ECHL Wheeling Nailers

Nailers Blast 39 Shots But Fall 5-3 At Reading

Published on February 14, 2010 under ECHL (ECHL)
Wheeling Nailers News Release


Reading, PA - The Wheeling Nailers opened their seven game road trip with a Valentine's Day 5-3 loss at the Reading Royals. Kyle Bushee, Andrew Lord and Chris Davis all lit the lamp for the Nailers while Michael-Lee Teslak was pinned with the setback. The Nailers peppered away on Royals goalie Matt Dalton for 39 shots including 14 blasts in their 3rd period comeback efforts but were unable to get enough past him.

Reading jumped out to a 2-0 lead with back to back goals less than a minute apart midway into the 1st period by Ben Gordon and Charlie Kronschnabel.

Ryan Schnell took a couple minor penalties and Aaron Boogaard and Andrew Lord both dropped the gloves against Scott Langdon and Chris Clark which appeared to ignite the Nailers. Jordan Fox raced up ice on a stretch pass from Chris Davis and flipped it to his left for Kyle Bushee to slam home the one-timer on a shorthanded rush to get the Nailers on the board. It was Bushee's 5th of the year and the Nailers' 10th shorthanded tally of the season, 2nd in the ECHL.

Three minutes later Andrew Lord carried it around the goal and worked his way back out in front on a fine individual effort to stuff in his 11th of the season with 1:32 remaining in the 1st period tying the game at 2-2.

Reading's Ryan Cruthers raced up the right-wing and blasted a shot off the post on the short side past Teslak. He found the puck again moments later in the left-wing circle and cut his way straight to the goal to jam it through Teslak's skates for his 14th of the year 8:23 into the 2nd giving Reading the lead again 3-2.

Chris Clark received a game misconduct for boarding Blair Yaworski late in the 2nd period and the Nailers had three minutes of power play time from the end of the 2nd period and into the beginning of the 3rd. Wheeling had a few good chances steered away by Matt Dalton and then the Royals Kronschnabel deflected a drive from the point from Dinos Stamoulis into the net to give Reading a little breathing room at 4-2. It was Kronschnabel's second goal of the game in his first game back after a call-up to Hershey of the AHL.

Yannick Riendeau would be another new addition to the Royals to score in his first game as he tucked in a wrap-around on Teslak at 8:31 to extended Reading's advantage to 5-2.

Wheeling kept coming in their comeback efforts and Chris Davis had a shot perhaps partly blocked by a Royals stick and over the shoulder of Dalton at 14:08 to pull the Nailers to within 5-3. Mitch Ganzak assisted on the goal for his 31st helper of the season, most among ECHL blueliners.

The Nailers pulled Teslak with 2:19 remaining for the extra attacker but were unable to seriously threaten Dalton in their 6-on-5 run.

The Nailers fall to 26-23-4 with 56 points. Wheeling is tied for 7th place in the American Conference with Toledo with 56 points apiece. The Reading Royals closed to within 2 points of the Nailers as they evened the season series at 1-1.

Wheeling was without Dan Henningson and Cliff Loya who were both out with injuries as well as Aaron Clarke who missed the game for personal reasons. The Nailers were also without goalie Adam Berkhoel who got the win earlier in the afternoon for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in the AHL. Equipment Manager Billy Higgins again served as the team's Emergency Backup Goalie behind Teslak.

Berkhoel was called up when John Curry went up to Pittsburgh due to an injury to Brent Johnson. With the Pittsburgh Penguins now on the Olympic Break it is expected the Nailers should get one of the goalies back.

Congratulations to Brad Thiessen who picked up his first AHL shutout Saturday night for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in a 5-0 win over the Hershey Bears. Thiessen's 29 save performance ended Hershey's 11 games win streak and was only Hershey's second loss in their last 25 games.

Wheeling will have a few days off to get back on track before continuing their road trip next weekend with a pair of games at Cincinnati. The Nailers will play three of their next four games against the North Division leading Cyclones.

Wheeling's next home games are March 5th through 7th on a 3-in-3 weekend including a WTRF Friday Family Four Pack night on March 5th and an O.V. McBear Bobblehead giveaway night on March 6th and finishing with a Sunday Family FunDay and post-game open skate with the Nailers as part of every Sunday home game.

Call the Nailers at 304-234-GOAL or toll-free at 1-877-NAIL-TIX. Get your tickets online at the team's website at wheelingnailers.com.

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ECHL Stories from February 14, 2010


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