ECHL Wheeling Nailers

Playoffs Game Five Tonight In Wheeling

Published on April 17, 2009 under ECHL (ECHL)
Wheeling Nailers News Release


Wheeling, WV - An exciting playoff series continues tonight at 7:35pm as the Wheeling Nailers and Cincinnati Cyclones battle in a pivotal game 5. The North Division Semifinals Best of 7 series are tied at 2 games apiece after Wheeling won back to back games in Cincinnati followed by the Cyclones turning the same trick on the Nailers' home ice.

So Wheeling will try to be the first home team to win in this series when the two teams square off again. And we're calling on YOU, the fans, to help give us that 7th man advantage in the seats at WesBanco Arena for the big game. It's Playoff Fever in Wheeling and the extra boost from the home-crowd advantage could be the difference maker in the big game. Tickets on sale now online at wheelingnailers.com or at the Wheeling Nailers office at 304-234-GOAL (234-4625).

Games 6 and 7 will be back in Cincinnati at U.S. Bank Arena on Saturday and Monday nights. The winner advances to the North Division Finals to take on either the Trenton Devils or the Elmira Jackals. That series currently has Elmira holding a 3 games to 1 advantage.

The Nailers began the series with terrific performances in back to back wins on the road in which 7 different Nailers scored one goal each in 4-1 and 3-1 decisions last Thursday and Friday. Carrying a two game lead back to their home ice the Nailers found it difficult to pick up their 3rd win of the series as Cincinnati won on Saturday and Wednesday by scores of 7-3 and 4-3.

Special teams have been pivotal in the series. Wheeling went 3-for-12 on the power play in their wins but have gone 1-for-13 in their losses at home including allowing a turning-point shorthanded goal to Cincinnati late in the 2nd period of the Wednesday game. In the meanwhile, Cincinnati has gone 3-for-9 on the power play in their past two wins after they were held to only 1-for-10 in the early games which Wheeling won.

The series pits two of the highest scoring teams in the league. Wheeling and Cincinnati finished 2nd and 3rd in the league in total offense trailing only the Brabham Cup winning Florida Everblades. So you know the goalies for each side are preparing to see a lot of rubber! Wheeling had 3.65 goals per game for 2008-09 while Cincinnati scored 3.56.

Wheeling won the regular season matchup vs. Cincinnati with a 6-3-2 record against the Cyclones but the last time the two teams saw each other was January 17th when Mark Van Guilder scored an overtime game-winner for Cincinnati at WesBanco Arena.

The Nailers are appearing in the Kelly Cup Playoffs for the first time in 3 years. The last time they were in the playoff in 2006 they knocked off the Reading Royals in the opening round 3 games to 1 before bowing out to the Toledo Storm in the division finals 3 games to 2 in a hard-fought series. Wheeling is making their 9th all-time appearance in the playoffs. Wheeling is trying to make it to the finals for the first time since 1993 when they lost a tough series to Toledo 4 games to 2 and current Nailers head coach Greg Puhalski played for the Storm and led his team in postseason scoring.

Wheeling's all-time record in first round playoff series is 5-3.

Cincinnati is the defending league champions and repeated as North Division titlists as well. Last year their run saw them sweep Johnstown 4-0 in the opening round, squeak past Reading 4 games to 3 in the division finals, beat South Carolina 4 games to 1 in the conference finals, and then knock off Las Vegas 4 games to 2 in the Kelly Cup playoffs clinching the title in front of an ECHL postseason record crowd of over 12,000 fans at US Bank Arena in June 5, 2008.

This is Cincinnati's 6th all-time appearance in the ECHL postseason and they have won the first round each of their last three appearances in 2008, 2007 and 2003.

Two Great Coaches:

Wheeling's Greg Puhalski and Cincinnati's Chuck Weber rank 1st and 2nd in ECHL history for the best record in their first two years at the bench.

Puhalski had a .692 (89-36-13) win percentage at Toledo in the 94-95 and 95-96 campaigns to set an ECHL mark which still stands. On March 28th Greg Puhalshi recorded his 600th all-time coaching victory when the Nailers won at the Elmira Jackals. Puhalski's all-time record in the ECHL regular season is 211-136-43. His all-time Kelly Cup record is 23-12 stemming mostly from his games as the Toledo Storm head coach from 1994-98.

Weber had a .677 (89-36-13) mark his first two years at the bench which is the closest two year mark any coach has had since Puhalski set the standard. Weber has lead his team to back to back North Division titles and also won the Brabham Cup and Kelly Cup in 2008. His team's 115 points fell one shy of the all-time league record of 116 by Louisiana in 2001-02 and also featured a league record 17 game win streak.

