ECHL Wheeling Nailers

Wheeling Beats South Carolina 4 Straight

Published on January 31, 2010 under ECHL (ECHL)
Wheeling Nailers News Release


The Wheeling Nailers completed an amazing four game series sweep of the ECHL's top team, the South Carolina Stingrays, with a 5-3 Sunday evening win at WesBanco Arena. Leading for the Nailers was Andrew Lord with a goal, 2 assists and a fight. Lord was tops for the Nailers in the four game series sweep as well with 3 goals and 3 assists. Aaron Clarke and T.J. Fox both have 2 goals and 2 assists over the four game win streak.

The Nailers are 12-3-1 in their last 16 games and have moved into a 4th place in the American Conference tied with Kalamazoo with 53 points. Wheeling also is tied for 2nd place in the North and just 2 points behind the division leading Cincinnati Cyclones heading into the Wednesday night showdown in southwest Ohio where the Nailers have an opportunity to move into the division lead for the first time this season.

Heading into the four game series, the South Carolina Stingrays were one of the league's hottest teams with the ECHL's best record as well as a five game win streak. But that came to an end when they ran into the Nailers last Sunday. And Wheeling kept the heat on all week long with another win at South Carolina last Tuesday followed by back to back wins at WesBanco Arena on Saturday and Sunday. It was a thrilling result over the four game series that very few people would have even dreamed to predict.

Wheeling came away with a 1-0 lead after exciting back and forth action in the first period. T.J. Fox beat Parker Van Buskirk stickhand side that gave the Nailers a 1-0 lead late in the first. It was his 17th of the year and his second of the weekend. Jordan Fox and Dan Henningson were rewarded with assists.

Michael Dubuc blasted it over the right shoulder of Adam Berkhoel and tied it 1-1 33 seconds into the second.

Colin Power deflected it in for his 3rd of the season on a drive from the left wing after Joey Haddad chipped a drive from Andrew Lord and gave the Nailers a 2-1 lead at 6:22 in the second.

Wheeling shot from all angles and Andrew Lord picked up a rebound and poked in a backhander past a scrambling Van Buskirk that gave the Nailers a 3-1 lead after two. Lord has a six-game point streak with 3 goals and 3 assists. Dan Henningson smartly shot it intentionally wide off the end-boards to connect with Lord on the right-wing circle while keeping the Stingrays netminder moving and scrambling.

The Nailers killed off back to back power plays to begin the third thwarting South Carolina's opportunities to close the 3-1 gap.

Joey Haddad scored his first goal since returning to the Nailers as he followed Lord's shot, picked up the rebound and fired it home to give the Nailers a 3 goal lead 4-1 with 8:33 left in the third.

With 3:20 left in the third Thomas Beauregard got his own rebound and knocked it in on the backhand for his 27th of the year stretching the Nailers' lead to 5-1 assisted by Aaron Clarke.

South Carolina scored a couple goals late in the game. Dain Prewitt's goal at 16:57 made it 5-2 and Scott Bartlett's goal at 19:05 provided the final score of 5-3.

The Wheeling Nailers improve to 25-18-3 with 53 points and are now tied with the Kalamazoo Wings for 4th in the American Conference. The Nailers began the season with a slow 2-7-1 start but have gone 23-11-2 since then to vault their way up the standings one team at a time.

Wheeling finished the regular season 4-2-0 against South Carolina. The Nailers were outshot by South Carolina 36-37.The Stingrays have a 5 game winless streak and fall to 30-12-8 but remain in 1st in the conference with 68 points.

The Nailers won 3-2 and 3-1 at South Carolina last Sunday and Tuesday. Wheeling beat the Stingrays 4-3 in overtime Saturday night in Wheeling and then finished the sweep with the 5-3 win in the finale.

The Nailers hit the road for a pair of games next week at North Division leading Cincinnati on Wednesday night and at rival Elmira on Friday night. A Nailers win Wednesday could push Wheeling into a tie for the division lead and possibly also into a tie for 2nd place in the conference.

The Nailers return home on Saturday, February 6th against the Kalamazoo Wings on SnowBird Bobblehead giveaway for the first 1000 kids age 14 and younger courtesy of WTOV

There are still openings available for the Nailers inaugural Education Field Trip Day on Tuesday, February 9th when the Nailers play the Johnstown Chiefs with a special morning start time. Tickets are free for all students and teachers when the Nailers play the Johnstown Chiefs at 11:00am. All the kids will be receiving an educational book and will quizzed on the material they learn at the game when they return to the classroom. It's going to be a really fun time for the kids so get your school signed up for the special event with the Nailers by calling 304-234-GOAL.

Check out the Wheeling Nailers Statistics

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ECHL Stories from January 31, 2010


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