Five Nailers Recalled To Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
April 9, 2010 - ECHL (ECHL) - Wheeling Nailers News Release
WILKES-BARRE, PA - The Pittsburgh Penguins have reassigned defenseman Jon D'Aversa from the Wheeling Nailers (ECHL) to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, it was announced today. Additionally, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins have recalled forwards Ryan Schnell and Blair Yaworski, defenseman Lane Caffaro, and goaltender Adam Berkhoel from the Wheeling Nailers.
D'Aversa, 23, recorded one assist and 23 penalty minutes in 21 contests with the Penguins. He appeared in 22 games with the Nailers, netting 17 points (6+11). The native of Richmond Hill, Ontario made his professional debut with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on October 20, 2007. He has appeared in 116 career games with the Penguins, totaling 30 points (5+25). He set career professional highs in 2008-09 with 22 assists and 23 points, finishing second among defensemen in scoring. D'Aversa also appeared in 28 games with the Nailers from 2007-2009, recording 28 points (2+26). He represented the Nailers at the 2008 ECHL All-Star Game in Stockton, CA, tallying two goals for the American Conference squad. D'Aversa was signed by Pittsburgh as a free agent on May 25, 2007.
Schnell, 21, appeared in 60 games with the Nailers this season, finishing the campaign with six points (2+4). The 6-3, 225-lb. native of Cary, Illinois posted 173 penalty minutes, which ranked second on the team. Schnell played two seasons on the U.S. National Under-18 squad prior to his junior career.
Yaworski, 24, appeared in 62 games with Wheeling, posting 31 points (14+17). From 2004-2008, the native of Calgary, Alberta played four seasons with Yale University (ECAC), recording 49 points (14+35) in 113 games played. He broke into the professional ranks in 2008-09, spending 41 games with the Johnstown Chiefs (ECHL). In 41 games, Yaworski tallied 31 points (18+13). He also appeared in 18 games with the Syracuse Crunch.
Caffaro, 25, has appeared in 21 games with the Penguins this season, and has recorded five points (1+4) along with 38 penalty minutes. He scored his first AHL goal on December 28, 2009 against the Adirondack Phantoms. In 30 games with the Nailers, Caffaro posted nine points (1+8) and 24 penalty minutes.
Caffaro spent four seasons suiting up for Union College, where he posted 79 points (23+56) and 227 penalty minutes in 135 games. The 6-1, 190 pound blueliner from Slave Lake, Alberta led Union defensemen with 22 points last season, and earned All-ECAC First Team honors. Caffaro was also named to the All-ECAC second team in 2007-08 after recording 16 points (3+13) in 33 games with the Dutchmen. He was signed by Wilkes-Barre/Scranton as a free agent on June 16, 2009.
Berkhoel, 28, was first assigned to Wheeling on October 26th. He went on to appear in ten games with the Nailers, posting a 4-4-1 record, a 3.54 goals against average and a save percentage of .881. He was recalled by Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on December 2nd and appeared in his first game with the Penguins this season on December 9th at Syracuse. He stopped all 25 shots he faced in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's 6-0 victory, his fifth clean sheet as a member of the Penguins. Berkhoel has appeared in a total of seven games with the Penguins this season, posting a 4-3-0 record, 2.98 goals against average, and a .892 save percentage.
The 5-11, 185-lb. native of St. Paul, MN finished last season with a record of 15-11-2 in 28 games, a goals-against average of 2.53 and a save percentage of .910. He also finished tied with John Curry with four shutouts, which included the posting of a new team-record shutout streak of 202:44.
Berkhoel was signed by the Penguins as a free agent on July 28, 2009.
2010 - 2011 Wheeling Nailers season ticket packages are on sale now. Ticket packages now as low as $239.50 for all Nailers home games. Kids 14 and under just $148.50. Call the Nailers office at 304-234-GOAL or online at wheelingnailers.com for more information or to order your tickets.
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