ECHL Wheeling Nailers

Nailers vs. Royals Game Day Snap Shot

Published on February 14, 2014 under ECHL (ECHL)
Wheeling Nailers News Release


WHEELING NAILERS

(22-19-1-5, 50 PTS, 2nd Atlantic, 10th East)

123 GF, 137 GA

PP: 13.1% (22-for-168), 18th

PK: 83.8% (165-for-197), 14th

21-F-Sahir Gill (9 goals, 26 assists, 35 points in 42 games)

15-F-Zack Torquato (9 goals, 22 assists, 31 points in 25 games)

2-D-Mike Ratchuk (9 goals, 19 assists, 28 points in 44 games)

7-F-Max MacKay (11 goals, 15 assists, 26 points in 35 games)

98-F-Chaz Johnson (7 goals, 12 assists, 19 points in 40 games)

16-F-Cody Sylvester (12 goals, 5 assists, 17 points in 28 games)

1-G-Mike Condon (14-11-4 record, 2.59 GAA, .919 Sv% in 29 games)

READING ROYALS

(27-16-1-0, 55 PTS, 1st Atlantic, T-3rd East)

137 GF, 116 GA

PP: 16.0% (27-for-169), 9th

PK: 86.4% (133-for-154), 6th

16-F-Ryan Cruthers (11 goals, 21 assists, 32 points in 26 games)

14-F-TJ Syner (13 goals, 16 assists, 29 points in 33 games)

15-F-Sean Wiles (12 goals, 16 assists, 28 points in 29 games)

18-F-Domenic Monardo (13 goals, 10 assists, 23 points in 43 games)

11-D-Michal Cajkovsky (9 goals, 13 assists, 22 points in 39 games)

4-D-Marvin Degon (4 goals, 16 assists, 20 points in 40 games)

33-G-Brandon Anderson (13-7-1 record, 2.55 GAA, .902 Sv% in 22 games)

Head-to-Head

Season Series: Royals 7, Nailers 2

Season Series at WesBanco Arena: Royals 3, Nailers 1

All-Time Series: Royals 73, Nailers 52

All-Time Series at WesBanco Arena: Royals 34, Nailers 27

One Man Down, One Win Up

The Wheeling Nailers began their three-game homestand on Wednesday night, with a 4-1 triumph over the Toledo Walleye. For the second time in 2013-14, the Nailers picked up their win, while playing with a shortened bench, as 15 skaters and two goaltenders suited up for action. Shane Bakker broke a scoreless tie at the 12:59 mark of the second period, before Mike Ratchuk upped the lead 2:01 later. Tyler Fernandez and Cody Sylvester added insurance tallies in the third, helping Kieran Millan (21 saves) to his first victory in a Wheeling uniform.

Close, but the Comeback Kept it Alive

The Reading Royals have yet to lose a road game in regulation against an Atlantic Division opponent this season (8-0-1), but that streak nearly came to an end on Wednesday night. Reading fell behind the Elmira Jackals 2-0 and 3-2, but rallied back both times, ultimately escaping First Arena with a 4-3 win. Defenseman Michal Cajkovsky broke the 3-3 tie with 7:18 remaining in the third period, and Riley Gill made the victory stand up in goal, making 36 saves on 39 shots.

A 72-Point Set of Transactions

On Thursday afternoon, the Nailers received a jolt to their offense, as four players rejoined the team from the AHL's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Forward Zack Torquato was Wheeling's leading scorer at the time of his loan to the AHL, after racking up 31 points in 25 games. Forward Carter Rowney also had a strong start to his season with the Nailers, accumulating 20 points in 22 games. Joining those two are a pair of players who appeared in two games last weekend, as forward Denver Manderson (13 points in 14 games) and defenseman Barry Goers (8 points in 18 games) make their returns to WesBanco Arena. Those four players have been responsible for 22.3% (72 of 323 points) of the club's offense in 2013-14.

Ratchuk Racking Them Up

Defenseman Mike Ratchuk picked up one goal and one assist in Wheeling's 4-1 victory on Wednesday, giving him nine goals, 19 assists, and 28 points in 44 games this season. The goal came at the 15-minute mark of the second period, and proved to be the game winner, as Ratchuk tied Cody Sylvester for the team lead with his fifth game winning goal of the campaign. Mike also tied a team-high, matching Zack Torquato's mark from November, by recording points in six consecutive contests. Ratchuk is currently fifth in defensive scoring in the ECHL, trailing the overall leader, Sam Ftorek, by four points.

No Love On the Ice

Friday night marks the tenth of 15 head-to-head meetings between the Nailers and Royals this season. Even though the two teams split a pair of games at Santander Arena last weekend, Reading has had the upper hand in the season series, winning seven of the first nine tilts, including a 3-0-1 record at WesBanco Arena. Wheeling's lone victory at home took place on December 6th, when Mike Ratchuk broke a 3-3 tie at 1:59 of overtime. In the spirit of Valentine's Day, the Nailers and Royals have dropped the gloves 16 times in their nine games against each other.

Check out the Wheeling Nailers Statistics

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