ECHL Wheeling Nailers

Nailers Fall 5-3 To Split Weekend Series

Published on November 21, 2009 under ECHL (ECHL)
Wheeling Nailers News Release


Wheeling, WV - The Wheeling Nailers led in the 2nd period 3-1 on a pair of Mitch Ganzak goals but could not hold the lead as the Elmira Jackals responded with 4 unanswered goals in the 2nd half of the game for a 5-3 decision. Tyler Donati took over the league lead in scoring with a pair of goals to pace the Elmira attack.

Ganzak had just returned to the Nailers earlier in the afternoon along with T.J. Fox who both had brief one game call-ups to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL. The Miami (Ohio) University product in his second season with the Nailers responded with his first professional multi-goal game.

Ganzak converted on a 2-on-1 rush with Aaron Clarke opting to shoot it himself while Clarke was covered beating Jackals goalie Chris Holt to the blocker side on the far post tying the game at 1-1.

The Nailers converted on another 2-on-1 rush with less than 6 seconds remaining in the 1st period when Chris Davis raced up the right-wing and had his shot blocked away by Holt but right onto the stick of Jordan Fox who was able to backhand it home for his 3rd of the year.

Ganzak would take the puck from the right wing and circle to the other side of the crease beating Holt to the other post allowing him to fling in his 2nd of the night and 3rd of the season to give the Nailers a 3-1 lead.

Aaron Clarke took a nice drop from Chris Capraro a few minutes later and rang it square off the post on the near side on Holt just missing a chance to give Wheeling a 4-1 advantage.

Elmira seized the momentum after that closing the gap to 3-2 on a Yannick Tifu goal on a scramble in the slot midway through the 2nd. Tifu was teammates with Nailers goalie Adam Berkhoel in 2006-07 on the Dayton Bombers.

Tyler Donati's second of the game came 5:09 into the 3rd from the right-wing dot as he rung it off the underside of the crossbar over the shoulder of Berkhoel to tie the game at 3-3.

Travis Gawyletz got the game-winner on a slapshot at 12:44 into the 3rd while two Nailers were sitting in the box. The 5-on-3 power play goal gave the Jackals a 4-3 lead. Aaron Clarke had been tagged for a tripping minor and with 25 seconds remaining on his penalty Ganzak was forced to take a hooking penalty while Elmira was all over the crease and ready to put it in.

The Nailers went on the power with over 5 minutes left in the 3rd to try to get the tying goal but couldn't find the back of the net.

Olivier Proulx scored from the slot flinging it over the prone body of Berkhoel who was scrambling and knocking away Elmira drives. Proulx's goal with 1:31 left sealed the win for Elmira in a 5-3 final.

The Nailers outshot the Jackals 32-25. Wheeling was 1-for-7 on the power play while Elmira went 1-for-5.

Wheeling is 1-2-0 against the Jackals on the season and split the weekend series in upstate New York. Wheeling is 5-8-2 while Elmira improved to 9-4-3 with just their 2nd win in their last 9 games.

Tyler Donati had 4 points on the weekend including 2 goals in the Saturday game to take over the league lead in scoring. Tyler now has 30 points to pass his brother Justin Donati who was not available for the weekend series due to a stomach virus.

The Nailers have 3 days off before returning to action Wednesday night at home against Florida. That will begin a stretch of 4 games in 5 days for the Nailers including a Friday night return trip to Elmira, NY.

Check out the Wheeling Nailers Statistics

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ECHL Stories from November 21, 2009


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