Nailers Host K-Zoo Friday, At Toledo Saturday
Published on March 26, 2010 under ECHL (ECHL)
Wheeling Nailers News Release
This Friday the Nailers will host the Wings for a 7:35pm game before heading to Toledo for a Saturday Night showdown with the Walleye at 7:00pm. Wheeling trails Toledo by 4 points for the 8th and last playoff spot with just 4 games remaining in the regular season. Wheeling would need to go 4-0-0 to close the season and hope for some help in order to make the post-season
Friday night's game will include another WTRF Family Four pack night including a team Poster Giveaway Night for the first 2500 fans courtesy of Consol Energy and Panhandle Cleaning and Restoration. It's also Team Autograph Night after the game with the entire Nailers team appearing.
The Kalamazoo Wings record is 38-19-8, leaving them 2nd in the North and 5th in the American Conference. The Wings are 7-2-1 in their last 10 and have currently won 2 consecutive games. The Nailers are 3-4-1 against the Wings this season.
The Toledo Walleye have a record of 33-27-6, 3rd in the North and 7th in the American Conference. The Walleye are 4-4-2 in their previous 10 games and this is their second meeting in as many weekends. Wheeling is 4-1-0 against the Walleye in the regular season.
Notes:
Wheeling has re-acquired goalie Michael-Lee Teslak following his stretch with Adirondack of the AHL.
In Sunday's competition Jordan Morison scored his first goal as a Nailer since his 2010 debut on March 5th and he is on a 5 game point streak (1g 5a).
T.J. Fox has 8 points in the last 4 games (3g 5a). T.J. leads active Nailers with 25 goals. At the Christmas break he only had 6 goals on the season but has been on a tear since then with 19 goals.
Jordan Fox is currently on a 4 game point streak (2g 4a).
Andrew Lord is 4th in the league in major penalties with 20, tied with T.J. Reynolds of Charlotte.
Aaron Clarke along with Scott Burt of Alaska and Brian McGuirk of Kalamazoo lead the ECHL with 4 shorthanded goals this season.
Mitch Ganzak leads the ECHL defensemen with 38 assists. Ganzak is 2nd among defensemen with 19 power play assists and leads active defensemen with 4 shoot out goals and a 0.571 shootout percent.
Ryan Schnell has 156 penalty minutes and 16 major penalties to place him 2nd among ECHL rookies in both categories.
Kyle Bushee leads ECHL defensemen along with 4 others with 3 short handed points.
Wheeling's power play is 8th in the league at 19.4% (66 for 341) and penalty killing is 5th in the league at 82.9% (60 for 350).
Colin Power is 5th among rookies with 11 major penalties.
Wheeling is 2nd in the league on the home power play at 23.5%
Friday-Wheeling Nailers (31-31-6) 68
Kalamazoo Wings (38-19-8) 84
Saturday
- Wheeling Nailers (31-31-6) 68
Toledo Walleye (33-27-6) 72
Head Coach:
Wheeling--Greg Puhalski (3rd season with Wheeling, 16th in professional hockey)
Kalamazoo--Nick Bootland
Toledo--Nick Vitucci
Affiliation:
Wheeling--Pittsburgh Penguins (NHL), Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL)
Kalamazoo-- Philadelphia Flyers (NHL), San Jose Sharks (NHL), Adirondack Phantoms (AHL), Worcester Sharks (AHL)
Toledo--Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks (NHL)Grand Rapids Griffins, Rockford IceHogs (AHL)
Top Nailers
Wheeling-T.J. Fox (25-33-57), Aaron Clarke (23-30-53), Jordan Fox (18-31-49), Mitch Ganzak (8-38-46), Casey Pierro-Zabotel (12-28-40)
Top Wings
Kalamazoo-Rick Cleaver (29-35-64), Andrew Foumier (23-37-60), Sam Ftorek (20-29-49), Trent Daavettila (19-24-43)
Top Walleye
Toledo-Maxime Tanguay (23-42-65), J.C. Sawyer (21-34-55), Evan Rankin (27-24-51), Chris Robertson (18-28-46)
Top Goalies
Wheeling-Adam Berkhoel (11-10-2, 2.96,.894)
Kalamazoo-Ryan Nie (25-11-3, 3.03,.905)
Toledo-Alec Richards (16-12-4, 3.42, 0.896), Jordan Pearce (14-13-4, 3.55, 0.892)
Upcoming Games:
Friday March 26th Vs Kalamazoo 7:35pm
Saturday March 27th @ Toledo 7:00pm
Friday April 2nd Vs Reading 7:35pm
Saturday April 3rd Vs Cincinnati 7:35pm
Upcoming Promotions!
Friday, March 26th - Team Poster Giveaway Night for the first 2500 fans and Team Autograph Night after the game with the entire Nailers team appearing.
Friday, April 2nd - Nailers Baby Blue Ball-Cap Giveaway for the first 2500 fans courtesy of Main Street Bank.
Saturday, April 3rd - Fan Appreciation Night and Ticket Extravaganza. Lots of gifts and prizes on the last game of the regular season.
Last Week
The Nailers entered this past week with 3 games scheduled against the Kalamazoo Wings and one with the Toledo Walleye.
Wednesday, Mar 17 -The Nailers took the first of 3 games with the Wings, winning 7-3. The Nailers scored at least two goals in each period. In the first, Wheeling was in an early 2-0 hole before goals by T.J. Fox and Jordan Fox to tie. After another Kalamazoo goal, the Nailers rallied for 5 consecutive goals giving them the 7-3 victory. Aaron Clarke had 4 points (2+2), T.J. Fox had 4 points (1+3) and Blair Yaworski added 2 goals in the win.
