ECHL Wheeling Nailers

Neal Deals Nailers Setback in Orlando

Published on January 17, 2013 under ECHL (ECHL)
Wheeling Nailers News Release


ORLANDO, FL- Orlando forward Michael Neal is the younger brother of Pittsburgh Penguins' forward James Neal, who is nicknamed "The Real Deal." On Thursday night, it was the younger Neal who turned out to be pretty real, as his five-point night (two goals, three assists) led the Solar Bears to a 7-2 victory over the Wheeling Nailers at Amway Center.

The first period was jam packed with goals, as the two teams combined to light the lamp five times. Orlando jumped out to the early lead, scoring three times in a span of 2:57. Mike Liambas opened the scoring, backhanding in the rebound of Michael Neal's initial shot. 1:18 later, it was Neal's turn to have the fun, as he took the return feed of a give-and-go pass with Liambas for a 2-0 lead. Dan Gendur added a third goal, 39 seconds later, as Wheeling called timeout.

Midway through the first period, the Nailers began to turn things around, beginning with a power play. Zach Hansen took a pass from Chris Higgins, and blasted it through from the middle of the blueline, beating John Curry on the glove side. Then, with 49 seconds remaining, Hansen cashed in with another marker on the man advantage. Peter Delmas started the play from his own zone, sending Hansen all the way in, where he scored his fourth goal in three games.

The Solar Bears grabbed control of the game during the second period, when they put three more goals on the board. Ryan Blair picked up the first of those three, when he skated down the left side of the ice, and scored from the bottom of the circle. Less than five minutes later, Michael Neal netted his second of the night, picking up a loose puck in the slot, and slipping a backhander past Peter Delmas' left arm. Then, under three minutes after that, Dale Mahovsky completed the second period scoring, burying the rebound of his initial shot.

Scott Tanski added one more goal in the final stanza for Orlando, who won their first head-to-head game against the Nailers, 7-2.

Former Nailer John Curry grabbed the win for the Solar Bears, stopping 36 of the 38 shots he faced. Peter Delmas was saddled with the loss, allowing six goals on 21 shots, before turning the net over to Scott Darling, who made 14 saves on 15 shots.

The Nailers and Solar Bears will collide again on Saturday at 7:00. Wheeling's next home game takes place on January 25th at 7:00 against the Bakersfield Condors.

Group and single game tickets can be purchased by calling 304-234-4625 or 1-877-NAIL-TIX. All Nailers games will be broadcast on Wheeling's rock station EAGLE 107 (107.5 FM). Fans can also listen to and watch all Nailers games on wheelingnailers.com.

2012-2013 Wheeling Nailers season tickets, flex pack tickets, group tickets and single-game tickets are on sale now! For as little as $10 per game, you can enjoy the many benefits of being a Nailers season ticket holder including reserved seating for all home games at WesBanco Arena, the option to redeem unused tickets, discounts on team merchandise and access to exclusive season ticket holder-only events with the team. Convenient payment plans are available. For more information on how to join our team by becoming a Wheeling Nailers season ticket holder, or for more information on Flex Pack tickets or group tickets, call 304-234-4625 or 1-877-NAIL-TIX, e-mail ticketing@wheelingnailers.com or visit www.wheelingnailers.com. Nailers single-game tickets are available at the WesBanco Arena Box Office, any Ticketmaster Outlet, online at www.ticketmaster.com, or by calling 304-234-4625 or 1-877-NAIL-TIX.

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ECHL Stories from January 17, 2013


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