Nailers vs. Americans Game Day Snap Shot
June 4, 2016 - ECHL (ECHL)
Wheeling Nailers News Release
A Best-of-Three Will Decide It
The Wheeling Nailers are involved in a 2-2 series for the fourth straight round, as they and the Allen Americans will decide the 2016 Kelly Cup Champion within the next three contests. Wheeling surrendered the opening goal in the latter stages of the first period, but quickly responded with a tying tally in the final seconds. Danny Fick took a shot from the right point, which got stopped, but the rebound skipped out to Dan O'Donoghue, who deposited his third goal of the playoffs. The Nailers took their lone lead of the evening with 5:43 left in the middle frame, when O'Donoghue connected with Cody Wydo for a tip-in from the top of the crease. Unfortunately, a pair of turnovers twisted the game in the opposite direction, as Allen pulled even in the second, then went ahead in the third stanza, ultimately coming away with a 4-2 decision. Franky Palazzese made his second straight start and played well, making 25 saves.
Trailing the Series Was Rare Air
The Allen Americans trailed in a series for the third time in their playoff run and first time since the opening round, as they entered game four with a 2-1 deficit against the Nailers. For the fourth time in the series, the team that scored the first goal came out on top, which Allen did on Friday, when Gary Steffes found the back of the net with 3:58 remaining in the first period. The Nailers battled back to take a 2-1 lead, but with 1:45 left in the middle frame, the Americans pulled even. Vincent Arseneau got denied on a 2-on-0 break, but teammate Nikita Jevpalovs potted the rebound. At the 3:38 mark of the third period, Allen went back on top, as Chad Costello converted on a breakaway, which was set up by Rick Pinkston. Eric Roy added an empty netter in the last minute for a 4-2 final score. Riley Gill earned his tenth win of the postseason with 32 stops.
We Like One, but Not Two
16 of the 24 games played by the Nailers in the 2016 postseason have been decided by either one or two goals, including all four games in the Kelly Cup Final. Wheeling took one-goal victories in games two and three, knocking off the Americans, 7-6 in Texas and 3-2 in West Virginia. Allen picked up a couple of two-goal wins in games one and four, winning by scores of 5-3 and 4-2. The Nailers have had an interesting run of one and two-goal margins, as they are 10-0 in games decided by one, while going 0-6 when the gap is two. Four of the ten victories came in overtime, with all four of those triumphs occurring in the second and third rounds. The Americans are 3-3 in one goal cames, which includes a 3-0 mark in bonus hockey, and 9-3 in contests which are decided by two. Wheeling has played in eight games which have been won by at least three goals (4-4), while Allen has played in four of such matches (2-2).
The Two-Headed Masked Monster
Brian Foster and Franky Palazzese have both started twice in the current series, with the two Wheeling netminders posting identical 1-1 records through the first four games. Foster's win in game two and Palazzese's in game three guaranteed the fourth consecutive series in which both goaltenders recorded at least one victory. The ECHL is currently researching to see if that is the first time two goalies have won games in all four playoff rounds in the same year, and thus far, that is the case, dating all the way back to 2002. Foster came up with multiple victories in each of the first three rounds, beating Florida and Reading three times each, while knocking off South Carolina twice. Palazzese won multiple contests in the series against the Stingrays. Allen pulled off the rare feat of having three goalies win games in one round during the Western Conference Final against the Fort Wayne Komets.
Open the Doors One Last Time
Saturday night is game five of the Kelly Cup Final Series between the Nailers and Americans, as well as the third and final battle at WesBanco Arena. Regardless of the end result of the game or series, this will be the last home game for Wheeling during the 2015-16 season. Between the regular season and playoffs, the Nailers will have played in 49 games in front of their loyal fanbase, which has seen 132,708 fans pour through the gates during the 24th season of professional hockey in the Ohio Valley. Wheeling has collected 25 victories on home ice, including seven in the playoffs. The Nailers will be looking to acquire a winning record in the Wheel for the third time in four rounds, needing to come out on top in Saturday's clash. The Kelly Cup will either be awarded on Thursday or Saturday of next week, when the series shifts back to Texas for game six and seven (if necessary).
