Sports stats

ECHL ECHL

Nailers return home looking to move into playoff position

February 22, 2016 - ECHL (ECHL) News Release


The Wheeling Nailers wrapped up their six-game road trip last week, winning each of their four outings to end the trip with a 5-1-0 record. Wheeling has gone 8-2-0 in its last 10 games overall to improve to 25-21-5 for 55 points and has closed to within one point of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

The Nailers began last week with a 4-0 win at Adirondack on Tuesday. With the game scoreless entering the third period, Andrew Ammon provided the only goal the Nailers would need with his first goal of the season 3:22 into the final frame. Chris Ciotti, Cody Wydo and Connor Leen provided insurance goals for Franky Palazzese, who stopped all 28 shots he faced to record his third shutout of the season.

On Wednesday, Wheeling visited Elmira for the final time this season and came away with a 3-2 overtime victory. Wydo scored the game-winner 51 seconds into the extra session, and was one of two Nailers, along with Riley Brace, to notch a goal and an assist in the win. Casey DeSmith turned aside 38 of the 40 shots he faced, including 30 out of 31 over the final two periods, to pick up his third win of the year.

Wheeling headed north of the border for its final two games of the week, and began the two-game series against Brampton with a 4-2 win on Friday. Trailing 2-1 late in the second period, Jordan Kwas pulled the Nailers even with a power-play tally with 2:48 left in the period while Brace scored a pair of goals in the final period to set the final. Brett Stern added a pair of assists in the victory.

In the road-trip finale on Saturday, the Beast started quickly, taking a 3-0 lead after one period. The Nailers roared back scoring the next four goals to take a 4-3 lead, but Brampton forced overtime scoring with less than one second remaining in regulation. In the extra session, Adam Krause scored his second goal of the game to lift Wheeling to the 5-4 win.

Brace leads Wheeling with 17 goals and 40 points, and has posted 10 points (4g-6a) in six games since returning from Chicago of the American Hockey League. Mathew Maione leads all ECHL defensemen with 36 points and is tied for first with 30 assists and 14 power-play assists.

The Nailers return home for three crucial games in the Eastern Conference playoff race this weekend. Greenville, which is tied with Wheeling with 55 points, visits WesBanco Arena on Friday before Elmira comes to town for games on Saturday and Sunday. The Jackals enter the week holding down the eighth and final playoff spot in the conference with 56 points, one more than Wheeling.

Record-breaking Sunday in Fort Wayne

A pair of ECHL record were broken in Sunday's game between Colorado and Fort Wayne.

The two teams combined to score three goals in a span of 18 seconds, breaking the previous record of 23 seconds, which was set by Atlanta and Idaho on Nov. 4, 2015. Prior to the Gladiators and Steelheads setting a new mark earlier this season, the previous record for quickest three goals was 26 seconds, set by Charlotte and Greenville on Dec. 26, 1999.

Fort Wayne's Garrett Meurs scored the final two of the three goals just four seconds apart, setting a new ECHL record for fastest two goals scored by one player. He broke the previous record of six seconds, which was set by Birmginham's Kevin Kerr on Dec. 30, 1992 against Knoxville.

Bid on game-worn jerseys from Hockey Heritage Weekend

The jerseys worn by the Toledo Walleye and Kalamazoo Wings during CCM/ECHL Hockey Heritage Weekend on Feb. 5 and 6 are now available for bidding through The MeiGray Group.

Bidding on these jerseys is open through Thursday, March 10. Fans can place their bids by visiting NHL Auctions.

A look ahead

Games to watch in the ECHL during the week ahead. Watch ECHL games live on ECHL.TV.

Eastern Conference

South Carolina at Florida (Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday)

The Stingrays have gone 8-1-1 in their last 10 games to close to within four points of the Everblades for first place in the South Division. After this weekend's series, just two more head-to-head meetings remain during the regular season.

Western Conference

Utah at Idaho (Friday and Saturday)

Entering the week, the Grizzlies and Steelheads are tied atop the West Division standings with 62 points each. After this weekend's series in Boise, the two teams meet only more time this season on March 30.

Divisions

East Division

- Michael Kirkpatrick has six goals in his last nine games.

- The Thunder are fourth with 2.39 goals-against per game.

- Adirondack travels to Manchester on Wednesday and hosts Reading on Saturday and Sunday.

- C.J. Motte leads all rookie goaltenders with 1,001 saves and 2,094 minutes played.

- Elmira is 16-4-4 in one-goal games.

- The Jackals host Reading on Friday and visit Wheeling on Saturday and Sunday.

- Maxim Kitsyn is on a 12-game point streak (7g-7a).

- The Monarchs have scored a league-high 64 goals in the third period.

- Manchester hosts Adirondack on Wednesday and is at Norfolk on Friday and Saturday.

- Scott Allen is tied for second among rookies with seven power-play goals.

- Norfolk is sixth on the power play at 18.7 percent (36-for-193).

- The Admirals host Manchester on Friday and Saturday.

- Nikita Kashirsky has at least one point in four of his five games with Reading (3g-2a).

- The Royals are 11-for-40 (27.5 percent) on the power play over their last 13 games.

