ECHL Wheeling Nailers

Nailers Weekly Recap

Published on December 11, 2006 under ECHL (ECHL)
Wheeling Nailers News Release


Record for week: 1-2-0, 2 points Record for season: 9-12-0-1, 19 points - Tied for fifth place in Northern Division

Player Notes: Rookie Jon Smyth earned five assists over the weekend to raise his assist streak to seven games. He is tied with Maxime Boisclair of Johnstown for the longest assist streak in the league this season. Andy Franck stopped all 23 shots he faced on Friday night to record his first shutout of the year.

Team Notes: The Nailers made a number of roster moves this week: Rookies Joe Jensen and Tim Wallace, along with Grant McNeill were recalled to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Wheeling claimed Vin Hellemeyer off of waivers who started the season in Reading and played most recently for Toledo.

NAILERS WEEK IN REVIEW

December 4-December 11

Friday, December 8 Wheeling 4 vs. Toledo 0

The Wheeling Nailers dominated their first meeting with the Toledo Storm this season by posting a 4-0 shutout at WesBanco Arena on Friday night. Andy Franck stopped 23 shots for his first shutout of the year. Joe Guenther gave the Nailers a 1-0 lead 13 minutes into the first period with a power-play goal. Jon Smyth gathered a loose puck and slid a cross-ice pass to an open Guenther who fired the disc into a virtually open net. It was another tally for the Nailers fourth ranked power play. Sean Collins was credited with the second assist. The home team took a two goal lead when Sean Collins beat Toledo goalie Logan Koopmans for his ninth goal of the year. Joe Guenther and Jon Smyth assisted on the play. With five seconds left on the clock, Guenther lit the lamp for the second time in the period and the eleventh time this season. Sean Collins got the only assist. The first period ended with the Nailers holding a 3-0 lead. Toledo began the second period with Dominic Vicari in goal after Koopmans was pulled. After a scoreless second period, Paul Bissonnette continued his hot streak as he scored his third goal in three games with just over eleven minutes remaining in the third period. Bissonnette fired a shot from the point that got by a screened Vicari for the final goal of the game. Joe Guenther and Sean Collins had the assists.

Saturday, December 9 Wheeling 3 @ Toledo 4

The Wheeling Nailers played 50 minutes of solid hockey but the Toledo Storm used a 10 minute window in the third period to score three goals and beat the Nailers 4-3 at Toledo Sports Arena Saturday night. Bo Cheesman buried a breakaway just 4:51 into the game as he created a turnover at the Wheeling blueline. The Nailers took a 1-0 lead and a 17-7 advantage in shots with them into the dressing room after one period. Jamie Tardif slapped one past Kevin Schieve (31/35) from along the boards 3:31 into the second period. The 1-1 tie was broken up Jordan Cameron with assists from Cheesmam and Eric Sonnenberg. Cameron picked up the loose puck from the skates of a defender and ripped a snapshot blocker side and the Nailers regained a one-goal advantage. Tim Songin was whistled for hooking with just five seconds remaining in the second frame, giving Wheeling the man-advantage to start the third. Sean Collins capitalized with his fifth power-play goal, tenth overall, just 1:10 into the final period. Three unanswered goals by the Storm proved to be enough to down the Nailers. Matt Zultek picked up his fifth of the year at the 5:01 mark by capitlalizing on Schieve being knocked down in his crease. Four minutes later, Tardif notched his second of the night on a one-timer from the slot the kissed off the crossbar and dropped into the net. Then with 4:42 remaining in the third, Andrew Martin ripped a slapshot passed Schieve for the game winner. Schieve took the loss in his first start of the season. It was just his third appearance overall and first since Nov. 24.

Sunday, December 10 Wheeling 2 vs. Toledo 5

For the third time in as many nights, the Nailers and Storm squared off this time back in Wheeling. Nailers' mistakes wound up costing them a 5-2 decision and a chance to knock Toledo out of the top spot of the North Division. Cody Blanshan, skating backwards to collect a puck, lost an edge and fell down giving the Storm's Mike Berry a breakaway. He skated in and beat Andy Franck on the glove side to give the visitors a 1-0 lead 16:29 into the game. The first period ended with the Nailers down 1-0. Toledo took a two goal lead 4:37 into the second period, capitalizing on a Nailers defensive zone turnover. After gathering the puck, Andrew Martin found Matt Zultek, who had crept into the slot. Zultek rocketed a one-timer over Franck's left shoulder for the Storm's second goal. With 12:11 remaining in the second, Toledo added to their lead. Martin's soft shot deflected off Jamie Tardif in front of the net. With time running down in the second, Jordan Cameron beat goalie Dominic Vicari for his twelfth goal of the season. Bernie Chmiel and Eric Sonnenberg had assists on the play. With 22 seconds left in the period, the Nailers climbed to within one. Already on the power play, the Nailers gained a two man advantage when a delayed penalty was called on the Storm. Sonnenberg jumped off the bench and into the slot and immediately received a pass from Cameron who was set up behind the net. Sonnenberg's quick shot beat Vicari and made the score 3-2 going into the third. Jon Smyth earned the other assist on the goal. The Storm took back a two goal advantage with 5:37 left in the game when Andy Franck misplayed a puck and turned it over behind his own net. Mike Walsh threw the puck into the crease where Ken Magowan tapped it into the vacant net. Andrew Martin added an empty net goal with 1:46 remaining in the game.

PREVIEW OF UPCOMING NAILERS GAMES

November 27 - December 4

Wednesday, December 13 Wheeling @ Reading 6:35p.m.

Wheeling will play a mid-week game at an early time on the road against the Reading Royals. The Nailers lead the season series 2-1 after taking two, one-goal victories from the Royals on Nov. 25 and 26.

Friday, December 15 Wheeling vs. Reading 7:30p.m.

The series will then shift to WesBanco Arena for a Friday night contest. The first 2,000 fans will receive a Nailers School Binder courtesy of Ogden Newspapers.

Saturday, December 16 Wheeling vs. Dayton 7:30p.m.

The Dayton Bombers will meet up with the Nailers for just the second time this year and first since Oct. 28. Dayton stole a 3-2 win as Adam Berkhoel stopped 28 shots in Wheeling.

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.

Check out the Wheeling Nailers Statistics

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ECHL Stories from December 11, 2006


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