Nailers at Americans Game Day Snap Shot
May 29, 2016 - ECHL (ECHL)
Wheeling Nailers News Release
We've Been Down This Road Before
The Wheeling Nailers fell short in the opening game of the Kelly Cup Final on Saturday night, but there won't be any sense of panic in their dressing room, as they trailed at some point during each of their first three series victories. After a scoreless first period, Wheeling fell behind 2-0 on power play and even strength markers. At the 15:11 mark of the middle frame, the Nailers battled back to net their first goal of the series, when Shane Bakker slammed in a shorthanded tally from the right circle. Allen built a 4-1 lead going into the third period, which is when Wheeling attempted and nearly pulled off another one of its classic comebacks. Anton Zlobin blasted in a one-timer on the power play at 9:26, and John McCarron followed with a man advantage marker 1:23 later, making the score 4-3. Unfortunately, a tying goal was not in the cards, and the Americans added an insurance tally for a 5-3 final. Brian Foster made 27 saves, but ended up with the defeat.
No Rust From the Extra Off Days
The Allen Americans finished their conference final series two days before the Nailers, eliminating Fort Wayne in five games. With two extra days to rest up at home, the Americans were prepared for game one, and it showed with their offense. Tristan King opened the scoring with a power play tally 1:15 into the second period, before doubling his club's lead with an even strength goal at 12:10. Wheeling climbed to within a goal later in the middle stanza, but Allen had an immediate response, as Greger Hanson's power play strike rebuilt the two-goal edge. Spencer Asuchak then added a key insurance goal in the final minute of the second period to put the Americans ahead by three. That turned out to be the deciding goal, as the Nailers lit the lamp twice in the third, before a final dagger was added by Gary Steffes. Jake Hildebrand got the win in net with 25 saves.
The Box Isn't a Comfortable Place
With the first and third ranked power plays in the Kelly Cup Playoffs colliding to decide a champion, both the Nailers and Americans quickly realized on Saturday that the penalty box is the last place they'll want to go without company in this series. The first goal of the evening came as the result of a power play, as Tristan King put Allen on the scoreboard, finding the net from back at the right point. The second tally on the man advantage also went the way of the Americans, as Greger Hanson picked up his sixth power play goal of the playoffs. Chad Costello assisted on King's, giving him 16 power play points. Wheeling collected all three of its goals on special teams, starting with Shane Bakker's shorthanded strike, which was the team's third of the postseason. Anton Zlobin kept his hot hand alive on the man advantage, as all four of his goals during the playoffs have come with the Nailers on the power play. The last PPG of the night came from John McCarron, who needed just six seconds to cash in, drawing assists from Riley Brace and Mathew Maione, who lead the team with eight and six power play points respectively.
Getting Ready to Say Farewell to May
In a bit of a strange twist, the busiest month of the 2015-16 season for the Nailers will be May. The most games Wheeling played in a single month during the regular season was 13, which it did in November and March. Sunday afternoon will mark the 15th time that the Nailers take the ice in their eighth month of the campaign, with all of the contests coming in a span of 28 days. Wheeling's current record in May is 7-7, as the first win of the second round against the Royals came on April 29th, before the calendar turned over. After Sunday, the Nailers will look ahead to their first ever games played during June, with the first home tilt scheduled for Wednesday the 1st. The Americans have needed to play only 11 games in May, as their first two games against Missouri were both in April, and both their second and third round series ended without requiring a seventh and deciding clash. Allen will play in June for the second consecutive year.
First Visit to the Lone Star State
Sunday afternoon is game two of the Kelly Cup Final Series between the Nailers and Americans, as well as the second of as many as four possible battles at Allen Event Center. Allen picked up a 5-3 victory in game one on Saturday night, which was the first ever game played between the two teams. The Americans joined the ECHL in the summer of 2014, after playing in the Central Hockey League since the team came into existence in 2009. Furthermore, Saturday was the first game in team history for Wheeling in the State of Texas, as well as against a Texas based opponent, as the Texas Wildcatters (2003-05 & 2006-08) never made their way onto the docket. When the series shifts to WesBanco Arena for games three, four, and five, the Nailers will be Allen's seventh ECHL trip to the Eastern Time Zone, having visited Brampton, Fort Wayne, Indy, Kalamazoo, South Carolina, and Toledo in the past.
