ECHL Wheeling Nailers

Nailers Topple League's Best Again 3-1

Published on January 26, 2010 under ECHL (ECHL)
Wheeling Nailers News Release


North Charleston, SC - The Wheeling Nailers won their second straight game at the ECHL's top team with a 3-1 decision against the South Carolina Stingrays Tuesday night.

The Nailers got the job done with the penalty kill as they held South Carolina to 0-for-8. Michael-Lee Teslak saved 26 on 27 shots for his 2nd straight win. Jordan Fox (13), Andrew Lord (7) and Kyle Bushee (3) all scored for Wheeling who improved to 10-3-1 in their last 14 games and finished their road-trip to the Carolinas 2-1-0.

The win also moves the Nailers to within two points of the lead in the clustered Northern Division standings with a 23-18-3 record for 49 points. Cincinnati and Kalamazoo are tied for first with 51 points and Toledo has 50 points. Wheeling moved into a tie for 6th in the American Conference with the Charlotte Checkers but are only two points back of 2nd.

The Stingrays fell to 30-11-6 with the loss but still lead the conference race by 15 points. The season series between the two teams is even at two games apiece with two more games coming up in Wheeling this weekend. South Carolina was missing several of their top players to injuries and call-ups and had only 14 skaters for the game which is two shy of the league standard of 16.

Jordan Fox got the scoring started midway through the first period stealing the puck away behind the Stingrays goal and then dodging the poke-check attempts of goalie Shane Connelly before firing in his 13th of the year.

Matt Scherer picked up a Nailers clearing try along the right-wing wall and got off a good shot to the far post beating Teslak early in the 2nd period to tie the game at 1-1.

The score would stay tied for the rest of the 2nd period as the Nailers struggled to find their attack with only two shots on goal in the period and much of the play in the Wheeling end thanks partly to four different Nailers penalties.

South Carolina had a power play to begin the 3rd period but it was the Nailers who would strike on the counter-attacker with their 5th shorthanded goal in their last 7 games. Aaron Clarke went in hard behind the net and rattled Connelly into a turnover. Clarke found an open Andrew Lord out in front to slam home his 7th of the year and 2nd in as many nights at the Stingrays. The Nailers moved into 3rd in the league in shorthanded goals with 8 on the season. Lord's goal proved to be the game-winner.

Wheeling would stretch their lead 61 seconds later as Thomas Beauregard would race out of the box on an odd-man rush and center smartly to an open Kyle Bushee to slam home the one-timer. Bushee's 3rd of the year gave the Nailers a 3-1 lead.

Other notes: Thomas Beauregard returned to the Nailers from his two game call-up to Springfield of the AHL. Beauregard assisted on the team's third goal but had his goal scoring streak snapped at six.

Shots on goal favored South Carolina 27-21. SC went 0-for-8 on the power play while the Nailers were 0-for-5. Wheeling had yet another shorthanded tally and now has five SHG's in their last 7 games from five different players (Lord, Clarke, Yaworski, Beauregard, Sill) and also had SHG's in each game at South Carolina on Sunday and Tuesday.

After the game, the Nailers boarded the bus for a 10 hour overnight trek back to the Ohio Valley.

The four game series between the Nailers and the league's top team continues next weekend when the Stingrays visit Wheeling on Saturday and Sunday.

The Nailers return to Wheeling for back to back home games on Saturday and Sunday January 30th and 31st to host the South Carolina Stingrays. Saturday, is Doug Sauter Bobblehead Night for the first 2,500 fans courtesy of WesBanco and Wheeling Hockey Hall of Fame Night. Doug Sauter and Nick Bedway will be inducted in pre-game ceremonies featuring the unveiling of their Hall of Fame banners. Sauter is the first and all-time winningest head coach in Wheeling hockey history. Nick Bedway was a long-time beat-writer covering the team and introducing the Ohio Valley to pro hockey. They will be joining the inaugural class including all-time Wheeling leading scorer Darren Schwartz and WAHA founder Bob Otten.

Sunday is a KoSports Ice of Dreams Night and will feature an open-skate with the Nailers players after the game. Don't forget to bring your skates, gloves, and camera!

Nailers hockey is always the most awesome family entertainment value in town and we want you there cheering on your hometown team. Kids tickets are always $5 and students get in for only $7. Call the Nailers at 304-234-GOAL

There are still openings available for the Nailers inaugural Education Field Trip Day on Tuesday, February 9th. Tickets are free for all students and teachers when the Nailers play the Johnstown Chiefs at 11:00am. All the kids will be receiving an educational book and will quizzed on the material they learn at the game when they return to the classroom. It's going to be a really fun time for the kids so get your school signed up for the special event with the Nailers by calling 304-234-GOAL.

Check out the Wheeling Nailers Statistics

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ECHL Stories from January 26, 2010


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