- Reading is at Elmira on Friday and Adirondack on Saturday and Sunday.

North Division

- Chris Auger leads Brampton with 18 goals.

- The Beast are tied for fifth with seven shorthanded goals.

- Brampton is at Toledo on Friday and hosts Greenville on Sunday.

- Joel Martin leads the league with 1,465 saves and 2,642 minutes played.

- Kalamazoo is 11-5-2 against North Division opponents.

- The K-Wings are at Orlando on Friday and Saturday.

- Shane Berschbach has five goals in his last three games.

- The Walleye set a new team record with their 13th sellout of the season on Saturday against Fort Wayne.

- Toledo hosts Brampton on Friday, Greenville on Saturday and Indy on Sunday.

- Franky Palazzese is 7-1-0 in his last eight appearances with all seven of the wins coming on the road.

- Wheeling has 10 comeback victories this season, with three of them coming on its recently-completed road trip.

- The Nailers host Greenville on Friday and Elmira on Saturday and Sunday.

South Division

- Derek Nesbitt leads the league with eight game-winning goals.

- Atlanta is 23-5-5 when scoring first.

- The Gladiators are at Cincinnati on Wednesday and Evansville on Friday and Saturday.

- Mark Nemec is third among defensemen in plus-minus at +23.

- The Everblades lead the league with seven overtime wins.

- Florida hosts South Carolina on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.

- Garett Bembridge played his 900th professional game on Sunday at South Carolina.

- Greenville is second with 28 games being decided by one goal (15-6-7).

- The Swamp Rabbits are at Wheeling on Friday, Toledo on Saturday and Brampton on Sunday.

- Brady Vail is on a five-game point streak (5g-4a).

- Orlando is second with 62 goals in the third period.

- The Solar Bears host Kalamazoo on Friday and Saturday.

- Stephan Vigier is on a five-game point streak (3g-2a).

- South Carolina has scored at least one power-play goal in each of its last six games.

- The Stingrays are at Florida on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.

Midwest Division

- Nick Huard is on a six-game point streak (5g-4a).

- The Cyclones have outscored their opponents 60-46 in the third period.

- Cincinnati hosts Evansville on Tuesday, Atlanta on Wednesday, Tulsa on Friday and Indy on Saturday.

- Daultan Leveille leads the IceMen with 19 goals.

- Evansville is second with 61 goals in the second period.

- The IceMen visit Cincinnati on Tuesday and host Atlanta on Friday and Saturday.

- Troy Bourke is on a four-game point streak (4g-1a).

- The Komets are 17-6-2 against non-divisional opponents.

- Fort Wayne hosts Missouri on Wednesday and Friday and Tulsa on Saturday.

- Shane Owen has appeared in 12 of the Fuel's last 13 games.

- Indy is 18-1-1 when leading after two periods.

- The Fuel host Missouri on Tuesday and are at Cincinnati on Saturday and Toledo on Sunday.

- Kyle Follmer scored four goals in the Mallards' three games last week.

- The Mallards are 14-3-2 when scoring first.

- Quad City hosts Rapid City on Friday and Saturday.

Central Division

- Justin Courtnall is tied for third with two shorthanded goals.

- Allen closes out its season-long seven-game road trip on Friday.

- The Americans are at Wichita on Friday and host the Thunder on Saturday and Sunday.

- Bryce Aneloski leads defensemen in plus-minus at +27.

- The Mavericks are 21-3-2 against Central Division opponents.

- Missouri is at Indy on Tuesday and Fort Wayne on Wednesday and Friday before hosting Rapid City on Sunday.

- Phil Brewer is fourth among rookies with a 16.8 percent shooting percentage (16-for-95).

- Tulsa has outscored its opponents 93-74 at home.

- The Oilers host Idaho on Tuesday and are at Cincinnati on Friday and Fort Wayne on Saturday.

- Kevin St. Pierre played in his first game since 2010-11 on Sunday, stopping 11 of the 13 shots he faced against Idaho.

- The Thunder have played past regulation in each of their last four games.

- Wichita hosts Allen on Friday and visits the Americans on Saturday and Sunday.

West Division

- Stephen Perfetto is fifth among rookies with 132 shots on goal.

- Alaska is second with 33.75 shots per game.

- The Aces are at Colorado on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

- Johnny Lazo is third with a 22.7 percent shooting percentage (10-for-44).

- The Eagles have outscored their opponents 53-35 in the first period.

- Colorado hosts Alaska on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

- Andre Bouvet-Morrissette has eight points (4g-4a) in his last eight games.

- Idaho is 21-1-2 when leading after two periods.

- The Steelheads visit Tulsa on Tuesday and host Utah on Friday and Saturday.

- Mikhail Stefanovich leads Rapid City with 15 goals.

- The Rush are second on the penalty kill at 87.1 percent (158-for-170).

- Rapid City is at Quad City on Friday and Saturday and Missouri on Sunday.

- Ryan Hayes has five points (3g-2a) in six games since rejoining the Grizzlies.

- Utah is 20-11-2 when outshooting its opponent.

- The Grizzlies visit Idaho on Friday and Saturday.

Check out the ECHL Statistics



ECHL Stories from February 22, 2016


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.


Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central