Wheeling Nailers (12-9) at Allen Americans (13-6)
WHEELING NAILERS
(12-9)
64 GF, 64 GA
PP: 20.2% (18-for-89), 3rd
PK: 86.1% (87-for-101), 3rd
23-F-Riley Brace (5 goals, 16 assists, 21 points in 21 games)
18-D-Mathew Maione (5 goals, 15 assists, 20 points in 21 games)
25-F-John McCarron (9 goals, 10 assists, 19 points in 20 games)
11-F-Cody Wydo (8 goals, 9 assists, 17 points in 21 games)
24-F-Ty Loney (6 goals, 8 assists, 14 points in 21 games)
19-F-Shane Bakker (5 goals, 7 assists, 12 points in 21 games)
31-G-Brian Foster (8-6 record, 2.77 GAA, .911 Sv% in 14 games)
(37-26-5-4, 83 PTS, 2nd North, 5th East)
214 GF, 211 GA
PP: 17.8% (48-for-269), 9th
PK: 83.6% (225-for-269), 15th
23-F-Riley Brace (26 goals, 41 assists, 67 points in 56 games)
18-D-Mathew Maione (11 goals, 43 assists, 54 points in 70 games)
11-F-Cody Wydo (23 goals, 27 assists, 50 points in 59 games)
25-F-John McCarron (14 goals, 17 assists, 31 points in 51 games)
17-F-Jordan Kwas (9 goals, 20 assists, 29 points in 60 games)
27-D-Brett Stern (7 goals, 17 assists, 24 points in 72 games)
31-G-Brian Foster (10-8-3 record, 2.70 GAA, .908 Sv% in 22 games)
ALLEN AMERICANS
(13-6)
61 GF, 50 GA
PP: 27.7% (23-for-83), 1st
PK: 82.3% (65-for-79), 9th
13-F-Chad Costello (4 goals, 20 assists, 24 points in 19 games)
10-D-David Makowski (5 goals, 15 assists, 20 points in 18 games)
15-F-Greger Hanson (12 goals, 6 assists, 18 points in 18 games)
7-D-Eric Roy (3 goals, 13 assists, 16 points in 18 games)
12-F-Gary Steffes (8 goals, 4 assists, 12 points in 19 games)
16-F-Vincent Arseneau (7 goals, 5 assists, 12 points in 17 games)
1-G-Jake Hildebrand (3-2 record, 3.15 GAA, .906 Sv% in 6 games)
(41-24-3-4, 89 PTS, 2nd Central, 4th West)
222 GF, 204 GA
PP: 21.1% (58-for-275), 1st
PK: 86.4% (247-for-286), 3rd
13-F-Chad Costello (24 goals, 79 assists, 103 points in 72 games)
18-F-Casey Pierro-Zabotel (15 goals, 32 assists, 47 points in 58 games)
12-F-Gary Steffes (22 goals, 23 assists, 45 points in 69 games)
10-D-David Makowski (17 goals, 21 assists, 38 points in 54 games)
43-D-Matt Register (7 goals, 30 assists, 37 points in 53 games)
15-F-Greger Hanson (14 goals, 22 assists, 36 points in 33 games)
1-G-Jake Hildebrand (5-1-0 record, 2.31 GAA, .925 Sv% in 6 games)
Head to Head
Playoff Series: Americans 1, Nailers 0
Playoff Series at Allen Event Center: Americans 1, Nailers 0
No Previous Games Between the Teams
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ECHL Stories from May 29, 2016
- Nailers Win Wild One in Allen to Tie Series - Wheeling Nailers
- Nailers at Americans Game Day Snap Shot - Wheeling Nailers
- Defenseman Joey Leach Recalled to Hershey - South Carolina Stingrays
- Kelly Cup Finals Game 2 Today in Allen - Allen Americans
- ECHL Today - May 29 - ECHL
- Americans Score Four Times in the Second, Beat Wheeling 5-3 in Game 1 - Allen Americans
- Wheeling Comeback Falls Short in Game One - Wheeling Nailers
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