Nailers Jump on Everblades
March 24, 2021 - ECHL (ECHL)
Florida Everblades News Release
ESTERO, Fla. - The Florida Everblades (27-10-0-2) fell 6-2 to the Wheeling Nailers (10-21-5-0) at Hertz Arena on Wednesday night. Wheeling found the back of the net twice on the power play and once shorthanded to speed past Florida.
FIRST STAR: Michael Joly (WHL) - one goal, two assists, +2, three shots
SECOND STAR: Patrick McNally (WHL) - three assists, +2, two shots
THIRD STAR: Taran Kozun (WHL) - 26 saves
The Nailers visited Estero to face the Everblades for the first time in over five years on Wednesday, and it was quickly evident that there was no love lost between the two clubs. Just two minutes into the first period, Everblades forward Kyle Neuber dropped gloves with Garet Hunt, the ECHL's all-time leader in penalty minutes, to set the physical tone of the game.
The Nailers took advantage of two Everblades penalties with a pair of power-play goals in the first period. During the first power play of the night, Cody Sylvester scored on a well placed deflection into the top right corner to give Wheeling a 1-0 lead (7:01). Four minutes later Joshua Winquist made it 2-0 off of Patrick McNally's second assist of the night (11:06).
The Everblades fired back just a few minutes later minutes later when John McCarron sent a beautiful pass across the ice to lead Luke Nogard on the breakaway. One-on-one with Wheeling's goaltender Taran Kozun, Nogard buried the goal in the top right corner to cut the Nailers lead to 2-1 (12:08).
Late in the second period, Wheeling's Michael Joly cut to the low slot to score and put the Nailers up 3-1 (17:25).
Wheeling's special teams sealed the game in the third period with a pair of goals. Austin Fyten netted a shorthanded tally on a breakaway (4:55), and then Nick Rivera scored on the power play (7:13) to make it 5-1 in favor of the visitors.
On the power play late in the third, Joe Pendenza batted in a Michael Huntebrinker pass for Florida's second goal of the night (17:50). Pendenza's tally on Wednesday marked his 11th of the season. Wheeling quickly responded with an Adam Smith goal to punctuate the victory for the Nailers (18:42).
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