ECHL Wheeling Nailers

Nailers at Walleye Game Day Snap Shot

January 25, 2015 - ECHL (ECHL)
Wheeling Nailers News Release


Wheeling Nailers (19-19-0-0, 38 PTS) at Toledo Walleye (26-6-3-2, 57 PTS)

WHEELING NAILERS

(19-19-0-0, 38 PTS, 4th North, 10th East)

115 GF, 121 GA

PP: 19.9% (29-for-146), 7th

PK: 84.9% (135-for-159), 7th

23-F-Riley Brace (10 goals, 27 assists, 37 points in 27 games)

16-F-Derek Army (17 goals, 16 assists, 33 points in 38 games)

15-F-Zack Torquato (10 goals, 20 assists, 30 points in 26 games)

12-F-David Gilbert (11 goals, 13 assists, 24 points in 35 games)

3-D-Morgan Ellis (10 goals, 11 assists, 21 points in 30 games)

14-D-Tristin Llewellyn (4 goals, 11 assists, 15 points in 32 games)

98-F-Chaz Johnson (8 goals, 6 assists, 14 points in 33 games)

29-G-Franky Palazzese (9-12-0 record, 3.48 GAA, .889 Sv% in 22 games)

TOLEDO WALLEYE

(26-6-3-2, 57 PTS, 2nd North, 2nd East)

154 GF, 99 GA

PP: 23.7% (32-for-135), 1st

PK: 88.1% (111-for-126), 2nd

7-F-Tyler Barnes (15 goals, 27 assists, 42 points in 36 games)

11-F-Anthony Luciani (18 goals, 20 assists, 38 points in 36 games)

9-F-Troy Schwab (9 goals, 23 assists, 32 points in 36 games)

16-F-Justin Mercier (14 goals, 15 assists, 29 points in 35 games)

28-F-Kyle Bonis (18 goals, 8 assists, 26 points in 33 games)

19-F-Martin Frk (14 goals, 12 assists, 26 points in 21 games)

24-D-Shane Sims (5 goals, 10 assists, 15 points in 32 games)

1-G-Jeff Lerg (18-3-2 record, 2.39 GAA, .919 Sv% in 23 games)

Head-to-Head

Season Series: Walleye 1, Nailers 0

Season Series at Huntington Center: First Meeting

All-Time Series: Nailers 24, Walleye 20

All-Time Series at Huntington Center: Walleye 11, Nailers 7

Great Crowd, Not So Great Result

The Wheeling Nailers welcomed their third largest crowd of the season to WesBanco Arena on Saturday night, as nearly 4,000 fans took in the game between they and the Fort Wayne Komets. Unfortunately, celebrations were kept to a minimum, as the Komets ended their season long three-game losing streak by halting Wheeling's attack for a 4-1 win. Fort Wayne grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first period on goals by CJ Severyn and Christian Ouellet, before Brett Perlini added to the advantage with a shorthanded tally in the second. Shawn Szydlowski capped the Komets scoring in the final stanza with an empty netter, before Derek Army collected his team leading 17th marker of the season for the lone goal by the Nailers. Garrett Bartus (19 saves) defeated Franky Palazzese (26 saves) in the goaltending match-up.

Allen Stops the Streak

The Toledo Walleye carried a nine-game unbeaten streak during regulation into Saturday night, when they took on the Central Division's Allen Americans for the first time in team history. Kyle Rogers needed only 1:52 to open the scoring for the Walleye, who maintained their lead until the 8:47 mark of the middle frame, when Jamie Schaafsma drew the Americans even. Allen eventually snapped the deadlock at the 1:10 mark of the third period, when Gary Steffes put the visitors ahead with his 26th goal of the campaign. Rylan Schwartz added an empty netter for a 3-1 final score, which was backstopped by Riley Gill's 21 saves. Neil Conway suffered his first regulation loss of the season, making 24 saves for Toledo.

Look Out for Llewellyn

A trade was completed earlier in the weekend between the Nailers and Gwinnett Gladiators, featuring a pair of defensemen swapping addresses. Wheeling sent Zach Yuen to the Gladiators, in exchange for Tristin Llewellyn, who is expected to make his debut with the club on Sunday afternoon. Llewellyn, a graduate of the University of Michigan and an Ann Arbor native, has appeared in 92 career games at the ECHL level, picking up six goals, 17 assists, 23 points, and 116 penalty minutes. 2014-15 has been the most productive campaign for Tristin, who produced four goals and 15 points prior to the deal. The 25-year old will be looking for similar results to Yuen, who recorded a goal and an assist in Gwinnett's 4-3 overtime win over Florida on Saturday night.

That's a Special Team... or Two

With only six regulation losses in 2014-15, it should be expected that a lot of areas have been successful for the Walleye in the first half of the regular season. Two specific departments have been their special teams, as Toledo enters Sunday's affair with the top power play in the ECHL, having converted on 32 of 135 attempts for a 23.7% success rate. While the offense has dominated (154 goals for rank 2nd), the defense can't be overlooked, as the Walleye possess the second best penalty kill, having thwarted 111 of 126 opposition opportunites for an 88.1% success rate. The 99 goals allowed by Toledo are the second fewest in the ECHL, trailing Allen by one. Both of Wheeling's special teams rank seventh in the league, but the Nailers have surrendered ten shorthanded goals, which is tied for second most.

Hello, Huntington Center

Sunday afternoon marks the second of seven head-to-head meetings between the Nailers and Walleye this season, as well as the first of three battles between the two clubs at Huntington Center. The lone previous clash took place on December 10th, when Wheeling limited Toledo to just 15 shots on goal, but fell 4-2, as Tyler Barnes broke a 2-2 tie with 8:04 remaining in the third period. Last season, the Nailers and Walleye got together on ten occasions, with Wheeling coming out on top in each of the final six, winning the season series, 7-3. This will be the 45th all-time meeting, since Toledo rejoined the ECHL in 2009, but only the 19th of those tilts that will take place in Northwest Ohio.

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 player 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.

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 January 25, 2015


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