ECHL Wheeling Nailers

Nailers vs. Jackals Game Day Snap Shot

Published on January 3, 2014 under ECHL (ECHL)
Wheeling Nailers News Release


Wheeling Nailers (14-10-0-5, 33 PTS) vs. Elmira Jackals (9-16-1-2, 21 PTS)

WHEELING NAILERS

(14-10-0-5, 33 PTS, 1st Atlantic, 6th East)

78 GF, 82 GA

PP: 11.7% (12-for-103), 18th

PK: 86.4% (114-for-132), 10th

21-F-Sahir Gill (7 goals, 12 assists, 19 points in 24 games)

2-D-Mike Ratchuk (7 goals, 11 assists, 18 points in 29 games)

98-F-Chaz Johnson (4 goals, 10 assists, 14 points in 29 games)

7-F-Max MacKay (4 goals, 7 assists, 11 points in 19 games)

19-F-Scott Zurevinski (5 goals, 4 assists, 9 points in 22 games)

22-F-Jack MacLellan (5 goals, 2 assists, 7 points in 13 games)

30-G-Brooks Ostergard (0-2-1 record, 4.27 GAA, .854 Sv% in 3 games)

ELMIRA JACKALS

(9-16-1-2, 21 PTS, 3rd Atlantic, T-12th East)

67 GF, 93 GA

PP: 12.6% (12-for-95), 16th

PK: 83.9% (78-for-93), 17th

16-F-Jordan Pietrus (4 goals, 15 assists, 19 points in 28 games)

27-F-Rob Bellamy (8 goals, 8 assists, 16 points in 28 games)

72-F-Jakub Culek (5 goals, 11 assists, 16 points 22 games)

19-F-Danny Hobbs (8 goals, 7 assists, 15 points in 28 games)

17-F-Matt Carter (7 goals, 6 assists, 13 points in 27 games)

7-D-Kyle Bushee (4 goals, 6 assists, 10 points in 25 games)

31-G-Scott Greenham (5-8-1 record, 2.92 GAA, .914 Sv% in 15 games)

Head-to-Head

Season Series: Nailers 5, Jackals 1

Season Series at WesBanco Arena: Nailers 3, Jackals 1

All-Time Series: Jackals 36, Nailers 27

All-Time Series at WesBanco Arena: Nailers 17, Jackals 14

Royal Thorns in Our Sides

One opponent that the Wheeling Nailers haven't enjoyed facing in 2013-14 has been the Reading Royals, and that was the case in the team's most recent game on Tuesday night. Despite opening the scoring with Jack MacLellan's fifth goal of the season, the Nailers were bested by their division rival for the fifth time in six head-to-head meetings. The Royals tallied for unanswered goals to complete their win, receiving two markers each from Michal Cajkovsky and Ryan Cruthers. Josh Watson made 23 saves in his professional debut for Reading, defeating Brooks Ostergard, who stopped 28 shots in his first game with Wheeling.

They Couldn't Beat Jakaitis Either

Last Saturday, the Nailers ran into one of the best goaltenders in the ECHL, as Jeff Jakaitis blanked them on 21 shots, in a 3-0 victory for South Carolina. On Tuesday, the 30-year old put forth another tremendous effort, as he turned aside all 38 shots taken by the Elmira Jackals, in a 2-0 triumph for the Stingrays. That loss finished an 0-3-0 journey to the South Division for the Jackals, who enter the final tilt of their four-game road trip on a six-game winless streak (0-5-1). Both of Elmira's last two wins came on the road against Atlantic Division teams, as it defeated Wheeling and Reading on December 12th and 15th.

Chaz Heating Up With Former Team in Town

Former Jackal Chaz Johnson has been one of the more consistent members of the Nailers as of late, as he has recorded at least one point in five of the team's last seven contests. One of those points came last Friday in Gwinnett, when the ninth year veteran appeared in his 500th professional game. Johnson currently ranks third on the squad in active scoring and fifth overall, accumulating four goals and 14 points in 29 games. Six of those points have come against Elmira, as he is tied for second in scoring during the season series.

Killing Has Been Crucial

When the Nailers and Jackals last met up on December 12th, Wheeling entered the contest with the top penalty kill in the ECHL, having allowed just seven goals on 95 opportunities in 21 games. That led the team to a 13-5-3 record, as well as a 12-game point streak, which was paced by a 94.8% success rate (55-for-58), when playing a man down. Since then, the Nailers have gone 1-5-2 in their last eight games, while allowing 11 goals on 37 opposition power plays (70.3%). Wheeling is 10-3-2 when its penalty kill is perfect and 4-7-3 when it surrenders a power play goal.

Shooting Hasn't Led to Winning

Friday night marks the seventh of 15 head-to-head meetings between the Nailers and the Jackals, with Wheeling currently holding a 5-1 advantage in the season series. However, in a bizarre twist, the team that has recorded the fewest shots on goal has been victorious in all six contests. The season opener set that trend right from the beginning, as the Nailers defeated Elmira 3-2 on October 18th, despite taking a season-low 18 shots, while allowing a season-high 42. In the most recent clash on December 12th, Wheeling fell 5-2, despite tying a season-high with 46 shots.

Check out the Wheeling Nailers Statistics

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