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ECHL Wheeling Nailers

Nailers vs. Royals Playoff Series Preview

April 29, 2016 - ECHL (ECHL)
Wheeling Nailers News Release


Goaltending

Wheeling: Foster, Palazzese

Reading: Morrison, Ouellette

Both teams had their goaltending depth on display in the opening round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs, as both series saw all four netminders appear in the crease. Franky Palazzese started the first three games for the Nailers against the Everblades, before giving way to Brian Foster, who posted a 3-1 record, helping the team to victories in games four, five, and six. Martin Ouellette shouldered most of the load for the Royals, as he got the nod in six of seven games against the Walleye, going 4-1, including a 37-save performance in game seven. Adam Morrison made a relief appearance in game two, before starting game four. Prior to this year, Palazzese and Foster had both had postseason experience in the past, while Ouellette and Morrison each made their playoff debuts during round one.

Defense

Wheeling: Cianfrini, Fick, Maione, Melindy, Schulze, Seymour, Stern

Reading: Comrie, Johnson, Lamarche, Luukko, Marcou, Perry, Pettersson, Young

Two of the top offensive defensemen in the league will go head-to-head in this series, as Wheeling's Mathew Maione takes on Reading's Adam Comrie. Maione was named ECHL Defenseman of the Year in 2015-16, as he led the league in points by a blueliner with 54. Comrie spent nearly half of the season in the AHL, but still manufactured 34 points in 39 games with the Royals, including 15 goals. Another player who shined in the opening round for the Nailers was Danny Fick, who dished out three assists, but more notably posted a +6 rating. Wheeling won games five and six with just five skaters on the back end, but are expected to be at full strength for Friday's series opener. Reading got five points in round one from Maxim Lamarche, who is widely considered one of their top players, and also serves as the team's captain. Paul Cianfrini is the most experienced Nailer, who will eclipse 50 career games against the Royals in this series. Wheeling is familiar with Mike Marcou in postseason play, as he was a Greenville Road Warrior in 2014.

Offense

Wheeling: Ammon, Bakker, Brace, Burton, Kwas, Leen, Loney, McCarron, O'Donoghue, Tabrum, Torquato, Wydo, Zlobin

Reading: Alderson, Crandall, Farley, Goumas, Kashirsky, Pelech, Rehkamp, Reid, Sundher, Tanski, Tifu, Watters

Despite only needing six of seven possible games to get out of the first round, fans can look at offensive leaders around the league and see Wheeling names at the top of the list. Riley Brace had a dominant opening series, as he racked up ten points in six contest, and currently leads the ECHL in that department. John McCarron is tied with three other players for the lead in rookie scoring, as he tallied four goals and seven points against Florida. 11 of the Nailers 13 forwards recorded at least one point in the opening series, finished off by captain Shane Bakker, who netted the winning goal in game six. Brandon Alderson had the most electric set for the Royals, as he amassed six goals and eight points. The six goals are tied for the most in the league. Kevin Goumas and Cam Reid both had three goals and seven points, with all three of Goumas' tallies coming in the decisive seventh match against Toledo. 11 of 12 Reading forwards found the scoresheet at least once.

AHL Eligibles

Wheeling: Army, DeSmith, Gill, Krause, Ruopp

Reading: Knapp, Padakin, Pereira

The Nailers and Royals have both filled up 22 of their 23 roster spots thus far, leaving one open position for the remaining candidates. On the Wheeling side, four of the five players are currently with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, who swept their first round playoff series against the Providence Bruins. Casey DeSmith was the winning netminder in all three, while Sahir Gill, Adam Krause, and Harrison Ruopp did not play. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton will find out its second round opponent this weekend. Derek Army has also failed to get into the lineup for the Texas Stars, who trail the San Diego Gulls 2-1, with game four tonight. While nothing is set in stone, Reading's addition will likely be Mike Pereira. Pereira was playing for the Utica Comets, who were eliminated by the Albany Devils on Thursday. Connor Knapp and Pavel Padakin were both with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, who failed to qualify for the dance.

Special Teams

Wheeling: PP- 17.8%, 9th. PK- 83.6%, 15th.

Reading: PP- 18.6%, 6th. PK- 83.5%, 16th.

Special teams played a large role in Wheeling's opening round triumph against Florida, but the reason wasn't the amount of power play goals scored. Instead, the performance of the Nailers penalty kill shined the brightest, as it limited the Everblades to a 1-for-29 mark in Wheeling's four wins. Despite that success, the number of penalties that Wheeling took in the first series was alarming, as Florida received 39 opportunities on the power play - the most of any club in the ECHL. The Nailers were 4-for-29 on their man advantages, lighting the lamp in games one, two, four, and five. Continuing off of their sixth ranked power play during the regular season, the Royals went 5-for-24 in their series against the Walleye. All 24 power plays came during the first six contests, as Toledo was not whistled for a single minor in game seven. Similar to the Nailers, Reading's production came when the team was successful, as four of the five goals were scored in wins. The Royals were 24-for-29 on the penalty kill, which included a 3-for-3 mark in Tuesday's clincher. Mathew Maione had three power play points for Wheeling, while Brandon Alderson and Kevin Goumas both had three for Reading.

