Nailers Edge Gladiators in Overtime, 3-2
Published on October 28, 2011 under ECHL (ECHL)
Wheeling Nailers News Release
WHEELING, WV- The Wheeling Nailers and Gwinnett Gladiators played a game on Friday night that needed a bit of extra time to be decided. When it was finally decided, it was the Nailers who came out victorious. 4:18 into overtime, Zack Torquato snapped home a power play goal, lifting his team to a 3-2 win in front of 2,034 excited fans at WesBanco Arena.
The first period of the game featured very few whistles, leading to a lot of open play. Late in the frame, the Nailers took one of those whistles to open the scoring. Wheeling was controlling the play, after an icing call forced the Gladiators into having tired players on the ice. Two shifts later, Christiaan Minella swung the puck around the left boards back to Olivier Dame-Malka at the left point. Dame-Malka sent a shot in toward the net that got deflected in by Chris Kushneriuk for his first tally of the season.
Early in the second period, the Gladiators evened the score. While playing shorthanded, Joey Haddad led an odd-man rush up the left side of the ice. As he got close to the goal, Haddad slipped a pass through the slot to Corey Fienhage, who tapped the puck in on the right side of the net. Later in the stanza, Wheeling regained the lead. After buzzing around the zone for a significant period of time, Matt Lombardi tossed a pass out to Andrew Hotham at the left point. Hotham kept his wrist shot along the ice, finding the twine through Marc Cheverie's pads for his first professional goal.
A little less than eight minutes into the third period, Gwinnett drew even once again. Shane Sims took a shot from the right point that got deflected down and into the goal by Chris Clackson. Clackson's first of the year ended up sending the two clubs into overtime.
3:45 into the extra session, Zach Hansen's rush toward the net forced a penalty against the Gladiators' Tyler Helfrich. On the ensuing power play, the Nailers cashed in, as Zack Torquato beat Cheverie with a wrist shot through the leg pads from the left face-off circle.
Torquato's first goal of the season made a winner out of Peter Delmas, who stopped 21 of the 23 shots he faced in his first start of the year for the Nailers. Marc Cheverie took the overtime loss for the Gladiators, making 33 saves on 36 shots.
The Nailers will continue their homestand on Saturday night at 7:35, when they play host to the Trenton Titans.
ECHL Stories from October 28, 2011
- Aces Fall to Grizzlies 3-2 - Alaska Aces
- Royals pull out Win in Trenton, 5-4 - Reading Royals
- Express Fall to Wings 3-1 - Chicago Express
- Kalamazoo Defeats Chicago 3-1 - Kalamazoo Wings
- Stingrays Power Past Jackals 5-2 - South Carolina Stingrays
- Penalties Mar Jackals' 5-2 Loss to Stingrays - Elmira Jackals
- Glads Sunk in OT, 3-2 - Atlanta Gladiators
- Join Idaho's "Rat Pack" - Idaho Steelheads
- Defenseman Ray Macias Returned to Reading - Reading Royals
- Road Warriors Out-Slug Everblades - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- Nailers Edge Gladiators in Overtime, 3-2 - Wheeling Nailers
- Game Preview: Stockton Thunder at Ontario Reign - Stockton Thunder
- Stingrays Gameday: Stingrays Look to Take Bite out of Jackals Tonight - South Carolina Stingrays
- Condors Vs. Idaho Tonight - Bakersfield Condors
- Game Preview: Express Vs. Kalamazoo Tonight - Chicago Express
- Greenville Road Warriors Game Preview - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- Nailers Game Preview: Gwinnett Vs. Wheeling - Wheeling Nailers
- Strong Returns From Wolves - Kalamazoo Wings
- Countdown to Face-Off - Kalamazoo Wings
- Jackals Game Preview: Elmira Vs. South Carolina - Elmira Jackals
- ECHL Today - October 28 - ECHL
- Eagles Edge Wranglers 5-3 in First-Ever Meeting - Las Vegas Wranglers
- Eagles Surge in 3rd Again for Comeback Win in Vegas - Colorado Eagles
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
