ECHL Wheeling Nailers

Nailers Receive Brace & Foster from AHL, Sign Ammon

Published on February 12, 2016 under ECHL (ECHL)
Wheeling Nailers News Release


WHEELING, WV- The Wheeling Nailers, proud ECHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins, have announced three transactions, which are all effective immediately. Forward Riley Brace has been returned to the Nailers from the AHL's Chicago Wolves, goaltender Brian Foster has been loaned to Wheeling by the AHL's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, and the Nailers have signed forward Andrew Ammon.

Brace, 23, played the first 29 games of this season with the Nailers, building off of a 2014-15 campaign which saw him lead the team with scoring, as he amassed 67 points in 61 contests. This year, Riley racked up 13 goals, 17 assists, and 30 points, earning attention from the AHL, and ultimately, an opportunity arose with the Chicago Wolves. Chicago became Brace's third AHL team in his career, following a stop with the Iowa Wild and three stints with the Worcester Sharks. The Ottawa, Ontario native tallied a pair of assists in his first game with the Wolves, then in his fifth game, both he and Zack Torquato lit the lamp at Texas. Riley is on the verge of topping the 100-point mark in a Wheeling uniform, as he enters the week with 97 points in 90 games.

Foster, 29, also started the campaign in Wheeling, but has spent the majority of the last two months in the AHL with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Brian has appeared in 13 games thus far with the Nailers, posting a 6-6-1 record, a 2.93 goals against average, and a .905 save percentage. The Pembroke, New Hampshire native set a season high for the team on November 20th, when he made 48 saves in a 5-3 victory against the Florida Everblades. That game kick started a stretch in which Foster won four of six starts. On December 19th, Brian achieved a career milestone, when he backstopped his first career shutout in the American Hockey League, as he blanked the Syracuse Crunch on 30 shots.

Ammon, 25, will become the 39th player to appear in a game with the Nailers this season when he makes his debut, which could come as early as Friday night. Andrew attended Princeton University for four seasons from 2010-14, where he suited up in 107 games with the Tigers, totaling 33 goals, 28 assists, 61 points, and 171 penalty minutes. In 2014-15, the Anchorage, Alaska native turned pro, spending the majority of his rookie campaign in the ECHL with the South Carolina Stingrays. Ammon collected seven goals, four assists, and 11 points in 38 regular season games, while also putting on the uniform for game six of the Kelly Cup Final, as South Carolina forced the series back to Allen for a decisive seventh game. Thus far this season, Andrew has appeared in six games as a member of the Reading Royals.

The Nailers will begin a six-game road trip on Friday night, when they visit the Adirondack Thunder at 7:00. Wheeling's next stretch of home games takes place on February 26th, 27th, and 28th. On the 26th, The Highlands and Bordas & Bordas present Flat Screen Friday, and a Frosty Friday will also take place. The 27th is Disney Night, starring Corey Fogelmanis, who plays the character Farkle on the show Girl Meets World. The 28th is a Family Funday, featuring McDonald's $5 kids tickets and a post game skate with the team.

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