Nailers battle back to earn point
March 20, 2009 - ECHL (ECHL)
Wheeling Nailers News Release
WHEELING, W.Va. - Entering the third period down by three goals, the Wheeling Nailers battled all the way back to send the game into overtime only to see Jim Henkemeyer score the game-winning goal in the ninth round of a shootout for a 4-3 Dayton win.
Mitch Ganzak gave the Nailers a 1-0 lead in second round of the shootout, but Justin Chwedoruk tied it in the third before Henkemeyer netted the game-winner.
The second period belonged to the Bombers, who built up a 3-0 lead.
Ryan Smyth scored the first goal of the game at the 11:20 mark of the second period on a pass from Nino Musitelli right in front of Wheeling goaltender Curtis Darling. It was Smyth's 17th goal of the game, and Chwedoruk was credited with the second assist.
Chwedoruk made it 2-0 less than two minutes later when he scored an unassisted goal. Chwedoruk's goal also came right in front of Darling. Christian Gaudet's 11th goal of the 2008-09 campaign with less than two minutes remaining in the second frame upped Dayton's lead to 3-0. Jarret Lukin and Musitelli assisted on the goal.
Just as the Bombers owned the second period, the Nailers dominated the third period.
Center Kelly Miller got the Nailers on the board early in the third when he rifled a high slapper from the top of the far faceoff circle past David Shantz's glove side. Defenseman Scott Kalinchuk, signed today, recorded his first professional assist on Miller's goal. Reid Cashman scored on a sharp-angle wrister that handcuffed Shantz with a little under nine minutes to go in the game on an assist from Brock Sheehan. It was Cashman's sixth goal of the season with the Nailers. Billy Ryan got the equalizer with just over five minutes remaining in regulation when he slammed home a backdoor pass from Bryan Ewing.
Wheeling went 0-for-7 on the power play while Dayton was 0-for-4.
Darling made 35 saves including a few spectacular ones down the stretch to keep the Nailers in it. Shantz turned aside 33 shots.
The Nailers continue their weekend home stand tomorrow at 7:35 p.m. when they host the Reading Royals. The first 2,500 fans in attendance tomorrow will receive a free B.E. Taylor bobble head courtesy of OVMC and WTRF. Immediately following the game, the purple jerseys that the Nailers wore tonight, and will wear again tomorrow night, will be auctioned off. All proceeds from the auction go directly to the American Cancer Society. In addition, B.E. Taylor will perform a one hour concert. Relay at the Rink Weekend is sponsored by Consol Energy, Ogden Newspapers and Whitesides.
ECHL Stories from March 20, 2009
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- Chiefs take bite out of Jackals - Johnstown Chiefs
- Nailers battle back to earn point - Wheeling Nailers
- Blades pull out 4-3 shootout win over Charlotte - Florida Everblades
- Stingrays Clinch Playoffs Behind Reimer's Second Straight Shutout - South Carolina Stingrays
- Shootout loss for Checkers against Florida - Charlotte Checkers
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- Riemer, Stingrays defeat Sea Wolves, 3-0 - Mississippi Sea Wolves
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- Rays Host Mississippi Tonight at 7:05 p.m. - South Carolina Stingrays
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- Salmon Kings Continue Final Regular Season Home Stand - Victoria Salmon Kings
- Bakersfield Condors vs. Utah Grizzlies - Bakersfield Condors
- ECHL Today - ECHL
- Nailers Gold Jersey Auction Ends Today - Wheeling Nailers
- Lukin Returns to Dayton from Rochester - Dayton Bombers
- Stingrays Add Pair of Forwards - South Carolina Stingrays
- Thunder thwarted on May's career-high four goals, natural hat trick - Stockton Thunder
- RoadRunners Topple Aces 3-1 - Phoenix RoadRunners
- Aces Win Streak Ends in Phoenix, 3-1 - Alaska Aces
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