ECHL Wheeling Nailers

Nailers Week In Review

March 8, 2004 - ECHL (ECHL)
Wheeling Nailers News Release


Friday, March 5

Wheeling 4 @ Johnstown 3

The Nailers began an eight game in ten day stretch with a 4-3 win in Johnstown, the Nailers first win in Johnstown this season. The Nailers took a 1-0 lead at 2:18 of the first period on a Steve Crampton goal from Mark Kosick and Jake Ortmeyer. Ortmeyer added a power play goal at 4:44 to give the Nailers a 2-0 lead. Jason Jaffray and Eddie Pershin assisted. Johnstown scored at 15:44 to get to within one at 2-1, but the Nailers answered with another goal at 17:26 from Mario Larocque to go up 3-1 through one period of play. Both teams scored a goal in the second period with Kamil Kuriplach scoring for Wheeling. Johnstown added a goal in the final minute of the game with their goalie pulled for an extra attacker to close the scoring. Tyler MacKay made 24 saves on 27 shots for the win.

Saturday, March 6

Wheeling 4 @ Reading 3 (SO)

This win was the ninth consecutive for the Nailers, equaling the leagues longest win streak of the season. Reading scored two first period goals, one on a power play, to take a 2-0 lead over the Nailers after one period of play. The Nailers answered in the second with a pair of goals just 36 seconds apart to tie the game. Mario Larocque scored the first Wheeling goal at 12:06 from Mark Kosick. At 12:42, Kosick tied the game with Brad Mehalko and Steve Crampton assisting. Reading took the lead back at 5:18 of the third period with an even strength goal. The Nailers tied the score again at 16:35 on Rick Gorman's first goal as a Nailer. T.J. Reynolds and Brendon Hodge assisted on the game tying goal. The first three shooters in the shootout for the Nailers scored, While Nailers goalie Joe Exter made three saves in the shootout for the win. Exter made 38 saves on 41 shots in regulation and overtime for the win.

Sunday, March 7

Johnstown 1 @ Wheeling 6

The Nailers extended their win streak to ten games with this win, longest win streak in the league this season. Jason Jaffray scored his 29th and 30th goals of the season in the first period to give the Nailers a 2-0 lead after one period of play. Johnstown scored their only goal of the game midway through the second period to get to within one goal at 2-1. Brendon Hodge added a power play goal for the Nailers at 15:55 from Eddie Pershin and Jaffray to give the Nailers a 3-1 lead after two periods. Jaffray completed his hattrick at 9:45 of the third period to give Wheeling a 4-1 lead. Brad Mehalko made it 5-1 with a goal at 15:25. Jaffray closed the scoring with his fourth goal of the game at 18:11. Tyler MacKay made 23 saves on 24 shots for the win.

PREVIEW OF UPCOMING NAILERS GAMES March 8-March 14

Tuesday, March 9

Wheeling @ Reading 7:05p.m.

The Nailers are 6-0-0 against the Royals this season and 2-0-0 in Reading, having won last week 4-3 in a shootout. The Nailers play one more time in Reading after this game.

Wednesday, March 10

Wheeling @ Atlantic City 7:05p.m.

This will be the Nailers fourth of five games in Atlantic City during the regular season. The Nailers are 3-2-0 against the Bullies this season, 2-1-0 at Atlantic City. The teams will play each other two more times after this game.

Friday, March 12

Atlantic City @ Wheeling 7:30p.m.

The Bullies travel to Wheeling for the final time during the regular season, the Nailers are 1-1-0 against the Bullies at home. The Nailers will have three home games remaining after this game.

Saturday, March 13

Wheeling @ Johnstown 7:00p.m.

The Nailers travel to Johnstown for the final time during the regular season for this game. The game will be televised live on WTOV-9 in Wheeling and WJAC-6 in Johnstown.

Sunday, March 14

Peoria @ Wheeling 2:00p.m.

The Nailers and the Rivermen play their final regular season game against each other. The Nailers are 4-2-1 against the Rivermen this year, 1-1-1 in Wheeling. This game will be the final Season Ticket Holder Ticket Redemption Night of the season. Nailers season ticket holders can redeem unused tickets to previous Nailers home games for tickets to this game.

Nailers Player of the Week:

The Nailers Player of the Week is Jason Jaffray. Jaffray had four goals, all in one game, and two assists for six points in three games. He had one assist in a 4-3 win in Johnstown on Friday night. In a 4-3 shootout win in Reading on Saturday, he had one of the Nailers three goals in the shootout. On Sunday at home against Johnstown, Jaffray had four goals, the Nailers first hattrick of the season, and one assist in a 6-1 win.

Nailers Goaltender of the Week:

The Nailers Goaltender of the Week is Tyler MacKay. MacKay went 2-0-0 last week in two games played. He made 24 saves on 27 shots in a 4-3 win in Johnstown on Friday. MacKay won his second game of the week at home on Sunday by making 23 saves on 24 shots in a 6-1 win against Johnstown. MacKay had a 2.00 goals against average and a .922 save percentage for the week.

Check out the Wheeling Nailers Statistics



ECHL Stories from March 8, 2004


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