Nailers move back into tie for second place
March 1, 2009 - ECHL (ECHL)
Wheeling Nailers News Release
WHEELING, W.Va. - The Wheeling Nailers defeated the Trenton Devils Sunday for the fourth straight time, 4-3, and climbed back into the playoff picture in the process.
Just as they did Saturday night, the Nailers got off to a quick start this afternoon. Mitch Ganzak, who returned on loan to Albany of the AHL just before faceoff, gave the Nailers an early lead when he scored a five-hole power play goal at the 4:54 mark of the first period when the puck took a wicked bounce off of the boards. Kelly Miller extended the Nailers' lead to 2-0 a minute later when he scored on a one-timer feed from Bo Cheesman.
Trenton cut the Wheeling lead in half midway through the second frame when David Leaderer smacked a shot past goaltender Curtis Darling. Jeremy Akeson and Chris Tutalo were credited with the assists on Leaderer's tally. The Nailers reclaimed their two-goal lead when Billy Ryan scored his third goal as a Nailer on a backhand shot from just outside the Trenton goal crease. Ganzak and Kelly Miller assisted. Trenton went into the third period with just a one goal deficit, however, when Akeson knocked in his 14th of the season from Matt Radoslovich and Leaderer.
In the third, Andrew Lord's power play goal, which came on a perfect pass from Bryan Ewing across the goal crease gave the Nailers a two-goal cushion once again. Billy Ryan was also credited with an assist on Lord's goal. Trenton kept it close late in the game thanks to a power play goal by Jim Henkel that came on a one-timer shot.
The win was an important one for the Nailers. It pushed them from fifth place in the North Division all the way up into a tie for second place with Johnstown and Elmira. In addition, the Nailers are currently just four points behind first-place Cincinnati.
Wheeling went 2-for-3 on the one-man advantage with power play goals coming from Ganzak and Lord. Ganzak, Miller and Ryan each finished with one goal and one assist. Curtis Darling turned aside 31 of Trenton's 34 shots.
The Nailers travel to Johnstown on Wednesday to play the Chiefs. They then return home this weekend for two more games against the Chiefs.
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