Nailers Light It Up Again With 7-3 Win
December 9, 2009 - ECHL (ECHL)
Wheeling Nailers News Release
Wheeling, W.Va.-The Wheeling Nailers completed a sweep of a home-and-home series with the Toledo Walleye and won their debut appearance at the new Lucas County Arena with a 7-3 pasting on the road.
It was Wheeling's 4th win in their last 5 games evening their season record at.500 at 11-11-2. The Nailers are on a three game winning streak and have scored seven goals two different times in the streak. Wheeling has outscored their opponents 18-4 in their streak.
Casey Pierro-Zabotel led the attack of the Nailers with his first multi-goal game as a pro. The 3rd round pick of the Penguins in the 2007 draft has five goals on the season, four of which have come in the team's last five games.
Three different Nailers had three point nights as Alex Grant, T.J. Fox and Jordan Fox all had one goal and two assists each.
The scoring got started early in an exciting and wild opening six minutes of the game that saw both teams score a pair of goals. Malcolm MacMillan gave Toledo the initial lead at 1:01 but the Nailers got it back 26 seconds later to tie the score at 1-1 on T.J. Fox's 4th of the year rushing up the left-wing and firing it up top-shelf.
Alex Grant scored on a slapshot from center point on the power play for his 7th of the season at 5:40 giving Wheeling a 2-1 lead.
Toledo tied it 20 seconds later on a goal by Chris Robertson on a drop by former Wheeling Nailer Bryan "Boomer" Ewing to make it 2-2. Ewing has been with Toledo for 13 games after playing for Rockford of the AHL and surprisingly has yet to score any goals for the Walleye after lighting it up for 43 goals for Wheeling last year en route to winning Rookie of the Year honors for his hometown team.
Jordan Fox took a nice centering feed from Alex Grant and chipped home his 8th of the season at 17:23 of the 1st to give the Nailers a 3-2 advantage.
Casey Pierro-Zabotel scored the first of his two goals on the night on a drop by Thomas Beauregard racing up the left-wing. Pierro-Zabotel slammed it home on the stick-hand side of Alec Richards at 9:03 of the 2nd to push Wheeling out to a 4-2 lead.
The Nailers continued the scoring to put the game away early in the 3rd with three straight goals to stretch the lead to 7-2. Aaron Clarke lit it up for his 7th of the year on a nice centering pass by Colin Power in his Nailers debut and just 36 seconds into the 3rd Wheeling was up 5-2.
Chris Capraro capitalized on an odd-man rush and rammed it off the under-side of the crossbar for his 3rd of the year at 7:32 to make it 6-2.
Then Pierro-Zabotel finished the Nailers scoring a couple minutes later on what appeared to just be a soft lob towards the goal from the left-wing wall that was misjudged by new goalie Jordan Pearce.
Brock Wilson got one of them back for the Walleye with eight minutes remaining to make the final score 7-3.
The Nailers improved to 24 points on the season in passing the Walleye in the North Division standings with 24 points. Toledo fell to a record of 9-10-4 with 22 points.
Brad Thiessen turned aside 40 out o 43 Walleye drives to improve to 2-1-0 since joining Wheeling a week ago.
The Nailers held Toledo to 0-for-7 on the power play and 0-for-11 in the 2 game series. Wheeling went 1-for-5 on the man-advantage. Toledo outshot Wheeling 43-32 in the game including 21-10 in the 3rd period with many of the drives coming after Wheeling had mostly put the game away.
The Nailers are 2-0 against the Walleye this season with the next of their six scheduled meetings set for New Year's Eve at WesBanco Arena.
After a day off Thursday, the Nailers return to action with three more games over three days including home games on Friday night and Sunday afternoon.
Friday night the Nailers host the Gwinnett Gladiators and it's T-Shirt giveaway night for the first 2500 fans and Young Life Night. It's also a Friday Four Pack night and WV Lottery Night. The Nailers will also begin collecting Toys For Tots to benefit area kids during this Christmas season.
Saturday the Nailers are on the road at Kalamazoo.
Sunday night the Nailers wrap up the long week with another game against Gwinnett. Wear an NFL jersey to the game and get a special discounted adult ticket for only $10. It's also Ko-Sports Ice of Dreams Night and Sunday Family FunDay featuring a post-game skate with Santa. Be sure to bring your skates and gloves$B!D(Band don't forget the camera!
Nailers hockey is always the most awesome family entertainment value in town and we want you there cheering on your hometown team. Kids tickets are always $5 and students get in for only $7. Call the Nailers at 304-234-GOAL.
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