ECHL Wheeling Nailers

Nailers vs. Beast Game Day Snap Shot

Published on December 31, 2015 under ECHL (ECHL)
Wheeling Nailers News Release


Lots of Scoring, but Not for the Good Guys

The Wheeling Nailers were involved in their second highest scoring game of the season on Sunday afternoon, as they and the Kalamazoo Wings combined to put 11 pucks into the backs of the nets. Unfortunately for Wheeling, the greater number of goals went the opposite way, as the Wings lit the lamp five times in the second period, as part of a seven-goal attack in a 7-4 victory at WesBanco Arena. A shorthanded goal kick started the attack in the middle frame, before the Nailers pulled within a goal at 2-1. Kalamazoo then posted three goals in a span of 1:31, eventually taking a 6-1 lead. Wheeling rallied within two during the third period, but was unable to get any closer, suffering its third straight defeat. Cody Wydo and Riley Brace both scored twice.

Bonus Hockey Becoming a Trend

The Brampton Beast went to overtime only once in their first 23 games of the 2015-16 season, but that number has quickly shot up to six, thanks to extra hockey being needed in five of their last six contests. Prior to the holidays, Brampton suffered an overtime loss to Norfolk and a shootout setback to Toledo, but since then, things have gone the other way. On Sunday afternoon, the Beast trailed Reading 5-1, before scoring five unanswered goals for a 6-5 comeback triumph. The Royals got the upper hand in overtime the following night, but on Tuesday, Brampton arrived in the winner's circle again, thanks to Mike Vernace's tally at 3:04 of the fourth period in Fort Wayne. Edward Pasquale made 39 saves in his third start since a long stint with the AHL's St. John's IceCaps.

The Tradition Returns

New Year's Eve at WesBanco Arena has been a long tradition for fans of the Nailers and Thunderbirds, as Thursday night will be the 22nd home game played on that date in 24 seasons. 2014 was the first time that Wheeling had the day off all together, and 2010 was the lone year in which the contest took place on the road (Gwinnett). After dropping its inaugural New Year's showdown to the Toledo Storm in 1992, the Thunderbirds and Nailers went on to win six straight games on December 31st and ten of the next 12. However, Wheeling has dropped three consecutive clashes on the final day of the calendar year, with the last home victory coming in 2009. The team's 13 wins are the most ever on a single date, leading October 18th and December 26th, which have both seen ten wins by the local squad.

Another Phone Call

Since taking over as the team's interim head coach, David Gove's phone hasn't stopped ringing, as AHL teams look to continue bolstering their roster with top players from the Nailers. Typcially, those calls come from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, as it did on Wednesday, when John McCarron earned his first opportunity at the next level. Luckily for Wheeling, there was a player returning to the ECHL in that transaction, as Matia Marcantuoni will play in his fifth game of the year with the team on Thursday. There have also been two other moves that have occurred since Sunday, as Riley Brace and Zack Torquato joined the Chicago Wolves, who are affiliated with the St. Louis Blues. Both players were in Wednesday's lineup, with Brace dishing out two assists and Torquato taking four shots in a 5-2 defeat against the Rockford IceHogs. With all of the shuffling up to the next level, the Nailers will have two players making their season debuts on Thursday in defenseman Mike Slowikowski and forward Andrew Cerretani.

One This Year, One Next Year

Thursday night marks the fourth of nine head-to-head meetings between the Nailers and Beast this season, as well as the third of five battles at WesBanco Arena. Wheeling got the upper hand early in the year, sweeping a home-and-home series with 5-1 and 4-3 results. However, Brampton drew back into the series the last time the two clubs got together, picking up a 6-3 win in West Virginia, led by Chris Auger's hat trick, as well as three-point games from defensemen Jeremie Blain and Mike Vernace. Derek Army is the leading scorer for the Nailers against the Beast, having racked up six points in three games this season and 13 points all-time. After Thursday, the two North Division rivals will see each other again next year in 2016, which just so happens to be two days away on Saturday night.

Wheeling Nailers (14-12-1-2, 31 Pts.) vs. Brampton Beast (10-15-3-1, 24 Pts.)

WHEELING NAILERS

(14-12-1-2, 31 PTS, 2nd North, 10th East)

87 GF, 90 GA

PP: 14.5% (18-for-124), 25th

PK: 82.5% (94-for-114), 16th

20-F-Jarrett Burton (11 goals, 14 assists, 25 points in 29 games)

18-D-Mathew Maione (5 goals, 13 assists, 18 points in 27 games)

16-F-Derek Army (6 goals, 11 assists, 17 points in 22 games)

27-D-Brett Stern (5 goals, 8 assists, 13 points in 29 games)

4-D-Paul Cianfrini (10 assists, 10 points in 29 games)

11-F-Cody Wydo (5 goals, 1 assist, 6 points in 16 games)

29-G-Franky Palazzese (8-7-1 record, 2.95 GAA, .901 Sv% in 16 games)

BRAMPTON BEAST

(10-15-3-1, 24 PTS, 4th North, 13th East)

79 GF, 100 GA

PP: 20.3% (24-for-118), 4th

PK: 77.5% (100-for-129), 25th

22-F-Brandon Marino (8 goals, 23 assists, 31 points in 29 games)

5-D-Jeremie Blain (2 goals, 20 assists, 22 points in 29 games)

18-D-Mike Vernace (2 goals, 19 assists, 21 points in 24 games)

13-F-Scott Howes (10 goals, 10 assists, 20 points in 22 games)

16-F-Chris Auger (10 goals, 9 assists, 19 points in 25 games)

11-F-Luke Pither (8 goals, 5 assists, 13 points in 16 games)

40-G-Edward Pasquale (3-5-2 record, 3.30 GAA, .894 Sv% in 10 games)

Head to Head

Season Series: Nailers 2, Beast 1

Season Series at WesBanco Arena: Nailers 1, Beast 1

All-Time Series: Nailers 5, Beast 2

All-Time Series at WesBanco Arena: Nailers 1, Beast 1

Check out the Wheeling Nailers Statistics

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ECHL Stories from December 31, 2015


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