ECHL Wheeling Nailers

Wheeling Nailers Weekly Report

February 29, 2016 - ECHL (ECHL)
Wheeling Nailers News Release


Last week, the Wheeling Nailers arrived at the three-quarter poll of the season, as they played their 52nd, 53rd, and 54th games of the campaign to close out the month of February. The weekend started in exciting fashion, but ended up going in the opposite direction, as Wheeling posted a 1-2-0 record against a couple of other clubs in the race for the final few playoff spots in the Eastern Conference. On Friday night, the Nailers and Greenville Swamp Rabbits played to a 1-1 tie during the first two frames, before a four-goal explosion in the third period drove Wheeling to a crucial 5-1 triumph. Adam Krause scored the tying goal in the second, before Chris Ciotti, Mathew Maione, Brett Stern, and Riley Brace tallied in the third. Brian Foster got the win in goal, making 27 saves before being recalled to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. On Saturday night, goals came at a furious pace, as the Nailers played the first of two contests against the Elmira Jackals. Wheeling rebounded from a 1-0 deficit to take a 2-1 lead after one period on markers by Riley Brace and Danny Fick. The Jackals scored the next three goals to go ahead by two, but the Nailers answered again, as Adam Krause and Jordan Kwas deadlocked the score, 4-4. However, Elmira had the final say, turning on the red light three times in the final four minutes for a 7-4 final score. On Sunday afternoon, Wheeling and Elmira locked up again. The two squads exchanged goals in the opening stanza, with Matt Tabrum roofing the tally for the home team. Late goals ended up being the difference, as the Jackals scored once during that part of the second as well as the third to come away with the 3-1 decision.

February was the most successful month of the 2015-16 season for the Nailers thus far, as they compiled an 8-4-0 record for 16 points. The 16 points in a single month is the highest total since March, 2015, when the 2014-15 club posted 17. Wheeling currently sits three points back of Elmira for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, but has three games in hand. A pair of streaks came to an end on Sunday afternoon, as Adam Krause's four-game goal streak was stopped, while Cody Wydo was held off of the scoresheet after recording at least one point in eight consecutive contests. Both of those streaks tied season-highs for the team. On Friday night, the Nailers scored four times during the third period, marking the second time this month and fourth time this season that they have netted at least four goals in a single frame. Mathew Maione continues to add to his league lead among defensemen in scoring, as his 40 points are now six better than the next closest players. Sunday was the first time in five games that the lead did not change hands between teams. Wheeling completed two more season series over the weekend, bringing its record in series to 4-3-2 with eight remaining.

This Week

Fri. 3/4 WHEELING NAILERS @ Reading Royals, 7:00

Sat. 3/5 WHEELING NAILERS @ Reading Royals, 7:00

This week, the Wheeling Nailers will head back on the road, where they have gone 8-1-1 in their last ten games. However, the location they will travel to has been anything but friendly over the course of the last two seasons, as they will make their way to Santander Arena - home of the Reading Royals. Wheeling is 0-for-2 in Reading thus far this season, following a 1-5-0 mark there in 2014-15. Home ice dominance has been the story of the last two season series between the clubs, as the home teams are 16-2-0 during that time. The Nailers and Royals are both currently in the thick of the Eastern Conference Playoff Race, as Wheeling currently trails Elmira by three points for eighth place, while Reading is in the seventh position, leading the Jackals by two points. The Nailers have played in two fewer games than their opposition for the weekend. Last weekend, the Royals posted a 2-1-0 record, defeating Elmira and Adirondack, before dropping the finale against the Thunder. All three games took place in New York. Friday night's clash will allow the two long time rivals to reach a milestone, as they will meet for their 150th regular season game in 15 years. Once the season series is complete in April, Reading will tie the Dayton Bombers as the team Wheeling has faced the second most in its history. Following the weekend, there will be three more contests between the Nailers and Royals, who are currently tied 3-3 in their season series.

Upcoming Home Games/Promotions

Tue. 3/8 vs. Brampton- Makeup Game From Jan. 24, McDonald's $5 Kids Tickets

Fri. 3/11 vs. Toledo- Flat Screen Friday Presented by The Highlands and Bordas & Bordas, Frosty Friday

Sat. 3/12 vs. Kalamazoo- Duck Dynasty Night Starring Si Robertson

Sun. 3/13 vs. Norfolk- Pucks 'N Pups (Bring Your Dog to the Game), Family Funday, McDonald's $5 Kids Tickets, Post Game Skate With the Team

Tue. 3/22 vs. Toledo- McDonald's $5 Kids Tickets

Nailers Leaders

Goals: 19, Riley Brace

Assists: 33, Mathew Maione

Points: 44, Riley Brace

Penalty Minutes: 110, Patrick McGrath

Plus/Minus: +11, Clark Seymour

Wins: 16, Franky Palazzese

Goals Against Average: 2.91, Franky Palazzese

Save Percentage: .903, Franky Palazzese

Shutouts: 2, Franky Palazzese

North Division Standings

1. Toledo Walleye 75

2. WHEELING NAILERS 57

3. Kalamazoo Wings 53

4. Brampton Beast 43

Last Week

Fri. 2/26 Greenville Swamp Rabbits 1 @ WHEELING NAILERS 5

Krause (Maione, Brace)

Ciotti (Cerretani, Fick)

Maione (Ciotti, Leen)

Stern (Kwas, Ammon)

Brace (Wydo, Stern)

Foster- 27/28

Sat. 2/27 Elmira Jackals 7 @ WHEELING NAILERS 4

Brace (Wydo, Maione)

Fick (Tabrum, Ammon)

Krause (Brace, Wydo)

Kwas (Maione, Palazzese)

Palazzese- 25/31 (1 en)

Sun. 2/28 Elmira Jackals 3 @ WHEELING NAILERS 1

Tabrum (Leen, Ciotti)

Palazzese- 27/30

Check out the Wheeling Nailers Statistics



ECHL Stories from February 29, 2016


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