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ECHL Wheeling Nailers

Nailers at Everblades Game Day Snap Shot

November 18, 2015 - ECHL (ECHL)
Wheeling Nailers News Release


Way to Defend the House

The Wheeling Nailers played a whopping five games in six days last week, with four of the five taking place at WesBanco Arena. The Nailers racked up seven out of ten possible points, which including a 3-0-1 record on home ice. After a 7-5 comeback win over Cincinnati on Tuesday, Wheeling fell 2-1 in Reading on Wednesday. However, the Nailers bounced back to blast the Royals 6-1 on Friday, before splitting a pair with the Evansville IceMen, dropping a 2-1 overtime result on Saturday, then winning 4-2 on Sunday. Riley Brace snapped a 2-2 tie with 3:03 left in the second period on Sunday, netting the first of his two goals. Zack Torquato and Adam Krause also lit the lamp, while Franky Palazzese made 21 saves for his third win of the week. Wheeling is now 5-2-1 in the Ohio Valley and 7-5-1 overall.

Chomping Up the Opposition

The Florida Everblades find themselves in a familiar position to start the regular season, as they have won 11 of their first 15 games to occupy first place in the Eastern Conference, and second place in the ECHL, trailing the Missouri Mavericks by one point. Florida enters the week having won five straight games and six of its last seven, following a two-game sweep at home against the Idaho Steelheads over the weekend. On Friday night, rookie Matt Willows scored the second of his two goals to break a 3-3 tie at the 2:23 mark of overtime to lift the Everblades to victory, while Saturday night's game featured a 21-save shutout by Daniel Altshuller in a 3-0 Florida triumph. The Everblades' 56 goals, +29 differential, 28.6% power play, and 91.9% penalty kill all lead the league.

A Break in the Rotation

For the first 13 games of the 2015-16 regular season, the Nailers had been alternating their starting goaltenders, with Franky Palazzese getting the nod in the odd numbered games, and Brian Foster the evens. However, on Wednesday night, Palazzese is expected to receive his second straight start, following a 3-0-0 performance last week. Wheeling's second year backstop made 69 saves in those three outings, knocking off Cincinnati, Reading, and Evansville. Florida has also rotated its goaltenders through the first 15 games of the season, as Daniel Altshuller and Anthony Peters have both posted goals against averages under two. The Everblades are expected to continue their rotation, as Peters is in line for his eighth start of the year. Palazzese and Peters have never faced the opposition, while Foster is 1-2-0 against Florida and Altshuller is 1-0-0 against Wheeling.

One Less Weapon in the Arsenal

There is no mistaking that the Everblades are one of the top offensive teams in the ECHL, but on Wednesday night, they will take the ice without one of their leading scorers. Mike Aviani was signed to a professional tryout by the AHL's San Jose Barracuda, similar to Derek Army's scenario with the Portland Pirates. Aviani was one of three Florida forwards with 15 points in the club's first 15 games, and his eight goals are tied with Jarrett Burton for second in the league, trailing Colorado's Jesse Mychan (9). The other two players with 15 points are veteran Matt Marquardt, and rookie Matt Willows, who is tied with Reading's Justin Crandall for the lead among first year skaters. Evan Bloodoff, Ethan Werek, and Brant Harris have all reached double digits in points for the Everblades.

It's Really Been That Long

Wednesday night marks the first of three head-to-head meetings between the Nailers and Everblades this season, as well as the first of three battles scheduled to take place at Germain Arena - all of which will be played this week. The State of Florida has been somewhat foreign territory for Wheeling in recent seasons, as the team's last trip to the Sunshine State came back in January 2013, when the Nailers took the ice against the Orlando Solar Bears three times at Amway Center. Wheeling's last visit to Estero came during the Everblades' 2011-12 Kelly Cup Championship season, when Florida took two of three games in a November series. The Everblades have won 12 of the 18 historical contests, with five of their 12 victories coming via shootout. Last year, the two squads split two games at WesBanco Arena, with Florida winning first, 5-1 and the Nailers taking the second tilt, 3-2.

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Wheeling Nailers (7-5-1-0, 15 Pts.) at Florida Everblades (11-4-0-0, 22 Pts.)

WHEELING NAILERS

(7-5-1-0, 15 PTS, 1st North, T-6th East)

41 GF, 35 GA

PP: 17.2% (10-for-58), 13th

PK: 80.0% (40-for-50), T-21st

20-F-Jarrett Burton (8 goals, 5 assists, 13 points in 13 games)

23-F-Riley Brace (5 goals, 8 assists, 13 points in 13 games)

21-F-Sahir Gill (3 goals, 6 assists, 9 points in 13 games)

22-D-Clark Seymour (4 goals, 4 assists, 8 points in 13 games)

26-F-Adam Krause (3 goals, 5 assists, 8 points in 13 games)

27-D-Brett Stern (2 goals, 6 assists, 8 points in 13 games)

29-G-Franky Palazzese (5-2-0 record, 2.44 GAA, .903 Sv% in 7 games)

FLORIDA EVERBLADES

(11-4-0-0, 22 PTS, 1st South, 1st East)

56 GF, 27 GA

PP: 28.6% (16-for-56), 1st

PK: 91.9% (56-for-62), 1st

29-F-Matt Willows (5 goals, 10 assists, 15 points in 14 games)

28-F-Matt Marquardt (5 goals, 10 assists, 15 points in 15 games)

17-F-Evan Bloodoff (5 goals, 8 assists, 13 points in 15 games)

25-F-Ethan Werek (4 goals, 7 assists, 11 points in 10 games)

23-F-Brant Harris (6 goals, 4 assists, 10 points in 15 games)

20-D-Corey Syvret (3 goals, 5 assists, 8 points in 15 games)

30-G-Anthony Peters (4-3-0 record, 1.71 GAA, .939 Sv% in 8 games)

Head to Head

2014-15 Season Series: Nailers 1, Everblades 1

2014-15 Season Series at Germain Arena: Did Not Play

All-Time Series: Everblades 12, Nailers 6

All-Time Series at Germain Arena: Everblades 5, Nailers 4

Check out the Wheeling Nailers Statistics



ECHL Stories from November 18, 2015


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