ECHL Wheeling Nailers

Nailers vs. IceMen Game Day Snap Shot

Published on November 15, 2015 under ECHL (ECHL)
Wheeling Nailers News Release


Next One Should be Up

The Wheeling Nailers have had an up-and-down week in the category of offense, as they scored seven goals on Tuesday, one goal on Wednesday, six goals on Friday, and one goal on Saturday. While they were able to get one standings point out of Saturday's game, they were unable to get a second one, thanks to a 2-1 overtime win by the Evansville IceMen. After Evansville went ahead in the first period, Adam Krause pulled Wheeling even at the 6:05 mark of the third period, redirecting Danny Fick's one-timer into the back of the net. The Nailers had a great chance to win the contest in the extra session, but a shorthanded goal by the IceMen brought the night to an end. Brian Foster allowed only two goals in both of his starts this week, as he made 24 saves in falling to 2-3-1 on the season.

Two Different Hands in the Win

The Evansville IceMen can thank their goaltender, Christoffer Bengtsberg, for his performance on Saturday night, helping the team to a 2-1 triumph at WesBanco Arena. Bengtsberg stopped 31 of the 32 shots he faced during the game, then kickstarted the play for the game winning goal, as he gloved a pass ahead to Daultan Leveille, springing him for a shorthanded chance. Leveille, a former Nailer from the 2012-13 season, danced his way into the slot, where he slid a shot along the ice for the overtime marker. Alex Wideman had the other tally for victorious Evansville, as he finished off a pass from Andrew Himelson at the 12:10 mark of the first period. The IceMen have accumulated two of their three wins away from Ford Center.

Everybody Gets a Point

Adam Krause's third period goal on Saturday was assisted by Danny Fick and Brett Stern. While that may look like a standard summary to most, there was more significance to one of the assists. Danny Fick's helper was his first career point as a pro, as he joined Mickael Beauregard, Mike Gunn, Ty Loney, John McCarron, and Brett Stern, as Wheeling players who have appeared on the scoresheet for the first time. It also means that all 19 skaters on Clark Donatelli's active roster have recorded at least one point in 2015-16. Derek Army (currently with AHL Portland) and Franky Palazzese (one assist) brings the total up to 21. Stern's assist gives him points in four straight games, tying the season mark set by Jarrett Burton and Sahir Gill.

It's All or Nothing

Although it ended with a shorthanded tally, Saturday night's game was the third in a row for the Nailers in which neither they nor their opponent was able to light the lamp while playing on the man advantage. Power play statistics have followed an interesting script in the first 12 games of the campaign for Wheeling. Both clubs have scored in the same game five times, and neither team has scored a goal in five games. That leaves only two of the 12 games in which only one team has found the back of the net - the Nailers' 5-1 win over Brampton on October 24th, and Adirondack's 4-1 win at WesBanco Arena on October 30th. Wheeling has successfully killed off nine straight penalties in the last three games, while the power play has come up empty on 13 straight chances. The IceMen have scored three and allowed five man advantage goals this season.

Until Next Year

Sunday afternoon marks the second and final head-to-head meeting between the Nailers and IceMen this season, with both battles having taken place at WesBanco Arena. With Saturday night's 2-1 overtime win, Evansville has now come out on top in four of the last five games in the all-time series, after going 3-1-0 in 2014-15. Wheeling's last win over the IceMen came on March 10th in Indiana, while the Nailers' last home victory came on April 4th, 2014. Saturday was the second time that the two squads have needed overtime in their 12-game historical set. Mike Ratchuk gave Wheeling a win in extra time on December 21st, 2013, before Daultan Leveille's shorthanded goal on Saturday. The IceMen have won seven of the 12 previous tilts, but the Nailers will be looking to even the season series for the second time in four years on Sunday.

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Wheeling Nailers (6-5-1-0, 13 Pts.) vs. Evansville IceMen (3-6-0-0, 6 Pts.)

WHEELING NAILERS

(6-5-1-0, 13 PTS, T-1st North, T-6th East)

37 GF, 33 GA

PP: 16.4% (9-for-55), 13th

PK: 79.6% (39-for-49), 22nd

20-F-Jarrett Burton (8 goals, 3 assists, 11 points in 12 games)

23-F-Riley Brace (3 goals, 8 assists, 11 points in 12 games)

21-F-Sahir Gill (3 goals, 5 assists, 8 points in 12 games)

27-D-Brett Stern (2 goals, 6 assists, 8 points in 12 games)

22-D-Clark Seymour (4 goals, 3 assists, 7 points in 12 games)

26-F-Adam Krause (2 goals, 5 assists, 7 points in 12 games)

29-G-Franky Palazzese (4-2-0 record, 2.51 GAA, .901 Sv% in 6 games)

EVANSVILLE ICEMEN

(3-6-0-0, 6 PTS, 5th Midwest, 14th West)

16 GF, 24 GA

PP: 10.7% (3-for-28), 25th

PK: 82.1% (23-for-28), 17th

9-F-Daultan Leveille (4 goals, 1 assist, 5 points in 9 games)

19-F-Ryan Penny (1 goal, 4 assists, 5 points in 9 games)

12-F-Nathan Moon (1 goal, 3 assists, 4 points in 7 games)

13-F-Tyson Fawcett (3 goals, 3 points in 9 games)

3-F-Alex Wideman (2 goals, 1 assist, 3 points in 5 games)

2-D-Troy Rutkowski (1 goal, 2 assists, 3 points in 9 games)

31-G-Christoffer Bengtsberg (2-4-0 record, 2.49 GAA, .910 Sv% in 6 games)

Head to Head

Season Series: IceMen 1, Nailers 0

Season Series at WesBanco Arena: IceMen 1, Nailers 0

All-Time Series: IceMen 7, Nailers 5

All-Time Series at WesBanco Arena: Nailers 4, IceMen 3

Check out the Wheeling Nailers Statistics

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ECHL Stories from November 15, 2015


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