ECHL Wheeling Nailers

Nailers Weekly Recap

Published on April 2, 2007 under ECHL (ECHL)
Wheeling Nailers News Release


Player Notes: Sean Collins recorded points in seven straight games, all wins for the Nailers,

before it was stopped on Saturday. Cody Blanshan scored two goals on Tuesday including the

game-winner in overtime. It was his first multi-goal game of the year. Jon Foster ended a 13-

game goal drought with a pair on Sunday. It was the third time he scored two goals in a game

this season. Adam Edinger had three points on Sunday.

Team Notes: Wheeling's season-high seven game winning streak ended on Saturday night in a

4-2 loss to Cincinnati. The team finished the month of March with a 10-6-0-1 record. Their

power-play percentage during the month was 22.2%, a season high.

NAILERS WEEK IN REVIEW

March 26-April 1

Tuesday, March 27 Wheeling 3 @ Dayton 2 OT

Cody Blanshan scored twice, including 1:02 into overtime, as the Wheeling Nailers beat the first place Dayton

Bombers 3-2 Tuesday night. The Nailers increased their season-high win streak to six games and now sit just three

points behind the Reading Royals for the final playoff spot. The Dayton Bombers scored first just 1:13 into the

game on a goal the referee needed some help on. Paul Kelly's shot bounced in and out of the net so quickly that it

appeared to have hit the post. Play continued as the goal light was turned on. The referee called time after the puck

was cleared and conversed with his linesman and the goal judge before signaling goal. A power-play goal for

Wheeling tied the game as Blanshan picked up his first goal since December 23. His shot from the faceoff circle

deflected off a stick and fluttered over the shoulder of Terry Denike. Jon Smyth and Ryan Moren were credited with

assists at 8:48 of the first. Still in the first the Bombers took the lead back. A dump-in bounced off the boards and

sat in the slot for Joe Cullen on the power play. Dayton had two goals on five shots in the first period but Andy

Franck would hold the Bombers scoreless for the rest of the game. Bernie Chmiel tied the game 2-2 1:51 into the

third period. Eric Sonnenberg's shot and Chmiel's initial rebound were stopped by Denike but Chmiel was able to

fight the puck in on his second attempt. It was just his second goal of the season. Franck stopped 21 shots in the

third period to force overtime where Blanshan ended it. Ryan Moren set him up on a one-timer that was deflected over the net. It banked off the glass, hit the back of Denike, standing in the crease, and rolled into the goal. It was the first time this season that the Nailers won in Dayton in four trips. Wheeling is now 3-7 on the year with Dayton and their final meeting of the season will be next Tuesday back at the Nutter Center.

Friday, March 30 Wheeling 5 vs. Cincinnati 4

The Nailers, in an improbable finish, improved their season-long winning streak to seven games by defeating the Cincinnati Cyclones 5-4 with a game-winning shorthanded goal by captain Sean Collins in the final seconds of the game tonight at WesBanco Arena. The Nailers took a 1-0 lead on Vin Hellemeyer's fifth goal of the season at 5:13 of the first period. Paul Bissonnette flipped a shot from the top of the left circle and Hellemeyer deflected it past Cyclones goalie Cedrick Desjardins. Josh Ciocco, who jut signed with the team out of the University of New Hampshire, was credited with the second assist, earning him his first point as a professional. The visitors responded in kind, however, and tied the game at one at 7:55 of the opening period. Jason Deitsch was able to poke a rebound past Andy Franck for his 26th of the year. The Nailers struck back late in the first to take a 2-1 lead into the locker rooms. Jordan Cameron notched his team leading 27th goal of the season with just 22 ticks on the clock. Ryan Moren had the only assist on the power-play goal. The Cyclones were next to mark the score sheet, tying the game at two 11:31 into the second period when Barret Ehgoetz dove to the ice and forced home a loose puck. Ned Havern broke the deadlock at 8:02 of the third, giving the Nailers a 3-1 lead. Taking a pass from Sean Collins, Havern skated to the slot and fired a snap shot over Desjardin's shoulder. Ryan Moren had the second assist. Sam Ftorek tied the game at three at 14:18 of the final period with a shot from the point that deflected off of a body in front and beat Franck through his five-hole. It was a power-play goal. Less than a minute later, Sean Collins gave the Nailers a 4-3 lead with a short handed goal. Collins threw the puck on net after cutting to the middle on a 1-on-2 situation. Desjardins made the initial save, but his own player went sliding into him, forcing the puck into the net for the goal. It was unassisted and Collins' 23rd of the year. Jean Michel Daoust tied the game for the Cyclones with a power-play goal at 17:44 of the third, beating Franck from just outside the crease for his 28th of the year. It looked as though the game was headed to overtime, but Sean Collins changed all of that with 23 seconds left on the clock. In almost a mirror image of his first goal, Collins rushed down the right wing, cut to the slot and ripped a wrist shot over the glove of Desjardins. Again, it was a shorthanded goal for the game-winner.

