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Nailers vs. Stingrays Playoff Preview

April 15, 2014 - ECHL (ECHL) - Wheeling Nailers News Release


Wheeling Nailers (39-27-1-5, 84 PTS) vs. South Carolina Stingrays (43-23-2-4, 92 PTS)

WHEELING NAILERS

6th Place in East

Record: 39-27-1-5

Points: 84

Goals For: 216 (12th)

Goals Against: 196 (6th)

Power Play: 40-for-245 (16.3%), 10th

Penalty Kill: 246-for-291 (84.5%), 13th

SOUTH CAROLINA STINGRAYS

3rd Place in East

Record: 43-23-2-4

Points: 92

Goals For: 197 (16th)

Goals Against: 173 (2nd)

Power Play: 45-for-258 (17.4%), 5th

Penalty Kill: 193-for-228 (84.6%), 9th

Head-to-Head

2013-14 Regular Season: Stingrays 1, Nailers 0

2013-14 Regular Season at WHL: No Games Played

2013-14 Regular Season at SC: Stingrays 1, Nailers 0

All-Time Regular Season: Nailers 9, Stingrays 9

All-Time Regular Season at WHL: Nailers 5, Stingrays 3

All-Time Regular Season at SC: Stingrays 6, Nailers 4

All-Time Playoff Series: Nailers 1, Stingrays 0

All-Time Playoff Games: Nailers 3, Stingrays 1

All-Time Playoff Games at WHL: Nailers 1, Stingrays 1

All-Time Playoff Games at SC: Nailers 2, Stingrays 0

Goaltending

Wheeling: Condon, Millan

South Carolina: Copley, York

One could argue that two of the top goaltenders in the Eastern Conference from the 2013-14 regular season are members of the Nailers and Stingrays. Wheeling's Mike Condon led the ECHL in save percentage (.931), while finishing second in shutouts (6), and sixth in goals against average (2.18). South Carolina's Jeff Jakaitis finished third in wins (24) and save percentage (.924), while also achieving a fifth place standing in goals against average (2.16). However, only one of those netminders will appear in the series, as Jakaitis was left off of the playoff roster, meaning that the Stingrays will likely turn to Allen York. A 2007 draft pick of the Columbus Blue Jackets, York spent time with Rockford (AHL), Syracuse (AHL), Evansville, and South Carolina this season, accumulating a 12-10-2 record.

Defense

Wheeling: Areshenko, Cianfrini, Grassi, Harvey, Merth, Ratchuk, Stevenson

South Carolina: Ellis, King, Lavin, Pallis, Quick, Ryan, Spinell, Vidmar

Defensively, the Stingrays received a huge jolt in the final regular season game, when captain Kevin Quick returned to the lineup for the first time since November 7th. Despite playing in just ten games, Quick posted a +10 rating, which will add even more shutdown ability to a South Carolina defensive group that allowed the second fewest goals in the ECHL. While Wheeling can also play a tight defensive game (sixth fewest goals allowed), the Nailers have the ability to create offense from the blueline as well, led by Mike Ratchuk, whose 42 points ranked tied for second among ECHL defensemen. Wheeling's defensive unit boasts two former Stingrays in Jake Areshenko and Dustin Stevenson.

Offense

Wheeling: Army, Bakker, Fernandez, Gill, Johnson, Kuhnhackl, MacKay, Manderson, McGrath, Minella, Sylvester, Torquato

South Carolina: Campbell, Downing, Gaul, Gongalsky, Larson, Mitchell, Oakley, Owens, Santana, Simpson, Vigier

With the exception of Wheeling's Carter Rowney (AHL eligible) and South Carolina's Peter Boyd, both squads enter the postseason with a nearly full complement of their top scorers from the regular season. Among those, the Nailers boast the leaders in goals (Cody Sylvester, 24) and points (Sahir Gill, 54), with Wayne Simpson (22 goals) and Dale Mitchell (45 points) leading those categories in the opposite dressing room. Wheeling also leads the way with eight active forwards with double digit goal totals to South Carolina's six. However, Jordan Owens and Igor Gongalsky could have reached that plateau, had they been on the team for the entire season.

AHL Eligibles

Wheeling: D'Agostino, Goers, Hartzell, Mannino, Rowney, Ruopp, Schiestel, Zlobin

South Carolina: Cherniwchan, Hagel, Langkow, LeNeveu, Vaughan

If both teams have their reserve players join the active roster, then only two players from each of these lists will be able to play during the Kelly Cup Playoffs. After finishing tied for third on the team in scoring, the Nailers' biggest potential weapon is forward Carter Rowney, who racked up 44 points in 39 games as a rookie. Andrew Cherniwchan's 16 points in 17 games and Chris Langkow's nine points in 11 games give South Carolina two strong offensive players, while former Nailer Scooter Vaughan added eight points in 20 games from the blueline. Among the defensemen, Barry Goers (25 games) and Harrison Ruopp (19 games) spent the most time in Wheeling.

