ECHL Wheeling Nailers

Nailers at Road Warriors Game Day Snap Shot

January 17, 2014 - ECHL (ECHL)
Wheeling Nailers News Release


Wheeling Nailers (15-14-1-5, 36 PTS) at Greenville Road Warriors (18-15-2-1, 39 PTS)

WHEELING NAILERS

(15-14-1-5, 36 PTS, 1st Atlantic, T-8th East)

91 GF, 110 GA

PP: 12.5% (15-for-120), 20th

PK: 83.4% (126-for-151), 18th

21-F-Sahir Gill (8 goals, 19 assists, 27 points in 30 games)

2-D-Mike Ratchuk (7 goals, 13 assists, 20 points in 34 games)

7-F-Max MacKay (6 goals, 10 assists, 16 points in 23 games)

98-F-Chaz Johnson (5 goals, 11 assists, 16 points in 35 games)

22-F-Jack MacLellan (8 goals, 3 assists, 11 points in 19 games)

20-F-Jacob Lagace (4 goals, 7 assists, 11 points in 35 games)

1-G-Mike Condon (10-7-4 record, 2.66 GAA, .915 Sv% in 21 games)

GREENVILLE ROAD WARRIORS

(18-15-2-1, 39 PTS, 3rd South, T-7th East)

96 GF, 95 GA

PP: 13.9% (17-for-122), 15th

PK: 90.0% (126-for-140), 1st

9-F-Andrew Rowe (9 goals, 17 assists, 26 points in 28 games)

17-F-Marc-Olivier Vallerand (9 goals, 14 assists, 23 points in 28 games)

18-F-Michael St. Croix (7 goals, 16 assists, 23 points in 24 games)

39-F-Jordie Johnston (12 goals, 10 assists, 22 points in 36 games)

14-F-Scott Arnold (9 goals, 6 assists, 15 points in 28 games)

22-D-Mike Marcou (4 goals, 11 assists, 15 points in 29 games)

33-G-Jeff Malcolm (6-3-1 record, 2.35 GAA, .931 Sv% in 10 games)

Head-to-Head

Season Series: Nailers 1, Road Warriors 0

2012-13 Season Series at Bon Secours Wellness Arena: Nailers 2, Road Warriors 2

All-Time Series: Road Warriors 8, Nailers 7

All-Time Series at Bon Secours Wellness Arena: Road Warriors 5, Nailers 3

Returning Faces Should Bolster Blueline

The Wheeling Nailers are currently mired in a slump that has seen them go winless in five straight games and eight of the last nine. Last week, Wheeling struggled defensively, as it was outscored 22-7 by the Reading Royals, Cincinnati Cyclones, and Toledo Walleye, while compiling an 0-4-0 record. Since Sunday, the Nailers have received help from their affiliates, as Barry Goers has rejoined the team from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, while Matt Grassi has returned from Hamilton. Prior to their time in the AHL, Goers had five points in ten games, while Grassi maintained a +7 rating.

Scoring Their Way Up the Standings

The Greenville Road Warriors enter the weekend while playing their best hockey of the 2013-14 campaign, having won ten of their last 13 games, thanks to a 10-2-1 record. After sweeping three games from the Evansville IceMen last weekend, the Road Warriors continued their winning ways on Tuesday night, taking down the South Carolina Stingrays 5-3 at North Charleston Coliseum. Greenville lit the lamp 18 times over the course of its four victories, with ten different players getting credit for scoring goals. The Road Warriors have scored fewer than three goals just three times during their last 13 games.

Aye Aye Captain Stevenson

On Thursday, Head Coach Clark Donatelli named his captain for the remainder of the 2013-14 season, as defenseman Dustin Stevenson will wear the "C" on his jersey starting Friday night. Prior to the weekend, Wheeling had played the first 35 games of the season with three rotating alternate captains. With 228 professional games on his resumé, Stevenson trails only Chaz Johnson (508) and Mike Ratchuk (281) on the active roster. Last season, Dustin served as an alternate captain with the Reading Royals, and prior to that, he served as the captain of the SJHL's La Ronge Ice Wolves.

Last One Left in Club 90

The Road Warriors are currently the only team in the league with a penalty kill in the 90's, as they enter the weekend having thwarted 126 of 140 opposition power plays. Despite the overall success this season, Greenville's penalty kill has fallen into a rut as of late, having surrendered power play markers in each of its last five games, going 12-for-17 (70.6%). Unfortunately, the Nailers have experienced similar difficulties when playing shorthanded, having allowed 18 power play goals in their last 14 games, going 38-for-56 (67.9%).

The Series That Changed History

When the Johnstown Chiefs first relocated to Greenville and became the Road Warriors, the Nailers had a difficult time gaining an upper hand, as Greenville won each of the first six head-to-head meetings. In the spring of 2011, Wheeling began to turn things around, thanks to a thrilling seven-game playoff series, which ultimately led the Nailers into the Eastern Conference Final. Since then, the two teams have met up nine times, with Wheeling coming away victorious in seven of those contests. The Nailers are 4-1-1 in their last six games at Bon Secours Wellness Arena (formerly BI-LO Center), dating back to game seven.

Check out the Wheeling Nailers Statistics



ECHL Stories from January 17, 2014


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