ECHL Wheeling Nailers

Nailers drop weekend finale at Johnstown 5-2

Published on February 15, 2009 under ECHL (ECHL)
Wheeling Nailers News Release


Bryan "Boomer" Ewing started off the day in style with his team leading 33rd goal of the season just 40 seconds into the game but the Nailers couldn't hang on as they fell at the Johnstown Chiefs 5-2 Sunday afternoon. The Nailers held the lead for the majority of the game but the Chiefs late surge pushed them on to the win.

It was the first time this year the Nailers have lost at Johnstown as neither home team had won in the series this year. Johnstown takes the lead in the season series 4 games to 3.

Andrew Sarauer and Petr Pohl led the Chiefs attack with two goals apiece.

Andrew Lord and Bo Cheesman won it away on the right-wing side and found a cutting Bryan Ewing up the middle to fire in his 3rd goal of the weekend since returning to the Nailers from the AHL's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Baby Pens. Ewing is 3rd in the league in goals with 33 and 2nd in the league in points with 64 trailing only Florida's Kevin Baker with 76.

Wheeling held a 1-0 advantage after one that lasted well into the 2nd period. Johnstown didn't score until the 15:44 mark of the middle period when Andrew Sarauer converted on a 3-on-1 rush to tie the game at 1-1 after 2.

In the early minutes of the 3rd period Sarauer would score again to give the Chiefs their first lead of the day.

Midway through the 3rd the Nailers were on the power play and thought they had tied the game when Ewing's feed from the left-wing connected with Andrew Lord on the doorstep for the chip-in. The goal was disallowed as the cage had been pushed forward as the shot was coming. Justice was served for the Nailers a few moments later as their power play continued when John Grecu spun and fired a shot past Chiefs goalie Ian Kesserich to tie the game at 2-2 at 10:28 of the 3rd. The power play tally was Grecu's 5th of the year.

The tie only lasted 11 seconds however as the Chiefs surged into the Nailers zone and Petr Pohl blasted home a shot past Darling to give Johnstown the lead for good at 3-2. Pohl would score again about 2 minutes later for a 4-2 lead.

With both teams short a man in the penalty box the Nailers pulled goalie Curtis Darling late for a 5-on-4 extra-attacker. Blair Yaworski flipped a backhander from the right point into the open net with 30 seconds remaining to seal the win for the Chiefs.

This was the 158th all-time meeting between the Nailers and the Chiefs in the league's longest rivalry. The Nailers the all-time series 82-58-18.

Wheeling is midway through an 8 game road-trip which is their longest of the season.

The Nailers have a few days off to rest up and recover from their tough stretch of 4 games in 5 days. They have another set of 4 games in 5 days on the second half of their road trip beginning next weekend. From Friday, February 20th through Tuesday, February 25th the Nailers will have 3 games at the surging Trenton Devils and 1 game at the Reading Royals. Trenton is trying to catch the Nailers to move into the top 4 in the North Division in the upcoming 3 game showdown series between the two teams.

Wheeling's next home games are Friday, Feb 27 and Saturday, Feb 28. The Feb 27 game against the Dayton Bombers is Friday Family Four-Pack night. Get 4 tickets, 4 sodas, 4 hot dogs and a large popcorn all for only $44. The Feb 28 game against the Elmira Jackals is City of Wheeling night at WesBanco Arena. The first 2500 fans in attendance get a Coal Miner Spike Bobblehead courtesy of Consol Energy.

For more information contact the Nailers at 304-234-GOAL (that's 234-4625) or log on at wheelingnailers.com.

Check out the Wheeling Nailers Statistics

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ECHL Stories from February 15, 2009


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