Toughness

Wheeling: 34 fighting majors, T-17th (Patrick McGrath - 10)

Reading: 33 fighting majors, T-21st (Derek Mathers - 13)

This is a rivalry. The Nailers and Royals have been playing each other for 15 years, and during that time, they have done battle on the ice over 150 times in the regular season, as well as in the Kelly Cup Playoffs. This year, the two clubs met up on 11 different occasions, and the season series started with a bang, as Patrick McGrath and Derek Mathers dropped the gloves in each of the first four tilts. Neither of those players will be appearing in this series, meaning the teams will be looking for other players to step up in the physicality department. Shane Bakker had the most fights for Wheeling among players on the active roster, while James Melindy led the way in penalty minutes. Todd Perry is Reading's active leader in fisticuffs, with Michael Pelech receiving the most penalty minutes during the regular season aside from Mathers. These organizations are rivals from top to bottom, as the Nailers are affiliated with the Pittsburgh Penguins, while the Royals are members of the Philadelphia Flyers minor league chain.

Coaching

Wheeling: HC- David Gove (1st Season, 23-16-6), AC- Jeff Christian (1st Season)

Reading: HC- Larry Courville (8th Season, 305-187-50), AC- Kirk MacDonald (2nd Season)

For the second series in a row, the Nailers will have to go up against a head coach who has had both success and a long tenure in the ECHL, as Larry Courville makes his seventh appearance in the Kelly Cup Playoffs. Courville spent parts of five seasons as a player for the Royals, and even had his number retired, before stepping behind the bench in 2008-09. Under Larry's guidance, Reading won the Kelly Cup in 2012-13 for the first time in club history. His assistant coach that season, Tim Branham, is currently the bench boss for the Utah Grizzlies, who upset the Colorado Eagles in round one out west. Kirk MacDonald was a player on the 2012-13 season, and is in his second campaign under Courville. The Nailers will begin round two with Jeff Christian at the helm, as David Gove took a personal leave of absence. In round one, Gove and Christian became the seventh coaching tandem in team history to win a playoff series, with the most recent before them being Clark Donatelli and Doug Bradley in 2014. All four coaches played professionally, and all four played in at least one championship series.

Experience

Wheeling: 2,629 professional games (0 prior Kelly Cup Champions)

Reading: 4,568 professional games (3 prior Kelly Cup Champions)

The young and upstart Nailers have more youth in their group for the second straight set, which worked out well in round one, as they took down two former champions who skated with the Everblades. In addition to having more overall experience, the Royals also have three former Kelly Cup Champions on their roster. Yannick Tifu has played in over 600 games in his professional career, and was the captain of Reading's championship team in 2013. One of his teammates that season was Nikita Kashirsky, who also hoisted the ECHL's title trophy in 2009 with the South Carolina Stingrays. Defenseman Kevin Young won the Kelly Cup last spring with the Allen Americans. Wheeling's players are still in search of their first cup run in the ECHL, but five players are making a return trip to round two, as Paul Cianfrini, Zack Torquato, Shane Bakker, Mathew Maione, and Brian Foster all won playoff series in the past. Bakker is four games away from tying Peter Merth for the most postseason games in team history, while Riley Brace is five points away from Steve Gibson's record point total in a playoff career.

Eastern Conference Semifinal

Wheeling Nailers vs. Reading Royals

Game 1 - Fri. Apr. 29th AT WHEELING, 7:35

Game 2 - Mon. May 2nd AT WHEELING, 7:05

Game 3 - Wed. May 4th at Reading, 7:00

Game 4 - Thu. May 5th at Reading, 7:00

Game 5 - Sat. May 7th at Reading, 7:00 (if necessary)

Game 6 - Mon. May 9th AT WHEELING, 7:05 (if necessary)

Game 7 - Wed. May 11th AT WHEELING, 7:05 (if necessary)

Wheeling Nailers (37-26-5-4, 83 Pts.) vs. Reading Royals (36-26-6-4, 82 Pts.)

WHEELING NAILERS

2nd Place in North Division, 5th Place in Eastern Conference

Record: 37-26-5-4

Points: 83

Goals For: 214 (14th)

Goals Against: 211 (17th)

Power Play: 48-for-269 (17.8%), 9th

Penalty Kill: 225-for-269 (83.6%), 15th

READING ROYALS

3rd Place in North Division, 8th Place in Eastern Conference

Record: 36-26-6-4

Points: 82

Goals For: 222 (T-10th)

Goals Against: 194 (9th)

Power Play: 51-for-274 (18.6%), 6th

Penalty Kill: 203-for-243 (83.5%), 16th

Head-to-Head

2015-16 Regular Season: Nailers 7, Royals 4

2015-16 Regular Season at WHL: Nailers 4, Royals 2

2015-16 Regular Season at REA: Nailers 3, Royals 2

All-Time Regular Season: Royals 84, Nailers 70

All-Time Regular Season at WHL: Nailers 39, Royals 37

All-Time Regular Season at REA: Royals 47, Nailers 31

All-Time Playoff Series: Nailers 1, Royals 1

All-Time Playoff Games: Nailers 5, Royals 4

All-Time Playoff Games at WHL: Royals 3, Nailers 2

All-Time Playoff Games at REA: Nailers 3, Royals 1

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ECHL Stories from April 29, 2016


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