ECHL Wheeling Nailers

Nailers Fall Just Short At Trenton In 2-1 Loss

February 21, 2009 - ECHL (ECHL)
Wheeling Nailers News Release


Billy Ryan made his Nailers debut and Reid Cashman and Kelly Miller both returned to the Nailers lineup but the team could only score one goal in a frustrating 2-1 loss at the Trenton Devils Friday night in the first of 5 games in the next week and a half between the two teams.

All the scoring took place in the 1st period with both goalies making several fine saves to hold each side at bay through the 2nd and 3rd. Wheeling had some good opportunities through the final 40 minutes but were unable to break past the top goalie in the league, Gerald Coleman.

Aaron Clarke scored for the Nailers at the 4:43 mark of the 1st as Wheeling converted nicely on a 2-on-1 rush with a delayed penalty in effect. Kelly Miller fed it across to Clarke cutting up the left-wing to fire it home tying the score at 1-1. Mitch Ganzak was getting tripped on the play but was still able to chip the puck forward to Miller to start the rush after Erik Johnson smartly worked it up from his own zone to Ganzak. It was Clarke's 10th of the year.

Curtis Darling made a couple terrific saves among his 31 total on the night. One was on a drive by Jim Henkel on a rebound in the 2nd period in which Darling dove across and while in mid-air and parallel to the ice was able to get a glove on the puck to knock it away.

Eric Castonguay scored just 1:29 into the game firing it in short side on Darling to give the Devils a 1-0 lead. Matt Cohen lit the lamp on a 5-on-3 power play goal for the game-winner at 15:58 of the 1st shortly after Darling took a tough penalty for delay of game when it was ruled he played the puck just barely outside the trapezoid area behind the net.

Wheeling had a power with just 3:40 to go stemming from a Matt Cohen boarding minor but it was one of the few stretches where the Nailers were unable to get established in the Trenton zone as the Devils cleared it time and again to prevent much of a power play attack. The Nailers pulled Curtis Darling for an extra-attacker with 52 seconds left. Reid Cashman had a big one-time slapper from the right point with 8 seconds left that Coleman steered away. Cashman got to it in the right-wing wall and tried to center for Ewing cutting in the back-door with just 1 second left but Coleman laid the stick down to block the pass and prevent Ewing from a great opportunity to tie it up in the very closing moments.

Newcomer Billy Ryan was on a line with his childhood best friend and former high school teammate Bryan "Boomer" Ewing as well as Jordan Morrison. The trio created some opportunities but were unable to light the lamp. Ryan is a University of Maine product who played 15 games in the AHL with the Philadelphia Phantoms where he was roommates with former Nailer Rob Sirianni. He was teammates at the Cushing Academy in high school with Ewing.

The game was the 1st of 5 the Nailers and Devils will play against each other over the course of a 10 day stretch. The series has big playoff implications with both teams right in the heat of the chase for the 4 North Division postseason spots.

Wheeling is 4-2 against the Devils this year but is 0-2 at Sovereign Bank Arena.

The road trip continues for the Nailers with game 6 of their season-long 8 straight away from home. Wheeling will play at the Reading Royals Saturday night at 7.

Wheeling's next home games are Friday, Feb 27 through Sunday, March 1. 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 Nailers are also featuring a pre-game party across the street from WesBanco Arena at River City Ale Works prior to the game beginning at 5pm. River City Ale Works will feature free appetizers and $1.50 drafts up until game-time.

The Saturday, Feb 28 game against the Trenton Devils is City of Wheeling night at WesBanco Arena. The first 2500 fans in attendance get a Coal Miner Spike Bobblehead courtesy of Consol Energy. The game start Saturday is 8:05.

The Sunday, March 1st homestand finale is also against the Trenton Devils at 4:05 featuring a post-game skate with the Nailers players on another Sunday Family Funday.

Post-game playoff packages are available now. Purchase your 6-game playoff package that is good for the entire post-season. You get a discount vs. the gate price and any unused playoff credits are forwarded to the following season.

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



ECHL Stories from February 21, 2009


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