ECHL Wheeling Nailers

Nailers at Royals Game Day Snap Shot

February 4, 2015 - ECHL (ECHL)
Wheeling Nailers News Release


Wheeling Nailers (20-21-0-0, 40 PTS) at Reading Royals (28-13-1-1, 58 PTS)

WHEELING NAILERS

(20-21-0-0, 40 PTS, 5th North, 11th East)

124 GF, 131 GA

PP: 19.1% (30-for-157), 7th

PK: 84.2% (144-for-171), 8th

23-F-Riley Brace (11 goals, 28 assists, 39 points in 30 games)

16-F-Derek Army (18 goals, 18 assists, 36 points in 41 games)

15-F-Zack Torquato (10 goals, 23 assists, 33 points in 29 games)

12-F-David Gilbert (12 goals, 15 assists, 27 points in 38 games)

3-D-Morgan Ellis (12 goals, 11 assists, 23 points in 33 games)

98-F-Chaz Johnson (9 goals, 6 assists, 15 points in 36 games)

21-F-Jean Sebastien Dea (9 goals, 10 assists, 19 points in 37 AHL games)

30-G-Eric Hartzell (10-7-0 record, 2.65 GAA, .914 Sv% in 17 games)

READING ROYALS

(28-13-1-1, 58 PTS, 2nd East, 4th East)

154 GF, 127 GA

PP: 18.8% (36-for-192), 10th

PK: 83.3% (125-for-150), 11th

14-F-Pat Mullane (14 goals, 30 assists, 44 points in 43 games)

28-F-Cam Reid (17 goals, 21 assists, 38 points in 43 games)

13-F-Olivier Labelle (16 goals, 21 assists, 37 points in 43 games)

17-F-Adam Hughesman (14 goals, 22 assists, 36 points in 40 games)

16-F-Ryan Cruthers (9 goals, 24 assists, 33 points in 42 games)

27-F-David Marshall (12 goals, 16 assists, 28 points in 32 games)

2-D-Mike Marcou (4 goals, 22 assists, 26 points in 42 games)

30-G-Connor Knapp (14-7-0 record, 2.93 GAA, .903 Sv% in 23 games)

Head-to-Head

Season Series: Nailers 4, Royals 4

Season Series at Santander Arena: Royals 4, Nailers 0

All-Time Series: Royals 79, Nailers 60

All-Time Series at Santander Arena: Royals 44, Nailers 27

No Shift in Standings

The Wheeling Nailers played a pivitol two-game series last weekend against the Kalamazoo Wings, whom they trailed by one point for the fourth and final playoff spot in the North Division Standings. Wheeling made a strong case for itself in the opening game, as Morgan Ellis scored a pair of goals, while Franky Palazzese made 32 saves in a 4-1 triumph at Wings Stadium. However, Kalamazoo bounced back the following night, as Justin Taylor's second tally of the night broke a 3-3 tie in the third period, lifting the host Wings to the 4-3 win. Derek Army, Riley Brace, David Gilbert, Chaz Johnson, and Tyler Murovich were the other goal scorers for the Nailers during the two-game set, while Palazzese was the goaltender of record in both contests.

Royals Still Rolling

The Reading Royals enjoyed tremendous success during the months of December and January, climbing into sole possession of second place in the East Division. Reading enters Wednesday evening on a seven-game winning streak, while the club has rattled of victories in 19 of its last 24 contests, dating back to December 7th. Six of the most recent wins by the Royals came on the road (where they are 16-5-1 overall), including each of the last five, after two and three-game sweeps respectively through the East and North Divisions. In its three games last week, Reading outscored the opposition 15-5, defeating Evansville, Indy, and Cincinnati. Connor Knapp has been between the pipes for five of the seven games, while Olivier Labelle, Maxim Lamarche, and Cam Reid each have ten points.

Army Performed a New Trick

Derek Army continued his stellar rookie campaign last weekend, picking up a goal and an assist, raising his season totals to 18 goals, 18 assists, and 36 points in 41 games. On Saturday night, Army added a different element to his game, as he dropped the gloves with Kalamazoo's Dane Fox, earning the first fighting major of his professional career. With the goal, assist, and fight all taking place in the same contest, Derek became the first Nailer to record a Gordie Howe Hat Trick since March 17th, 2013, when Zack Torquato accomplished the feat at Toledo.

Two New Faces From the A

In addition to the return of Eric Hartzell to the Wheeling crease for Wednesday's game, the Nailers will see two players make their ECHL debuts, after starting the season with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Jean-Sebastien Dea is a 20-year old forward, who has accumulated nine goals and 19 points in 37 AHL games, following a QMJHL career that was loaded with goals. Dea lit the lamp over 40 times in each of his final two campaigns with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, including a 49-goal output in 2013-14. Josh Archibald is a 22-year old forward, who found the back of the net once at the end of last season, before starting this year with two goals and six points in 31 games. Archibald spent three seasons at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, with his most productive campaign coming in 2013-14, when he racked up 29 goals and 43 points.

When Will Law of Averages Arrive

Wednesday night marks the ninth of 12 head-to-head meetings between the Nailers and Royals this season, as well as the fifth of six battles between the two clubs at Santander Arena. In an extremely strange twist, each of the first eight games have been decided in favor of the home team, with Wheeling going 4-0-0 in West Virginia, and Reading posting a 4-0-0 mark in Pennsylvania. This will be the first of two games in February, as the two sides will meet again on the 13th at WesBanco Arena. The last set of games was a home-and-home split, which saw the Royals take a 5-2 final score on January 7th, before the Nailers rebounded with a 6-5 victory two nights later. Ryan Cruthers (2-7-9) and Derek Army (3-4-7) lead the respective squads in head-to-head scoring.

The Nailers will play a three-game homestand on February 6th, 7th, and 8th.

Friday the 6th is a 7:35 game against Toledo, featuring Flat Screen Friday, Frosty Friday, and a Morgan Ellis poster giveaway.

Saturday the 7th is Duck Dynasty Night at 8:05 against Cincinnati, with an appearance by Jep Robertson from A&E's highest rated television show. That evening will feature a beard contest and a duck call contest, as well as Nailers camouflage t-shirts available for purchase at the team store.

Sunday the 8th is a 4:05 face-off against Elmira, and after the game, fans can join the Nailers for a post game skate. Kids tickets for that contest will be $5, and the Oglebay Good Zoo will have an exhibit in the concourse.

Wheeling Nailers 2014-15 season tickets, flex tickets, group tickets and single-game tickets are on sale now. For more information, call 304-234-GOAL or visit wheelingnailers.com.

Listen to all Nailers regular season and post-season games live on the Valley's rock station EAGLE 107.5 FM, on www.iheartradio.com or watch live on www.echl.tv. Catch every road game live on WLUTV on Comcast Cable 14.

Check out the Wheeling Nailers Statistics



ECHL Stories from February 4, 2015


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