ECHL Wheeling Nailers

Nailers Wrap Up 2009 With Traditional New Years Eve Game

Published on December 31, 2009 under ECHL (ECHL)
Wheeling Nailers News Release


The Nailers will have their traditional New Years' Eve game tonight against Bryan "Boomer" Ewing and the Toledo Walleye on Michael Jackson Tribute Night! The Walleye are the hottest team in the league and have won 8 in a row. Toledo's last losses were December 6th and 9th when they dropped back to back games against Wheeling 4-1 and 7-3.

Wheeling has won 3 straight and 5 of their last 7. The Nailers won 3-2 at the Reading Royals last night.

Nailers hockey is always the most awesome family entertainment value in town and we want you there cheering on your hometown team. Kids tickets are always $5 and students get in for only $7. Call the Nailers at 304-234-GOAL

Notes

Happy New Year!

The Nailers won 3-2 at Reading last night and Fox scored all three goals! Two of the goals came from T.J. Fox and one goal from Jordan Fox (no relation).

Wheeling is over.500 for the first time this season at 16-15-2.

The Nailers have won 3 straight and 5 of their last 7.

Wheeling has clinched a winning month of December with a mark of 8-5-0.

Wheeling has a streak of 8 straight games with a power play goal and has gone 12-for-45 (26.7%) over that streak. The Nailers are tied with Toledo for the ECHL lead for most power play goals with 33.

Toledo has won 8 in a row and is the hottest team in the ECHL. They haven't lost since December 9th when the Nailers humbled them 7-3 at Toledo.

Welcome Back Boomer! Bryan "Boomer " Ewing of the Toledo Walleye is the first Wheeling native to play professional hockey and won ECHL Rookie of the Year honors while with the Nailers last year scoring 43 goals.

Tonight is Cliff Loya's 208th game for the Wheeling Nailers which ties him for 3rd all-time with Brendon Hodge (2003-06). Next up on the all-time list are Tim Roberts (215 games, 1992-96) and all-time leader Stephan Brannare (231 games, 1997-99, 00-01, 03-06).

T.J. Fox has 4 goals in his last 3 games and also has a 5 game point streak with 5 goals and 2 assists in the stretch.

Goalie Brad Thiessen is 3-0-0, 2.67 in his last 3 games.

It's been a balanced attack for the Nailers and thus a very close race for leading scorer for the month with just one game left in December. Capraro (1-12-13) and Pierro-Zabotel (6-7-13) lead the way but are closely followed by 5 players with 12 points each: TJ Fox ((7-5-12), Schmidt (2-10-12), Beauregard (6-6-12), Clarke (6-6-12), Grant (3-9-12).

The Nailers have announced the 2010 selections to the Wheeling Hockey Hall of Fame. First head coach of the organization from 1992-95 Dough Sauter and long-time beat writer covering the team Nick Bedway will be inducted prior to the January 30th game vs. South Carolina which will feature the unveiling of the Hall of Fame banners. They will join all-time Wheeling leading scorer Darren Schwartz and WAHA founder Bob Otten.

Wheeling plays at the Trenton Devils Saturday night at 7. Catch all the action on The Mix 97.3fm and online at wheelingnailers.com

The Nailers first home games of 2010 are Friday, January 8th vs. Cincinnati on WTRF Friday Family 4-Pack Night ($44 for 4 tickets, 4 sodas, 4 hot dogs and a large popcorn) and Saturday, January 9th vs. Johnstown on Youth Backpack Night for the first 1,000 fans and also Girl Scout Night.

Thursday night- Wheeling Nailers (16-15-2)

Toledo Walleye (17-10-4)

Head Coach:

Wheeling - Greg Puhalski

Toledo- Nick Vitucci

Affiliation:

Wheeling - Pittsburgh Penguins (NHL), Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL)

Toledo- Detroit Redwings (NHL), Chicago Blackhawks(NHL), Grand Rapids Griffins (AHL), Rockford IceHogs(AHL)

Top Scorers:

Wheeling - Thomas Beauregard (18-11-29), T.J. Fox (10-14-24), Aaron Clarke (10-14-24), Casey Pierro-Zabotel (7-16-23), Jordan Fox (9-13-22)

Toledo - Maxime Tanguay (11-19-30), J.C. Sawyer (12-16-28), Adam Hobson (12-15-27), Evan Rankin (12-12-24), Chris Robertson (9-14-23)

Top Goalies:

Wheeling - Brad Thiessen (5-3-0, 3.03,.914)

Toledo - Jordan Pearce (8-6-1, 3.71,.885)

Head Coach Greg Puhalski takes on his original pro hockey home of Toledo. The "Chief" got his start in professional hockey with the Toledo Storm as a player and coach for the team for a combined 7 years. Toledo head coach Nick Vitucci was teammates and later a player under Puhalski during his stay. Puhalski is 4th all-time on the Toledo Storm scoring chart and also set the league record for highest winning percentage in a coach's first two seasons.

Tickets for the Wheeling Hockey Hall of Fame Dinner on Friday, January 29th and Hall of Fame Game on Saturday, January 30th honoring former Doug Sauter and Nick Bedway are on sale now. Call the Nailers at 304-234-GOAL or log-on at wheelingnailers.com for more information.

Check out the Wheeling Nailers Statistics

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ECHL Stories from December 31, 2009


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