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ECHL Wheeling Nailers

Nailers Weekly Recap

November 27, 2006 - ECHL (ECHL)
Wheeling Nailers News Release


Record for week: 3-1-0, 6 points
Record for season: 7-9-0, 14 points - Tied for fourth place in Northern Division

Player Notes: Sean Collins had 10 points in a four-game span to up his point total to 26 which is second in the ECHL. Jon Foster, Tim Wallace and Kurtis McLean all scored two goals in separate games this week.

Team Notes: Wheeling won two home games this week to improve to 4-1-0 at home. Their six-point week enabled them to leapfrog both Dayton and Reading in the standings and put them just four points behind first place Trenton and Toledo.

NAILERS WEEK IN REVIEW
November 20-November 27

Wednesday, November 22 Wheeling 7 vs. Trenton 3
The Wheeling Nailers offense erupted in front of their home crowd of 3,462 at WesBanco Arena on Wednesday night against the division leading Trenton Titans. After falling behind 1-0 within the first two minutes of the game, Wheeling responded with three first period goals of their own. Bo Cheesman and Joe Jensen combined to feed Paul Bissonette who knocked home his first goal of the year and the Nailers third short-handed goal of the season to tie the game at one. Kurtis McLean scored his first of two goals that would give the Nailers the lead for good. Sean Collins lead all scorers with four points but his linemates, McLean and Jordan Cameron, both had three of their own. Andy Franck stopped 24 shots as the Nailers outshot the Titans 31-27.

Friday, November 24 Wheeling 2 @ Trenton 7
In the road half of the home-and-home series with the Titans, the Nailers fell 7-2 in Trenton on Friday night. Wheeling out-shot the Titans 35-34 but Andy Franck struggled in net and was pulled after the Nailers went behind 4-1 halfway through the second period. Kevin Schieve was called on to make his second appearance of the season and stopped 9 of the 12 shots he faced. Sean Collins and Kurits McLean both registered a goal and an assist. Rookie John Laliberte had two goals for the Titans.

Saturday, November 25 Wheeling 5 vs. Reading 4
The Reading Royals made their first trip to Wheeling this season on Saturday night and left with a loss as the Nailers used a late goal from Kurtis McLean to steal a 5-4 win. The Nailers scored four times on the power play including the game winner with just 2:46 to play in regulation. Wheeling took a 1-0 lead on Tim Wallace's first of two goals just 34 seconds before the end of the first. Sean Collins then opened the second period with a goal 54 seconds in. Wallace would get his second at the 2:31 mark of the second to put the Nailers up by three. But Reading's Chris Bala recorded a natural hat trick in a span of 8:46 to tie the game. Jordan Cameron's eighth goal of the year gave the Nailers a brief lead before former Nailer Arpad Mihaly added to his league lead in goals to tie it back up at four. With Jeff State in the box for cross-checking, McLean ripped a slap-shot through traffic past Yutaka Fukufuji for the game winner. Andy Franck stopped 33 shots while Fukufuji stopped 24 of 29.

Sunday, November 26 Wheeling 4 @ Reading 3
Wheeling won its second straight game and increased Reading's losing streak to four with another one goal victory. The Wheeling Nailers have allowed 50 shots or more three times this season. Two of those games have resulted in Wheeling wins. Sunday was one of those games as Andy Franck stopped 49 shots in the Nailers win over the Reading Royals, 4-3, at the Soveriegn Center in Reading. Jon Foster had a pair of goals including the first tally and the game-winner. Joe Guenther's pass sprung Foster who beat Ryan Munce from a tough angle which opened the scoring at the 10:53 mark of the first period. Almost exactly 20 minutes later, Ryan Moren's first goal of the season gave Wheeling a 2-0 lead. Reading would cut the lead in half with Jason Becker's goal a few minutes later. Wheeling exploded on the scene in the third period with two goals in the first 1:50. Joe Jensen notched his fifth goal of the season 1:06 into the third and Foster followed suit with Jon Smyth's second helper of the contest. The Royals pulled Ryan Munce after the goal and replaced him with Yutaka Fukufuji. The goaltending change held the Nailers scoreless for the rest of the period and the Royals made it interesting with a pair of goals to cut the Nailers lead to 4-3.

PREVIEW OF UPCOMING NAILERS GAMES
November 27 - December 4

Friday, December 1 Wheeling @ Cincinnati 7:30p.m.
Wheeling will play in Cincinnati for the fourth time in this young season on Friday night. The Nailers are 2-1 against the Cyclones so far but fell 2-1 in their last trip to US Bank Arena.

Saturday, December 2 Wheeling vs. Gwinnett 7:30p.m.
The Nailers return home for a weekend series with the Gwinnett Gladiators of the South Division. It is United Bank Nailers ball cap giveaway for the first 2,500 fans. There will also be a Teddy Bear Toss to kick off this year's Toys for Tots campaign. Fans are encouraged to bring a new teddy bear or stuffed animal and throw it onto the ice after the Nailers' first goal.

Sunday, December 3 Wheeling vs. Gwinnett 6:00p.m.
Sunday will be Military Appreciation Night when the Nailers meet the Gladiators for the second time. All military and veterans can purchase tickers for just $7. Sunday means Family Fun Day at WesBanco and you have a chance to skate with the team after the game (must bring your own skates and gloves in order to participate).

Nailers Player of the Week:
The Nailers Player of the Week is Sean Collins. Collins collected 10 points in the four game span and is now ranked second in the league in both points (26) and assists (19). He is tied for fourth with 10 power-play assists.

Nailers Power Hour: Join Brendan Burke and Bo Cheesman for the Nailers Power Hour this Thursday from 6-7pm at Generations Pub. Coach Glen Patrick will join them to discuss last week's games and preview the upcoming schedule. This week's special guest will be goaltender Andy Franck. Listen at 97.3 FM locally or online at www.wheelingnailers.com.

On The Air: Catch all 72 Wheeling Nailers regular-season games on the Mix 97.3 or over the internet at www.wheelingnailers.com. "The Voice of the Nailers" Brendan Burke will get things started 15 minutes prior to game time and bring you straight through the final buzzer.

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ECHL Stories from November 27, 2006


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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