Dayton Bombers Even Season Series at 5 Games Each
February 13, 2009 - ECHL (ECHL)
Wheeling Nailers News Release
Erik Johnson registered a pair of first period goals but it wasn't enough as the Dayton Bombers broke away in the 2nd and 3rd periods for a 5-2 victory against the Wheeling Nailers on Friday night at the Nutter Center in Fairborn, Ohio. It was the opener of a weekend pair of games between the two teams and also the 2nd game of an 8 game road trip for the Nailers.
Greg Labenski had 2 goals and an assist to lead the Bombers including an empty-netter with 1:36 remaining to seal the win. Dayton tied the season series at 5 games apiece with the 11th of their 14 regular season encounters coming in the weekend rematch Saturday night at Hobart Arena, in Troy, Ohio.
It was Labenski's goal with 13 seconds left in the 2nd period that was the biggie for the Bombers. The Nailers were hanging tough trailing 3-2 for much of the 2nd period but raced forward with time winding down in the middle stanza and Nino Musitelli dropped it smartly for Labenski who blasted the one-timer home to give Dayton the 4-2 lead at the 2nd break.
Erik Johnson scored his 13th and 14th of the year to lead the Nailers' attack. His first goal came just 30 seconds after Dayton had taken a 1-0 lead early in the game on a 5-on-3 power play. With the Nailers still down a man Johnson got a tip on a pass and was off to the races on a shorthanded breakaway. His blast popped through the glove of Dayton netminder David Shantz and into the cage to equal the count at 1-1.
His next goal came late in the 1st period with the Nailers trailing 2-1. He tried a sharp-angle shot from the right-wing corner that deflected off the inside of Shantz' right leg and barely had enough to angle towards the goal-line just crossing before Shantz could recover to tie the game at 2-2.
Wheeling outshot Dayton 13-9 in an exciting first period but mustered only 4 and 6 shots on goal in the 2nd and 3rd periods as Dayton buckled down the hatches on defense.
Wheeling had back to back power play opportunities in the 3rd on Bombers penalties at 9:33 and 13:22. Despite several creative passes creating good chances the Nailers were unable to convert and Dayton hung on to their 4-2 advantage.
Jon Grecu was tagged with a double-minor for high-sticking at 17:45 of the 3rd putting the Nailers shorthanded for the rest of the game. Wheeling pulled goalie Curtis Darling to even up the sides again at 5-on-5 but leaving an empty-net behind them. Greg Labenski intercepted a Nailers clearing try at the left point and fired it through the defense into the open cage to cap the Bombers victory.
The Nailers have gone winless in their last 3 and only have one win in their last 7 as they continue to battle for a top 4 spot in the North Division. Johnstown won their game at home over Reading to push the Nailers down to the 4th place spot in the division, the lowest the Nailers have been placed this year.
A short-staffed Nailers team was without a couple of their top players, defenseman Elgin Reid who was placed on the I/R and Jordan Morrision who was under the weather this weekend.
Wheeling plays game 3 of their 8 game road trip Saturday night at Hobart Arena in Troy, Ohio against the Dayton Bombers. They wrap up the first half of their road swing Sunday afternoon at the Johnstown Chiefs in a 2:35 matinee encounter.
Wheeling's next home games are Friday, Feb 27 and Saturday, Feb 28. The Feb 27 game against the Dayton Bombers is Friday Family Four-Pack night. Get 4 tickets, 4 sodas, 4 hot dogs and a large popcorn all for only $44. The Feb 28 game against the Elmira Jackals is City of Wheeling night at WesBanco Arena. The first 2500 fans in attendance get a Coal Miner Spike Bobblehead courtesy of Consol Energy.
ECHL Stories from February 13, 2009
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- Shorthanded RoadRunners Trip Up Idaho 3-1 - Phoenix RoadRunners
- Jackals Streak Ends in Shootout Loss - Elmira Jackals
- Chiefs dethrone Royals - Johnstown Chiefs
- Checkers three game winning streak halted by the Sea Wolves - Charlotte Checkers
- Devils Win Over Jackals in Shootout, 4-3 - Trenton Devils
- Sea Wolves come from behind in third to win shootout - Mississippi Sea Wolves
- Game Preview: Ontario Reign At Bakersfield Condors - Ontario Reign
- Blades suffer 3-2 loss to Cincinnati - Florida Everblades
- Dayton Bombers Even Season Series at 5 Games Each - Wheeling Nailers
- Cyclones Drop Florida, 3-2 - Cincinnati Cyclones
- Bombers Cut Down Wheeling 5-2 - Dayton Bombers
- ECHL Transactions - ECHL
- Cyclones Sign Bill Kinkel and Ryan Van Buskirk - Cincinnati Cyclones
- DaSilva Recalled To AHL Worcester - Phoenix RoadRunners
- Pink in the Rink Night Just Two Weeks Away - South Carolina Stingrays
- O'Dette Named Third Captain in Thunder History - Stockton Thunder
- Bakersfield Condors vs. Ontario Reign - Bakersfield Condors
- Game Preview: Stockton Thunder Vs. Utah Grizzlies - Stockton Thunder
- Curry Named Reebok/AHL Player Of The Week - ECHL
- Nailers Look To Bounce Back In Dayton - Wheeling Nailers
- ECHL Today - ECHL
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