ECHL Wheeling Nailers

Nailers Paddle Past Walleye, 6-2

Published on March 19, 2014 under ECHL (ECHL)
Wheeling Nailers News Release


TOLEDO, OH- Cody Sylvester won Sher-Wood Hockey ECHL Player of the Week last week, and in one game on Wednesday night, he is looking to do it once again. Sylvester racked up two goals and one assist, including his team-leading fourth shorthanded goal and seventh game winning goal, as the Wheeling Nailers slammed past the Toledo Walleye, 6-2 at Huntington Center.

The Nailers opened the scoring just 28 seconds into the contest, setting a new season mark for fastest goal to begin a game. After winning a defensive zone face-off, Wheeling rushed the puck up the left side of the ice. Tom Kuhnhackl entered into the offensive zone with the puck before handing a pass off for Cody Sylvester, who proceeded to roof a wrist shot into the top-right corner of the net. Sylvester matched the team's season-high, scoring a goal in his fourth consecutive contest.

Wheeling needed just 14 seconds to find the twine in the second period. Peter Merth took a slap shot from the right point, which was deflected into the net by Carter Rowney. Kuhnhackl also picked up an assist on Rowney's 13th tally of the season. Less than four minutes later, the Nailers extended the lead, thanks to their 12th shorthanded goal of the season. Matt Grassi broke up a pass at his own zone, leading Sahir Gill through neutral ice. Gill ultimately connected with Sylvester, who batted in his second of the night from the left side of the crease. Toledo cut into the lead with two power play goals in the middle frame, as David Gilbert lit the lamp at 9:58, off of a centering pass from Maxim Shalunov, and again at 18:21, when he slid a shot through from the bottom of the left circle.

Early in the third period, the Nailers began to put the final result out of question. At the 2:35 mark, Paul Cianfrini took a shot from the left point, which got redirected in by Shane Bakker. 8:12 later, Bakker set up Wheeling's fifth tally, as he took a feed from Chaz Johnson on a 3-on-2 rush, before dropping a pass off to Tyler Fernandez, who powered a shot into the left side of the goal. Tom Kuhnhackl finished the scoring in the 6-2 win for the Nailers, with 5:43 to go, when he flipped in a shot from the slot.

Eric Hartzell snagged his third straight win for Wheeling, stopping 28 of the 30 shots he faced. Hannu Toivonen suffered the loss for Toledo, allowing six goals on 33 shots.

The Nailers will conclude their three-game road trip in Evansville on Friday at 8:15, before returning home on March 28th for a 7:00 tangle with Toledo.




ECHL Stories from March 19, 2014


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