Wheeling Nailers (14-10) vs. Allen Americans (14-8)
WHEELING NAILERS
(14-10)
76 GF, 76 GA
PP: 21.8% (22-for-101), 2nd
PK: 85.5% (94-for-110), 4th
23-F-Riley Brace (5 goals, 20 assists, 25 points in 24 games)
25-F-John McCarron (10 goals, 11 assists, 21 points in 23 games)
18-D-Mathew Maione (6 goals, 15 assists, 21 points in 24 games)
11-F-Cody Wydo (10 goals, 9 assists, 19 points in 24 games)
24-F-Ty Loney (7 goals, 9 assists, 16 points in 24 games)
19-F-Shane Bakker (5 goals, 9 assists, 14 points in 24 games)
29-G-Franky Palazzese (5-4 record, 2.34 GAA, .911 Sv% in 11 games)
(37-26-5-4, 83 PTS, 2nd North, 5th East)
214 GF, 211 GA
PP: 17.8% (48-for-269), 9th
PK: 83.6% (225-for-269), 15th
23-F-Riley Brace (26 goals, 41 assists, 67 points in 56 games)
18-D-Mathew Maione (11 goals, 43 assists, 54 points in 70 games)
11-F-Cody Wydo (23 goals, 27 assists, 50 points in 59 games)
25-F-John McCarron (14 goals, 17 assists, 31 points in 51 games)
17-F-Jordan Kwas (9 goals, 20 assists, 29 points in 60 games)
27-D-Brett Stern (7 goals, 17 assists, 24 points in 72 games)
29-G-Franky Palazzese (20-15-3 record, 2.86 GAA, .906 Sv% in 39 games)
ALLEN AMERICANS
(14-8)
73 GF, 62 GA
PP: 27.2% (25-for-92), 1st
PK: 80.2% (73-for-91), 11th
13-F-Chad Costello (6 goals, 26 assists, 32 points in 22 games)
15-F-Greger Hanson (13 goals, 8 assists, 21 points in 21 games)
10-D-David Makowski (5 goals, 15 assists, 20 points in 18 games)
12-F-Gary Steffes (12 goals, 5 assists, 17 points in 22 games)
7-D-Eric Roy (4 goals, 13 assists, 17 points in 21 games)
18-F-Casey Pierro-Zabotel (7 goals, 8 assists, 15 points in 22 games)
30-G-Riley Gill (10-5 record, 2.40 GAA, .920 Sv% in 17 games)
(41-24-3-4, 89 PTS, 2nd Central, 4th West)
222 GF, 204 GA
PP: 21.1% (58-for-275), 1st
PK: 86.4% (247-for-286), 3rd
13-F-Chad Costello (24 goals, 79 assists, 103 points in 72 games)
18-F-Casey Pierro-Zabotel (15 goals, 32 assists, 47 points in 58 games)
12-F-Gary Steffes (22 goals, 23 assists, 45 points in 69 games)
10-D-David Makowski (17 goals, 21 assists, 38 points in 54 games)
43-D-Matt Register (7 goals, 30 assists, 37 points in 53 games)
15-F-Greger Hanson (14 goals, 22 assists, 36 points in 33 games)
30-G-Riley Gill (13-12-1 record, 2.74 GAA, .907 Sv% in 29 games)
Head to Head
Playoff Series: Nailers 2, Americans 2
Playoff Series at WesBanco Arena: Nailers 1, Americans 1
No Previous Games Between the Teams
ECHL Stories from June 4, 2016
- Americans Escape with Overtime Win in Game Five - Wheeling Nailers
- Americans Grab 3-2 Series Lead, After 3-2 Overtime Win over Wheeling - Allen Americans
- Nailers vs. Americans Game Day Snap Shot - Wheeling Nailers
- ECHL Today - June 4 - ECHL
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