Nailers Conclude Preseason With 3-2 Win Over Chiefs
October 10, 2009 - ECHL (ECHL)
Wheeling Nailers News Release
The Wheeling Nailers built a 3-0 lead early in the 3rd period and then had to hold on for a 3-2 win in the team's final preseason tune-up at Johnstown on Saturday night. Kevin Schmidt, Corey Courturier and T.J. Fox all scored for the Nailers and Jordan Fox had a pair of assists. Jordan Parise made a number of nice saves for the win.
Kevin Schmidt hit the post on a power play shot in the 1st period and after T.J. Fox shot it perhaps off the post again the puck bounced back to Schmidt who was this time able to fire it home past the scrambling Chiefs goalie Kris Mayotte. Schmidt's power play goal at 10:02 of the 1st gave the Nailers a 1-0 lead. Schmidt is a rookie out of Bowling Green.
Wheeling kept the pressure on through much of the 1st outshooting the Chiefs 14-6. But it was Johnstown who got the best chances in the 2nd period with several power plays and outshooting the Nailers 15-5. Parise made several fine saves but also received help from Jordan Alford who had to step in for 3 minutes of work and made 6 saves while Parise was back in the locker room briefly tending to an equipment issue.
The Nailers started off with a bang in the 3rd period with Jordan Fox carrying it almost to the goal-line to the left of the cage and then smartly dropping for Corey Courturier in the slot who was able to slam home his 2nd goal of the preseason. Courturier's goal at 0:57 gave the Nailers a 2-0 lead. He's another rookie trying to make this team out of Ferris State University.
Johnstown was on the power play a couple minutes later but after it was briefly fumbled in the neutral zone by the Chiefs it was T.J. Fox who was able to pounce on the opportunity and race out of there with it to convert on the shorthanded breakaway at 2:46 for what proved to be the game-winning goal giving the Nailers a 3-0 lead at the time. T. J. Fox is assigned to the Nailers by the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins and has spent the past two seasons with the Worcester Sharks of the AHL.
Trailing 3-0, the Johnstown Chiefs stepped up the pressure in the closing minutes to make things more interesting than Wheeling would have liked. Matt Robinson picked up a rebound off his own shot and fired it over Parise at 15:38 to break up the shutout with a 4-on-4 goal and get Johnstown on the board at 3-1.
Wheeling took a pair of late penalties and Johnstown pulled their goalie to set up a 6-on-3 attack which led to a goal over Parise's glove by Jarrett Konkle between the circles at 18:54 to make it a 1 goal game with a little over a minute left.
Johnstown had a 6-on-4 attack for the rest of the game but didn't seriously challenge Parise after that as the Nailers hung on for the 3-2 victory.
The Wheeling penalty kill was terrific on the night holding Johnstown to 1-for-9 on the power-play with the only blemish being the late 6-on-3 goal. Wheeling went 1-4 on the power play. Johnstown outshot Wheeling 33-29 in the contest.
Nailers Notes: The Nailers had two scratches for the game. Thomas Beauregard and Dan Heningson didn't dress.
Wheeling expects to get a couple more players from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton perhaps Monday or Tuesday. With the new players arriving Coach Puhalski will likely have to make a couple more cuts.
Players who were cut earlier in the day included Mike Grenzy, Annti Jaatinen and Kevin Seibel. Players who were cut earlier in the week included Chase Watson, Braden Walls and Justin White.
The Nailers will host a team Meet and Greet at the River City Ale Works in Wheeling on Tuesday, October 20th at 6pm. C'mon out and meet the 2009-2010 Wheeling Nailers just a few days before their home opener.
The Nailers open the regular season Friday, October 16th at the South Carolina Stingrays and will also have a pair of games at the Gwinnett Gladiators on that trip on Saturday and Sunday, October 17th and 18th.
The Wheeling Nailers officially open the 2009-2010 campaign on October 16th at the South Carolina Stingrays. The home opener for the 18th season of professional hockey in the Friendly City is October 23rd when the Nailers host the Cincinnati Cyclones. The first 2500 fans in attendance get a Wheeling Nailers season magnet schedule courtesy of Stoney Hollow Tire. Get your WTRF-Friday Family 4-Packs in advance and get great value! 4 tickets, 4 sodas 4 tickets and a large popcorn for only $44.
Home opening weekend continues on Sunday, October 25th against the Elmira Jackals at 6:35. It's a Sunday Family FunDay featuring an open post-game skate with the Nailers players. Be sure to bring your skates and gloves. It's also an NFL Sunday Special. Wear an NFL jersey to the game for a special $10 adult ticket.
Season tickets are on sale now for all 36 exciting Nailers home games at WesBanco Arena. Great season ticket plans are available for every budget. Also take advantage of the Nailers new $87 package for 7 Nailers home games. Call the Wheeling Nailers at (304) 234-GOAL, that's 234-4625. Or log on to wheelingnailers.com for more information.
ECHL Stories from October 10, 2009
- Grizzlies Drop Preseason Finale In Idaho - Utah Grizzlies
- Nailers Conclude Preseason With 3-2 Win Over Chiefs - Wheeling Nailers
- Powered-up Jackals beat Reading in preseason opener - Elmira Jackals
- Chiefs fall to Nailers - Johnstown Chiefs
- Everblades Beat Gwinnett, 6-5 - Atlanta Gladiators
- Gladiators Drop Final PreSeason Game in Florida 6-5 - Atlanta Gladiators
- Cyclones Claim 7-4 Win at Toledo - Cincinnati Cyclones
- Checkers Sweep Stingrays In Preseason Series - Charlotte Checkers
- Bakersfield Condors vs. Stockton Thunder tonight - Bakersfield Condors
- Stingrays Attack Falls Short in 3-2 Loss to Checkers - South Carolina Stingrays
- ECHL Transactions - ECHL
- Cyclones Forward Chris Mueller Returned - Cincinnati Cyclones
- "Grizzlies Live" Radio Show Debuts Tuesday at Ruby Tuesday - Utah Grizzlies
- Reign Tops Wranglers in Shootout, 4-3 - Ontario Reign
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