ECHL Wheeling Nailers

Nailers End Quad City's Home Winning Streak

December 18, 2015 - ECHL (ECHL)
Wheeling Nailers News Release


MOLINE, IL - The Quad City Mallards entered Friday night's contest having won eight straight games at iWireless Center, while posting a 10-0-1 record in their last 11 games on home ice. Thanks to the Wheeling Nailers, those streaks are now over. Franky Palazzese stood on his head with a 39-save performance, while Mathew Maione and Derek Army both had two-point nights, as the Nailers defeated the Mallards, 4-1, climbing over .500 on the road.

After a scoreless first period, the Nailers opened the scoring at the 7:38 mark of the middle frame. Mathew Maione intercepted a pass at his own blueline, and quickly turned defense into offense, with a rush up the left side of the ice. Once he got to the dot, Maione let a wrist shot go, squeezing it through Steve Michalek's legs. Later in the stanza, the visitors upped their advantage. After Quad City missed wide shorthanded, Wheeling flew back on an odd-man rush in the other direction. John McCarron feathered a pass through to Derek Army, who roofed a wrist shot from low in the slot.

The Mallards turned up the pressure in the third period, but the Nailers held their ground, and added an insurance marker with 4:45 remaining. Army led the charge on the left side, before cutting to the middle with a pass to Anton Zlobin, which got deflected to Zack Torquato. Torquato punched home his team-leading 12th of the campaign. Guillaume Gelinas' rebound goal at 19:12 foiled Wheeling's bid for a shutout, but the three-goal margin stood for a 4-1 final, thanks to John McCarron's empty netter with seven seconds to go.

Franky Palazzese was stellar in goal, turning aside 39 of 40 shots, earning the win for Wheeling. Steve Michalek also played well, but suffered the loss for Quad City, despite making 35 saves on 38 shots.

The Nailers and Mallards will collide again on Saturday at 8:05, before the teams head to the holiday break. Wheeling will begin a season-long seven-game homestand on December 27th, when the Kalamazoo Wings visit for a 4:05 face-off. New Year's Eve (December 31 - Cowbell Giveaway), Throwback Night (January 2 - $7 tickets, Thunderbirds Jerseys), and Princess & Pirates Night (January 9th) are all featured on the upcoming schedule.

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