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ECHL Wheeling Nailers

Nailers vs. Walleye Playoff Series Preview

April 16, 2015 - ECHL (ECHL)
Wheeling Nailers News Release


Wheeling Nailers (37-33-1-1, 76 PTS) vs. Toledo Walleye (50-15-5-2, 107 PTS)

WHEELING NAILERS

4th Place in North

Record: 37-33-1-1

Points: 76

Goals For: 210 (18th)

Goals Against: 213 (13th)

Power Play: 44-for-272 (16.2%), 18th

Penalty Kill: 247-for-296 (83.4%), 12th

TOLEDO WALLEYE

1st Place in North

Record: 50-15-5-2

Points: 107

Goals For: 281 (2nd)

Goals Against: 182 (2nd)

Power Play: 64-for-259 (24.7%), 1st

Penalty Kill: 202-for-232 (87.1%), 2nd

Head-to-Head

2014-15 Regular Season: Walleye 6, Nailers 1

2014-15 Regular Season at WHL: Walleye 3, Nailers 1

2014-15 Regular Season at TOL: Walleye 3, Nailers 0

All-Time Regular Season (Since 2009): Nailers 25, Walleye 25

All-Time Regular Season at WHL (Since 2009): Nailers 18, Walleye 11

All-Time Regular Season at TOL (Since 2009): Walleye 14, Nailers 7

All-Time Playoff Series: Walleye/Storm 3, Nailers/Thunderbirds 1

All-Time Playoff Games: Walleye/Storm 11, Nailers/Thunderbirds 7

All-Time Playoff Games at WHL: Nailers/Thunderbirds 5, Walleye/Storm 3

All-Time Playoff Games at TOL: Walleye/Storm 8, Nailers/Thunderbirds 2

Goaltending

Wheeling: Hartzell, Palazzese

Toledo: Conway, Lerg

Franky Palazzese and Jeff Lerg are expected to get the starting nods between the pipes in Thursday night's series opener at Huntington Center, and both goaltenders have recently received recognition from the league. Palazzese was selected as the Warrior Hockey ECHL Goaltender of the Month for April, after going 3-1-0 in four starts to lift the Nailers into the playoffs. Franky experienced some growing pains during the middle of his rookie season, but smoothed things out over the course of the final three months, ending the campaign with a 10-5-1 record, a 2.04 goals against average, and a .940 save percentage. Lerg was named to the All-ECHL Second Team, after finishing second in the league with 32 wins. Jeff set the tone at the start of the year, as he followed an opening night loss with a 10-0-1 mark in his next 11 outings. In addition, the 5-foot-6 backstop recorded at least four straight wins on five different occasions. Wheeling has the advantage when it comes to backups at the start of the series, as 17-win Eric Hartzell is matched up against fill-in Brodie Barrick, as Neil Conway continues to battle back from injury.

Defense

Wheeling: Cianfrini, Makowski, Ratchuk, Seymour, Slowikowski, Wardley

Toledo: Clare, Elbrecht, Lampl, Nedomlel, Sims, Stejskal

While a bulk of credit can certainly go to Lerg and Conway, a big reason for Toledo allowing the second fewest goals in the ECHL came from its blueline. Five of the six defensemen for the Walleye have played in at least 100 professional games, led by Cody Lampl, who has taken the ice 316 times during regular season play. Lampl and Shane Sims were the offensive leaders from the back end, with 30 and 31 points respectively, while finishing first and second on the team in +/-, with Lampl at +29 and Sims at +20. The Nailers will be one man short on the blueline to start the series, as Clark Seymour suffered an injury with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Mike Ratchuk netted a pair of goals during last year's playoffs, and will be leaned on along with David Makowski to produce points again during this playoff run. Paul Cianfrini adds a bit more experience to the group, who will see Makowski, Mike Slowikowski, and Evan Wardley all make their postseason debuts. Wheeling's Cianfrini and Slowikowski are both former Walleye, while Toledo's Joe Stejskal is a former Nailer.

Offense

Wheeling: Army, Bakker, Brace, Burton, Fernandez, Gilbert, Gill, Johnson, Krause, McGrath, Torquato, Wydo

Toledo: Barnes, Berschbach, Bonis, Daniels, Hirschfeld, Holmstrom, Jenks, Leone, Mercier, Rogers, Schwab

Scoring is another area in which the Walleye experienced a load of success, as they finished second in the ECHL, lighting the lamp 281 times. Kyle Bonis and Tyler Barnes were the most frequent goal scorers on the club, collecting 36 and 34 tallies respectively, with Barnes earning CCM ECHL Rookie of the Year honors for his 74-point campaign. Eight of the eleven forwards on Toledo's roster reached double digits in the goal column, while four players gathered at least 50 points. The Nailers finished 18th in goals for, but depth is also a strength for them. ECHL All-Rookie Team member Derek Army led the way with 29 tallies, and was one of six players to hit the ten-goal plateau. Former Walleye David Gilbert and Zack Torquato both dented the twine 19 times, as they prepare to stare down their former club. Riley Brace was Wheeling's leader with 67 points.

AHL Eligibles

Wheeling: Archibald, Boak, D'Agostino, Dea, Ellis, Fournier, Marcantuoni, Rowney, Ruopp, Shea

Toledo: Chouinard, Coreau, Czarnowczan, Frk, Nightingale, Paterson, Tvrdon, Walters

The Nailers have named 20 players to their roster, leaving three spots open for current AHLers to join the party, while the Walleye have four open slots, after listing 19 on their starting roster. The most beneficial part of the AHL eligible list for Wheeling will be on the blueline, and that help could come as early as game two, or as late as game three, if the Hamilton Bulldogs are unable to secure a spot in the Calder Cup Playoffs. With a season full of injuries, and both the NHL and AHL clubs having locked up a postseason spot, help won't be as readily available from the Penguins side. Toledo's best scenario would be a healthy Neil Conway, so that it could use all four of its remaining openings for skaters. The Detroit Red Wings and Grand Rapids Griffins are both playoff bound, although the Walleye already received help with the return of Justin Mercier from the Rochester Americans, and Joel Chouinard is likely to return from the Iowa Wild, when the series shifts to WesBanco Arena.