Special Teams

Wheeling: PP- 16.3%, 10th. PK- 84.5%, 13th.

South Carolina: PP- 17.4%, 5th. PK- 84.6%, 9th.

Power plays should be the focal point of the special teams battle, but it wouldn't come as much of a surprise if at least one shorthanded goal was scored in the series. Wheeling finished tied for third in the ECHL with 13 shorties, led by four each from Denver Manderson and Cody Sylvester, while South Carolina finished sixth in the league with 12 shorties, led by Luke Greiner's three. The two teams are also nearly identical when it comes to actually killing off penalties, as the Stingrays finished one percentage point ahead of the Nailers (84.6%-84.5%), while going onto the penalty kill on 63 fewer occasions. South Carolina's power play also gets the upper hand, thanks to a 17.4% success rate, compared to Wheeling's 16.3% mark. The Stingrays received 13 more man advantages than the Nailers.

Toughness

Wheeling: Patrick McGrath (18 fighting majors)

South Carolina: Igor Gongalsky (7 fighting majors)

While many facets of the game can be utilized to determine a team's toughness, spectators will generally look toward fighting majors, where both teams ranked in the ECHL's top ten during the 2013-14 regular season. Wheeling ended up dropping the gloves 60 times, earning a third place finish, led by Patrick McGrath, who challenged a member of the opposition on 18 different occasion. South Carolina completed the year in ninth place with 54 fights, led by Anthony Collins, who found a dance partner 13 times. With Collins off of the roster, Igor Gongalsky is next in line with seven fighting majors. With all of that being said, the Nailers and Stingrays were on opposite ends of the penalty spectrum, as Wheeling was saddled with the fifth most minutes (1,219), while South Carolina spent the third fewest minutes in the sin bin (885).

Coaching

Wheeling: HC- Clark Donatelli (3rd Season, 96-76-27), AC- Doug Bradley (1st season)

South Carolina: HC- Spencer Carbery (3rd Season, 118-77-21), AC- Ryan Warsofsky (1st season)

A pair of third-year head coaches will go head-to-head in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal Series, as Wheeling's Clark Donatelli goes up against South Carolina's Spencer Carbery. Both bench bosses have posted winning records in each of their first three seasons, as Donatelli has gone 96-76-27, while Carbery enters with a mark of 118-77-21. On Tuesday, Carbery was named ECHL Coach of the Year, after leading the team to a third straight improvement in the standings, along with the third playoff berth under his guidance. After missing the postseason in 2012-13, Donatelli led the Nailers to their highest win total since the 2005-06 campaign, as well as the team's second playoff berth with him behind the bench. Wheeling's Doug Bradley and South Carolina's Ryan Warsofsky are both in their first seasons as ECHL assistant coaches.

Experience

Wheeling: Mike Ratchuk (2012 Kelly Cup), Dustin Stevenson (2013 Kelly Cup)

South Carolina: Kevin Quick (2012 Kelly Cup)

Both sides enter the series with a decent amount of experience and success at the professional level. The Nailers possess two Kelly Cup Champions, as Mike Ratchuk hoisted the trophy with Florida in 2012, before Dustin Stevenson tasted victory with Reading in 2013. South Carolina's Kevin Quick was Ratchuk's teammates with the Everblades, as they defeated Chris Langkow's Las Vegas Wranglers in five games. Wheeling also has plenty of amateur titles on its roster, as Ratchuk and Kieran Millan won NCAA National Championships, while Cody Sylvester took home a WHL crown, and Peter Merth was teammates with Jake Areshenko for a BCHL title. Dale Mitchell has the most notable past for the Stingrays, as he won back-to-back Memorial Cups. The two most experienced players in the series (seasons played in North America) are Chaz Johnson for Wheeling and Jordan Owens for South Carolina.

Eastern Conference Quarterfinal

Wheeling Nailers vs. South Carolina Stingrays

Game 1 - Fri. Apr. 18th at South Carolina, 7:05

Game 2 - Sat. Apr. 19th at South Carolina, 7:05

Game 3 - Wed. Apr. 23rd AT WHEELING, 7:00

Game 4 - Fri. Apr. 25th AT WHEELING, 7:00

Game 5 - Sat. Apr. 26th AT WHEELING, 7:00 (if necessary)

Game 6 - Tue. Apr. 29th at South Carolina, 7:05 (if necessary)

Game 7 - Wed. Apr. 30th at South Carolina, 7:05 (if necessary)


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