12 to 9 in the third, making the totals 33 for Watertown to 30 for the River Sharks.

The regular season kicks off this Friday the 13th with Watertown hosting the defending Commissioner's Cup Champions, the Danbury Hat Tricks with a 7:30 puck drop.

The River Sharks will open their regular season on Saturday night as they make the short drive to Binghamton to take on the Black Bears at the Visions Veterans Memorial Arena at 7:05.