One in a Million: Nichols Breaks NAHL Single-Season Record
March 31, 2012 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Wenatchee Wild News Release
WENATCHEE, Wash. - Wenatchee Wild goaltender Robert Nichols (Dallas, Texas) did not win the $640 million Mega Millions prize Friday, but he will remember the date for a different reason. Nichols shattered the NAHL's single-season record for goals-against average, and he did it in style by making 22 saves to tally his league-best 10th shutout of the season in a 6-0 Wild rout over the Fresno Monsters.
Bozeman IceDog goalie Matt Dalton (1.63) held the league's previous best single-season goals-against average, which he set in the 2005-06 season. Nichols will conclude the 2011-12 season with 1.49 goals-against average, unless he is pressed into service for the Wild's final regular season game on Saturday.
The Wild gave Nichols plenty of goal support starting with a 3-goal first period. Shawn Pauly (Bellingham, Wash.) started the goal surge just 32 seconds into regulation when he lit the lamp from the far post. Chris Kerr (Penticton, British Columbia) and Max McHugh (Edgewood, Wash.) assisted. Ben Carey (Centennial, Colo.) made it 2-0 on a wrist shot from the near faceoff dot on a rush into the Fresno zone. Matt Cope (Lakewood, Colo.) and Kyle Huson (Parker, Colo.) earned the assists.
Kerr made it 3-0 on a power-play goal with 1:46 remaining in the first period when he knocked in McHugh's centering feed from the low slot after Pauly won a faceoff in the Fresno far circle.
Wenatchee added three more goals in the second period. Cope scored the first of those markers on a feed from Carey 2:38 into the frame. Trace Redmond (McKinney Texas) also assisted. Kerr scored his second goal of the contest, this one short-handed, at the 12:45 mark when he buried a pass from Pauly to complete a 2-on-1 situation. Chris Knudson (North Barrington, Ill.) also assisted.
Carey scored his second goal of the contest to close out scoring with 4:59 remaining before the second intermission. This goal, Carey's 27th of the season, was scored during another short-handed 2-on-1 situation. Knudson and Tyler Rostenkowski (Bloomingdale, Ill.) picked up the helpers.
Nichols had to earn his record-breaking game. He denied Riley Borer 1-on-1 early in the first period, blocked a pair of hard one-timers during a 2-man penalty-kill in the second frame and made a save on Brendan Bradley from point-blank range early in the third period.
Tomas Sholl and Macauley Haight combined to make 25 saves on 31 shots for the Monsters. The Wild scored one power-play goal on two tries while the Monsters went 0-for-7.
Carey and Kerr each scored two goals and an assist while Pauly scored a goal and added two assists. Cope scored a goal and an assist while McHugh and Knudson notched two assists apiece.
The Wild (35-17-7) will close out the 2011-12 regular season against the Monsters (27-22-10) Saturday. Faceoff is set for 7:05 p.m.
North American Hockey League Stories from March 31, 2012
- IceRays Lose to Texas in Season Finale 6-1 - Corpus Christi IceRays
- Tornado close out regular season with 6-1 win - Texas Tornado
- Chill pick up victory - Austin Bruins
- Kalamazoo Drops Regular Season Finale - Kalamazoo Jr. K-Wings
- Odessa Skates Into Town; Playoff Picture Hanging In Balance - Topeka Pilots
- One in a Million: Nichols Breaks NAHL Single-Season Record - Wenatchee Wild
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