Friday, Mar 19 - Wheeling took the ice in Kalamazoo again trying to keep their momentum. After a scoreless first, the Wings struck first again but Wheeling answered back. T.J. Fox added his second goal in as many games to tie it 1-1. After a pair of Kalamazoo goals Aaron Clarke put the puck past Nie to cut the deficit but to no avail. Two more late goals for the opponent ended the Nailers chances and they fell 5-2.
Saturday, Mar 20 - It was the third consecutive game between the Wings and Nailers but this time the venue moved to WesBanco Arena. After a scoreless first period, the Nailers struck first when Jordan Fox put it by Wings' goalie Gill on a power play. The assists were awarded to John D'Aversa and Jordan Morrison. Not much longer later the Wings scored a shorthanded goal to tie the contest at 1-1. In the third, Kalamazoo scored right off the bat, only 0:38 in. The Nailers responded by pelting Gill with 14 shots but none got by. The Nailers fell short, 2-1
The Nailers ended their week up with a Sunday, March 21 matinee game versus the Walleye of Toledo. Wheeling put up a season high total for shots in a game with 45 in the 5-2 victory. The first period was scoreless, as was the second before Kale Kerbashian picked up the puck in the Nailers end and fed it up ice to Jordan Morrison. Morrison fired it in over the shoulder of Alec Richards for his first goal since being traded back to Wheeling. The Walleye tied up the game and even took a short lived lead 2-1. But at the end of the 2nd Jon D'Aversa scored with a mere 0:16 remaining. Finally, in the 3rd, Mitch Ganzak broke the tie with a power play goal with 6:10 left and the Nailers scored two empty-netters to seal the victory and finish off the week.500.
Extended Office Hours:
The Wheeling Nailers have extended office hours during the week by popular demand and to accommodate our fans' busy schedules. Monday through Friday the Wheeling Nailers offices will be open until 6:00 pm. The Nailers are located at 1315 Main Street in downtown Wheeling for all your ticket and souvenir purchasing needs.
Experience Counts:
Greg Puhalski is entering his 16th year at the bench and 3rdfor the Nailers. He is second among all ECHL coaches with 601 coming into this season trailing only Steve Martinson who had 650 wins entering this year. Puhalski has over 200 ECHL wins dating back to the beginning of his coaching career with the Toledo Storm from 1994-98.
Right-Hand Man:
Greg Puhalski has an assistant coach on the staff this year. Doug Doull joins the Nailers and the Penguins organization after doing some coaching in Canadian University hockey for a couple seasons following his 8 year playing career in the AHL and NHL. Doull fought some of the NHL's toughest customers in his time with the Boston Bruins in 2003-04. He played 37 games in the NHL mostly with Boston (and 2 with Washington) and racked up 151 PIM's. His AHL career included stays with Hershey, San Antonio, Utah, Providence, St. John's, Saint John and with other AAA level teams in the old IHL in the late 90's with Michigan (now Kalamazoo), Detroit Vipers and Manitoba.
It's a Girl!!
Wheeling head coach Greg Puhalski is the Ohio Valley's newest Dad! His wife Ally is doing well after giving birth to that couple's first child, a healthy baby girl. Zara Katherine Puhalski was born at 7:05 p.m. on October 29th.
Nailers broadcaster Bob Rotruck and Nailers Accountant Linda Timberlake also share that birthday and both say they heartily approve of the date chosen by the newest member of Nailers Nation!
Congratulations Greg and Ally. And welcome to Nailers Nation Zara!
Call the Nailers at 304-234-GOAL or toll-free at 1-877-NAIL-TIX. Get your tickets online at the team's website at wheelingnailers.com.
ECHL Stories from March 26, 2010
- Grizzlies Fall 5-4 In Overtime - Utah Grizzlies
- Condors complete comeback, top Grizzlies 5-4 in OT - Bakersfield Condors
- Steelheads blanked by Salmon Kings - Idaho Steelheads
- Glenn Fisher turns aside all 30 shots as Victoria blanks Idaho 1-0 - Victoria Salmon Kings
- Stingrays Pepper Royals with 41 Shots in 4-2 Loss - South Carolina Stingrays
- Jordan Fox scores with 1 second left in OT - Wheeling Nailers
- Chiefs feast on Walleye - Johnstown Chiefs
- Jackals drop heartbreaker - Elmira Jackals
- Nailers Jordan Fox Scores Just Before the Horn to Secure Victory - Kalamazoo Wings
- First Two Playoff Dates Set For Idaho - Idaho Steelheads
- ECHL Transactions - ECHL
- Game Preview: Stockton Thunder Vs. Las Vegas Wranglers - Stockton Thunder
- Easter Festival At Citizens Business Bank Arena On March 27th - Ontario Reign
- Mitera Reassigned To Abbotsford - Bakersfield Condors
- Everblades Individual Playoff Tickets on Sale - Florida Everblades
- Flood Becomes 436th ECHL Player To Reach NHL - ECHL
- Nailers Host K-Zoo Friday, At Toledo Saturday - Wheeling Nailers
- Ferguson Loaned To Hershey; Macmillan Activated For Tonight's Contest - Utah Grizzlies
- Kelly Cup Playoff Races Go Down To The Wire - ECHL
- Jackals Game Preview: Trenton At Elmira - Elmira Jackals
- Stingrays Gameday: Stingrays Honor Fitzsimmons Tonight Against Reading - South Carolina Stingrays
- List For Tonight's Jersey Auction - Johnstown Chiefs
- Kashirsky And Dubuc Return; Stingrays Add Erickson - South Carolina Stingrays
- Toledo Walleye & Chicago Blackhawks Extend Affiliation Agreement - Toledo Walleye
- Olivier Labelle Loaned To Providence - Reading Royals
- ECHL Today - ECHL
- Stingrays Announce Concannon As New Team President - South Carolina Stingrays
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