ECHL Wheeling Nailers

Nailers Rally Late in 5-4 OT-Loss

January 17, 2009 - ECHL (ECHL)
Wheeling Nailers News Release


Bryan "Boomer" Ewing recorded his 3rd hat trick of the season including a dramatic extra-attacker goal to tie the score with just 26 seconds remaining as the Nailers battled from behind in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Cincinnati Cyclones on Saturday night at WesBanco Arena.

Ewing extended his goal-scoring streak to 7 games with a total of 11 goals in that span and assisted on the other Nailers goal by Erik Johnson. Ewing' s 27 goals on the season is 3rd in the league and most among rookies. "Boomer" has 18 of those goals in his last 13 games with 3 hat tricks during the impressive stretch.

Cincinnati's Mark Van Guilder took a feed from behind the cage by Jimmy Kilpatrick just 22 seconds into the overtime to give Cincinnati the win.

The overtime loss ends Wheeling's 5 game losing streak with the one standings point but extends their streak of games without a win to 6 games. The Nailers remain in first place in the North Division with a record of 22-11-6 for 50 points.

Johnstown beat Dayton in a 3-2 final in other North Division action as the 2nd Chiefs ended their 4 game losing streak to pull within 2 points of the North Division leading Nailers. The 3rd place Dayton Bombers are 4 points back while 4th place Cincinnati has closed to within 5 points of the top in the increasingly tight divisional race.

Wheeling trailed 4-2 heading into the 3rd period but a determined effort got them back into the game with Erik Johnson's 6th of the year at 9:00 in on a nice centering feed from the left-wing goal-line by Ewing.

Then with the goalie pulled Ewing from the left-wing side of the crease tipped in the long drive by Doug Krantz with just 26 seconds remaining to score the dramatic tying goal at 4-4.

Dustin Sproat scored a pair of goals for the Cyclones attack including a penalty-shot goal in the 1st period to open the scoring after he got tripped up by Elgin Reid on a short-handed breakaway opportunity. The penalty-shot goal was not without controversy as Curtis Darling appeared to initially stop the puck but when Darling lifted his leg it was across the goal-line. The Nailers also argued that the cage was knocked loose from the pegs before the puck crossed the line but the goal stood and the Cyclones took the initial 1-0 lead. That lead lasted for less than a minute though as Ewing would bounce back with the first of his 3 goals on the evening.

This was the last meeting of the year between the Cyclones and the Nailers. Wheeling finishes the year 6-3-2 against the Cyclones but Cincinnati took the last 3 meetings against the Nailers. Cincinnati's record against the Nailers finishes at 5-6-0.

The Nailers get some much needed rest as they head into the ECHL All-Star break.

The All-Star game will take place in Reading on Wednesday, January 21st with Greg Puhalski serving as coach of the American Conference and Bryan "Boomer" Ewing, Aaron Clarke and Elgin Reid representing the Nailers on the team as replacements for the originally named Nailers Rob Sirianni, Tommy Goebel and Nick Johnson.

The Nailers return to action next weekend with 3 road games in 3 different cities on 3 straight days. Friday night the Nailers are at the Johnstown Chiefs. Saturday night has the Nailers at the Reading Royals. Sunday evening finds the Nailers at the Elmira Jackals.

Wheeling has another great promotion lined up for their next home game on Saturday, January 31st in their 8:05 game vs. the Mississippi Seawolves on Coach Reno Bobblehead night. The first 2500 fans get the Coach Reno bobblehead and the Nailers will be honoring the legendary coach of the Steubenville Big Red football program as well as the Steubenville community.

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 January 17, 2009


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