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ECHL Wheeling Nailers

Nailers Lose 5-2 Decision to Royals

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


A frantic comeback effort in the 3rd period was turned away time and again by Reading goalie Michael Ouzas as the Nailers just missed getting the tying goal eventually falling to the Royals in a 5-2 final. Wheeling trailed 3-2 for most of the 3rd period and blasted 14 shots onto the Reading net in their efforts to equalize before the Royals scored a pair of goals in the last 2:09 of the game to seal the victory.

Tobias Holm (12th) and Jordan Morrison (18th) both lit the lamp for the Nailers who blasted 31 shots on goal on the night generating many quality scoring chances.

After Mac Faulkner gave the Royals the 1-0 lead early in the game the Nailers stormed back to tie it with Bryan "Boomer" Ewing racing up the left-wing and centering to Holm who chipped it past Ouzas on the short side at 5:48 to tie the score at 1-1.

Reading's Chris Stevens gave the Royals the lead again at 18:50 of the first as he raced in along the goal line from the right-wing corner and was able to sneak the puck off Darling's right skate and into the net to give the Royals the 2-1 lead at the first break.

Wheeling went on the power play early in the 2nd period and took just 8 seconds into the man advantage to light the lamp as Mitch Ganzak's drive from the left point was deflected in by Jordan Morrison for his first goal in February and 18th of the year. Aaron Clarke also assisted on the tally that tied the game at 2-2 in the opening minute of the middle frame.

Wheeling was stringing together some nice passes as they raced into the zone looking for the go-ahead goal but the puck rolled off a stick and the Nailers got caught cheating forward a bit allowing the Royals to race back with a 2-on-0 breakaway with Kirk McDonald slamming it past Darling at 10:14 of the 2nd for what would prove to be the game-winning goal.

Wheeling appeared to tie the score again in the closing minute of the 2nd when Jordan Morrison would again deflect home a Nailers shot from the blue-line, this time from Bryan Ewing. But the officials ruled that Morrison had his stick over the crossbar and deflected the line-drive downward to wave-off the goal.

The Nailers kept the pressure on throughout the 3rd with many good scoring chances. With about 4 minutes remaining Kelly Miller picked up a rebound off the end-boards and carried it out to the other side of the crease for a wrap-around try but Royals goalie Michael Ouzas was able to desperately reach his stick all the way across while he was still stationed on the other side and he somehow denied Miller's chance to tie the game. Aaron Clarke had a couple good shooting chances on passes from Erik Johnson but Ouzas was able to come out and narrow the angle and make big saves. Bryan Ewing and Billy Ryan tried to connect on multiple occasions but also couldn't catch a break in their efforts to find the back of the net.

As Wheeling was continuing to buzz and come so tantalizingly close time after time to tying the game the Royals were able to pick off a centering pass attempt and Brock Hooten raced back on a breakaway and flipped the backhanded home top-shelf for the back-breaking goal with 2:09 remaining as the Royals stretched their lead to 4-2.

Kirk McDonald somehow fired it in from a tough angle in the left-wing corner for an empty-net goal with 51 seconds remaining to close the scoring.

Wheeling's penalty kill did a terrific job as they held Reading to 0-for-8 on the power play.

Wheeling is 4-3 against the Royals this year as they continue their longest road-trip of the season. Game 7 of their 8 game road-trip comes Sunday evening at the 3rd place Trenton Devils as the Nailers continue their important stretch of 5 games in just a week-and-a-half against one of the teams just ahead of them in the standings. The Sunday evening game is at 6:00 pm and the Tuesday road-trip finale, also at the Trenton Devils, is at 7:00pm.

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.

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ECHL Stories from February 21, 2009


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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