Racking Up The Wins:

The Wheeling Nailers have the all-time ECHL record for total wins and also hold the marks for most home wins and most away wins. The records include their seasons as the Carolina and Winston-Salem Thunderbirds in their first four years in the ECHL from 88-89 to 91-92 prior to moving to Wheeling.

The Nailers have 722 total wins all-time, most in league history well ahead of 2nd place Johnstown's mark of 651. Wheeling recorded their milestone 700th victory on the road at the Dayton Bombers on December 5th with a 5-2 win.

Wheeling has 418 wins at home all-time. They recorded their milestone 400th home-ice victory on October 17th with their season opener against Cincinnati. Johnstown's total of 385 is 2nd highest in the ECHL

The Nailers all-time total of road wins stands at 305. On January 23rd at Johnstown the Nailers recorded their 300th all-time road victory. South Carolina has 285 total road victories to place 2nd all-time.

Records and Affiliations:

Cincinnati Cyclones (41-26-5, 87 points, 1st place North Division) - Montreal Canadiens (NHL), Nashville Predators (NHL), Hamilton Bulldogs (AHL), Milwaukee Admirals (AHL)

Wheeling Nailers (36-26-8, 80 points, 4th place North Division) - Pittsburgh Penguins (NHL), Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL)

Home Ice Advantage:

Wheeling was a distinctly better team on their home ice this year sporting a WesBanco record of 20-11-5 compared with their away record of 16-17-3. Cincinnati was a different story though. Strangely, they had a better a record on the road than they had at home with a league best 22-13-1 mark when they hit the bus to travel elsewhere.

Fan Support:

Hey Fans, Thanks for coming out and cheering on the Wheeling Nailers in 2008-09. We need your continued support for the playoffs so come out to WesBanco Arena this Friday night and cheer for your Wheeling Nailers against the defending league champions. We look forward to seeing you there as exciting playoff hockey returns to Wheeling.

Playoff Schedule:

Thursday, April 9, 7:30: Game 1 - Wheeling 4 at Cincinnati 1

Friday, April 10, 7:30: Game 2 - Wheeling 3 at Cincinnati 1

Saturday, April 11, 7:35: Game 3 - Cincinnati 7 at Wheeling 3

Wednesday, April 15, 7:05: Game 4 - Cincinnati 4 at Wheeling 3

Friday, April 17, 7:35: Game 5 - Cincinnati at Wheeling

Saturday, April 18, 7:30: Game 6 - Wheeling at Cincinnati

Monday, April 20, 7:30: Game 7 - Wheeling at Cincinnati

Season Series:

Wheeling finished the season 6-3-2 vs. Cincinnati including 3-1-1 at U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati and 3-2-1 at home.

Oct 17, W - CIN 5 at WHL 7

Oct 24, W - CIN 7 at WHL 9

Nov 21, SOL - WHL 3 at CIN 4

Nov 22, W - WHL 3 at CIN 1

Dec 12, W - WHL 6 at CIN 2

Dec 27, L - CIN 5 at WHL 4

Dec 31, W - CIN 1 at WHL 6

Jan 6, W - WHL 4 at CIN 2

Jan 11, L - CIN 6 at WHL 4

Jan 14, L - WHL 4 at CIN 10

Jan 17, OTL - CIN 5 at WHL 4

Season Accolades:

Bryan "Boomer" Ewing racked up several honors through the last week of the regular season including ECHL All-Rookie Team honors, ECHL First-Team Selection and ECHL Rookie of the Year. Boomer set a Wheeling Nailers record with 43 goals breaking the old mark of 42 by Steve Gibson in 95-96.

The Wheeling Nailers shattered the ECHL record by placing four of their players on the league All-Rookie squad. Bryan Ewing and Jordan Morrison were selected as forwards while Mitch Ganzak and Elgin Reid were chosen as defensemen. The old record for most All-Rookie selections from a single team was two done by several teams including by Wheeling in 2005-06 when goalie Andy Franck and forward Sean Collins were both chosen.

Wheeling Nailers Most Goals in a Season:

62 - Darren Schwartz 92-93

56 - John Varga 96-97

54 - Darren Schwartz 93-94

46 - Devin Edgerton 92-93

43 - Bryan Ewing 08-09

42 - Steve Gibson 95-96

41 - Derek DeCosty 94-95

39 - Vadim Slivchenko 93-94

37 - Vadim Silvchenko 94-95

37 - Steve Gibson 94-95

37 - Jason Jaffray 03-04

35 - Samuel Groleau 95-96

Check out the Wheeling Nailers Statistics

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ECHL Stories from April 17, 2009


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