Special Teams

Wheeling: PP- 16.2%, 18th. PK- 83.4%, 12th.

Toledo: PP- 24.7%, 1st. PK- 87.1%, 2nd.

5-on-5 play would be the best scenario in the series for the Nailers, as Toledo owned the ECHL's top power play (24.7%) and second best penalty kill (87.1%) during the regular season. Leading goal scorers Tyler Barnes (12) and Kyle Bonis (11) connected the most times on the man advantage, although Troy Schwab's 21 power play points (6G, 15A) were the most on the Walleye. Zack Torquato was Wheeling's best performer on the man advantage, with six goals, 16 assists and 22 points, while Derek Army chipped in with six power play goals as well. Bonis and Riley Brace both netted two shorthanded goals to top their respective squads.

Toughness

Wheeling: 73 fighting majors, 6th (Patrick McGrath - 26)

Toledo: 36 fighting majors, 28th (Tyler Elbrecht - 13)

While penalty minutes and fighting majors don't spell out the entire story of toughness, the Nailers and Walleye are on completely different ends of the spectrum when it comes to their numbers. Wheeling finished with the sixth highest penalty minute total in the ECHL, racking up 1,435 minutes, which included 73 fighting majors. Patrick McGrath alone racked up 26 major penalties, which was the highest total in the league. On the contrary, the sin bin was foreign territory for Toledo, who set a league record with only 785 penalty minutes. The Walleye threw down the gloves on 36 occasions, which was also the fewest in the ECHL, although Tyler Elbrecht wasn't one to shy away from the rough stuff, accumulating 13 fighting majors.

Coaching

Wheeling: HC- Clark Donatelli (4th Season, 133-109-29), AC- Doug Bradley (2nd season)

Toledo: HC- Derek Lalonde (1st Season, 50-15-7), AC- Dan Watson (6th season)

Three of the four coaches involved in this series have experienced the Kelly Cup Playoffs in the past, while the one that hasn't is quickly making his mark on the league. Toledo's Derek Lalonde received the John Brophy Award on Tuesday, which is given to the ECHL's Coach of the Year. Lalonde was hired by the Walleye on June 2, 2014, and in his first season behind their bench, he guided them to a league record 58-point turnaround and a Brabham Cup Title. His opposition is Clark Donatelli, who also made his way into the record books this season, as his 133 career wins are the most in the 23-year history of hockey in Wheeling. This will be the third postseason for Donatelli, who has a 7-7 all-time record, which includes a sweep of the South Carolina Stingrays last spring. Clark is assisted by Doug Bradley for the second consecutive season, while Dan Watson is Toledo's associate coach in his sixth season behind the bench, after completing his playing career with the Storm in 2006-07.

Experience

Wheeling: 2,703 professional games (2 prior Kelly Cup Champions)

Toledo: 3,381 professional games (0 prior Kelly Cup Champions)

Playoff hockey has been a rare occurrence since the sport returned to Toledo in 2009. However, this year's Walleye team features plenty of players who have been through the grind of a professional career. The 19 players listed on the opening roster have combined to appear in 3,381 regular season games, compared to the Nailers, whose 20 players have combined to suit up in 2,703 regular season games at the professional level. Chaz Johnson is the most experienced of the 39, as he played in his 600th career game on April 11th, during his tenth year as a pro. Johnson won his lone championship in 2007, as a member of the United Hockey League's Rockford IceHogs. Mike Ratchuk (2012 - Florida) is the lone prior Kelly Cup Champion on the current roster, although Bobby Shea (2013 - Reading) has also hoisted the hardware over his head. No Walleye players have gotten their names engraved on the Kelly Cup, and they are led in professional games played by Kyle Rogers (462), as well as Jared Nightingale (562), who is currently playing for the Syracuse Crunch.

North Division Semi-Final

Wheeling Nailers vs. Toledo Walleye

Game 1 - Thu. Apr. 16th at Toledo, 8:15

Game 2 - Sat. Apr. 18th at Toledo, 7:35

Game 3 - Wed. Apr. 22nd AT WHEELING, 7:05

Game 4 - Fri. Apr. 24th AT WHEELING, 7:35

Game 5 - Sat. Apr. 25th AT WHEELING, 7:35 (if necessary)

Game 6 - Tue. Apr. 28th at Toledo, 7:35 (if necessary)

Game 7 - Wed. Apr. 29th at Toledo, 7:35 (if necessary)

The Nailers will play a maximum of three home games during their opening round playoff series against Toledo. Fans can get a free kids ticket with the purchase of an adult ticket at the Nailers office for game three on April 22nd . McDonald's Friends & Family Tickets will be available for games four and five (if necessary) on April 24th and 25th, giving fans the opportunity to receive four tickets, four hats, and four McDonald's Value Meal coupons for $39.99. April 24th will also be a Frosty Friday .

Wheeling Nailers 2015-16 season tickets, as well as flex tickets, group tickets and single-game tickets for 2014-15 are on sale now. For more information, call 304-234-GOAL or visit wheelingnailers.com.

Listen to all Nailers regular season and post-season games live on the Valley's rock station EAGLE 107.5 FM, on www.iheartradio.com or watch live on www.echl.tv. Catch every road game live on WLUTV on Comcast Cable 14.

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