Saturday, March 31 Wheeling 2 vs. Cincinnati 4

The Nailers fought tooth and nail to keep their winning streak alive but fell just short tonight against the Cincinnati Cyclones, losing 4-2. Wheeling got off to a great start with Jordan Cameron scoring his 28th goal just 28 seconds into the game, putting a shot past Cyclones net-minder Cedrick Desjardins from a bad angle. Ned Havern and Paul Bissonnette assisted on the goal. The visitors struck back, however, at 4:19 of the first period. Sam Ftorek notched his 19th of the year when he beat Andy Franck over his glove. Jean Michel Daoust gave the Cyclones a 2-1 lead at

16:14 of the first with a power-play goal. It was Daoust's 29th goal of the year. The Cyclones added to their lead at

10:32 of the second when Travis Lisabeth scored to make it 3-1. Ryan Moren breathed life into the Nailers at 6:05 of the third with a power-play goal of his own, beating Desjardins with a rip of a shot from the point. But Daoust put the dagger in the Nailers' hearts with an empty net goal with less than a minute left to make it 4-2 and end the Nailers' seven game winning streak.

Sunday, April 1 Wheeling 4 @ Toledo 6

The Wheeling Nailers fell, 6-4, to the Toledo Storm Sunday afternoon after the Storm scored a pair of fluke goals. With the Storm win, both Toledo and Trenton clinched their spots in the Kelly Cup playoffs. The Nailers now stand four points out of the final playoff spot behind Johnstown with three games to play. Scooter Smith's dump-in turned into an adventure and eventually the first goal of the game at 7:25 of the first period. As he wrapped the puck around the boards it jumped off the boards, hit the back of goaltender Andrew Penner, off the post and lay in the crease. Bruce Mulherin was the first player to find the puck and poke it into the net. The Storm expanded their lead just 41 seconds into the second period with a shorthanded goal. Ryan Moren lost an edge in his own zone allowing Jeff Attard to walk in unguarded on Penner. Jon Foster's first goal since Feb. 25 brought the Nailers back to within one. After Joe Guenther and Adam Edinger took shots on Logan Koopmans, Foster was able to turn a rebound around and into the goal at 4:45 of the second. Toledo took their two-goal lead back on Matt Zultek's 24th of the season. Andrew Martin hit Zultek with a pass through the slot as he chipped the puck over the shoulder of Penner at

12:50 still in the second. Wheeling responded with a pair of goals to tie it. The first one was a gift in the closing minutes of the second. A Storm defenseman coughed the puck up right on to the stick of Edinger in the low slot. His 9th of the year went unassisted at 15:56. Edinger was involved on the tying goal as well just 1:08 into the third. His shot went wide of the goal but knocked the goaltender down in the process. Jon Foster quickly fired a puck from the corner and into the vacant net. The only tie of the game was short lived as Toledo scored 2:04 later. Mike Walsh found a streaking Jason Maleyko in the slot for a one-time tap-in. The game winning goal for the Storm was last touched by the Wheeling defense. A Smith dumped the puck in to the Nailers zone Mike Hartwick went back to play it. As he tried to clear the puck around the boards it skipped off and again banked off the leg of Penner and in. Curtiss Patrick scored his first goal of the season on the power play at 13:41 of the third but Toledo's empty net marker with two seconds left in regulation made the final score 6-4. It was the first time this season the Nailers have scored four or more goals and lost a game in regulation. Penner stopped 30 of 35 shots on goal while Koopmans turned aside 38 of 42 for the win. The Nailers now need to win their remaining three games and have Johnstown lose their final three. Wheeling's remaining regular season games are Tuesday in Dayton, Friday against Trenton and Saturday in Trenton.

PREVIEW OF UPCOMING NAILERS GAMES

April 2 - April 7

Tuesday, April 3 Wheeling @ Dayton 7:00p.m.

Wheeling makes the trip to Dayton on Tuesday for their final meeting of the year. The Nailers are just 3-7-0 on the season against the Bombers with all three wins coming after regulation.

Friday, April 6 Wheeling vs. Trenton 7:30p.m.

The final home game of the regular season is Fan Appreciation Night at WesBanco Arena. The Trenton Titans are in town and plenty of great prizes will be given out at the game.

Saturday, April 7 Wheeling @ Trenton 7:00p.m.

It's the last game of the regular season on the road in Trenton. Catch all the action on the Mix

97.3 FM.

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

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



ECHL Stories from April 2, 2007


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.

OurSports Central