Wheeling Nailers Weekly Report
March 7, 2016 - ECHL (ECHL)
Wheeling Nailers News Release
Last week, the Wheeling Nailers continued their dominant road play as of late, collecting two crucial victories against the Reading Royals at Santander Arena. On Friday night, Wheeling surrendered the first goal, but came back to take the lead in the opening stanza, as Riley Brace and James Melindy lit the lamp. Melindy's goal came in his first game as a Nailer, as he and Dan O'Donoghue were acquired by the Pittsburgh Penguins from the Arizona Coyotes. The Royals scored the only two goals in the second period to go ahead 3-2, but the game was far from over. Cody Wydo knotted the score for Wheeling in the third period, and Tyler Biggs put the visitors ahead in his first game with the club. Later in the frame, Wydo's second of the night added temporary insurance, which turned out to be large, as Reading pulled within one, moments after that. Wydo tacked on an empty net goal to complete his hat trick, and Jordan Kwas added another for a 7-4 final score. On Saturday night, it was the Nailers who struck first, as Clark Seymour blasted home a shot from the blueline to put the visitors on top. The Royals got the equalizer later in the first period, but late in the second, Wheeling retook the lead, as Mathew Maione slipped in a shot while the teams were playing 4-on-4. Seymour and Adam Krause built a 4-1 lead in the third period, which proved to be too tall of a hill for Reading to climb. The home team eventually got to within a goal, but that's where it ended, with the Nailers prevailing, 4-3. Franky Palazzese was the winning goaltender in both matches, as he made 67 saves during the weekend.
The Nailers are now 10-1-1 in their last 12 road games, dating back to January 29th. During that time, they have picked up victories in five different opposing venues. Nine of the ten wins have been backstopped by Franky Palazzese, who is currently on a nine-game road winning streak. Palazzese recorded his fourth assist of the season on Saturday, and his two wins over the weekend give him 38 for his career - the fifth highest total in team history. Cody Wydo was the first Wheeling player to score a hat trick in 2015-16, after the team had produced 18 two-goal performances. The hat trick was the first of Wydo's professional career. He and Riley Brace both had five total points in the two games to lead the squad. Friday's triumph was the Nailers' 12th of the comeback variety, and sixth when trailing after two periods of play. Last weekend was the first time since the 2012-13 season that Wheeling won consecutive games at Reading, and the first time ever that the Nailers won at Reading on consecutive nights.
This Week
Tue. 3/8 Brampton Beast @ WHEELING NAILERS, 7:05
Fri. 3/11 Toledo Walleye @ WHEELING NAILERS, 7:35
Sat. 3/12 Kalamazoo Wings @ WHEELING NAILERS, 7:35
Sun. 3/13 Norfolk Admirals @ WHEELING NAILERS, 4:05
This week, the Wheeling Nailers and their fans will get a chance to see plenty of variety, as they will play four games at WesBanco Arena against four different Eastern Conference opponents. The week begins on Tuesday, when the Nailers conclude their season series against the Brampton Beast, as the two sides play the make-up game of the January 24th postponement. Wheeling has already clinched the season series, having won six of the first eight tilts, including all four at Powerade Centre. The Beast were unable to help the Nailers over the weekend, as they lost a pair of games to the Elmira Jackals, and remain in the basement of both the division and conference. On Friday night, the Toledo Walleye will visit West Virginia for the first time since December, when Wheeling delivered a 6-2 beating on the fish. The Walleye won two of three games on the road against the Florida Everblades last week, and are tied for the top spot in the Eastern Conference with the Manchester Monarchs. On Saturday night, the Nailers will take on the Kalamazoo Wings, who have gone 3-1-0 at WesBanco Arena thus far this season. Wheeling still has to make all three of its trips to Wings Event Center, which will be done this month. Kalamazoo is four points back of the Nailers, with home games against Utah coming up on Monday and Tuesday. Finally, on Sunday, Wheeling will host the Norfolk Admirals for the last time in 2015-16. After a season-opening win by the Nailers, Norfolk has responded with three straight triumphs to take a 3-1 lead in the season series. The Admirals will need quite the surge to end the season in order to reach the playoffs, as they enter the week 12 points back of Reading and Elmira.
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), Mascot Mania, Family Funday, McDonald's $5 Kids Tickets, Post Game Skate With the Team, $2 Hot Dogs from Quaker Steak & Lube
Tue. 3/22 vs. Toledo- McDonald's $5 Kids Tickets
Nailers Leaders
Goals: 20, Riley Brace
Assists: 36, Mathew Maione
Points: 49, Riley Brace
Penalty Minutes: 110, Patrick McGrath
Plus/Minus: +12, Clark Seymour
Wins: 18, Franky Palazzese
Goals Against Average: 2.95, Franky Palazzese
Save Percentage: .903, Franky Palazzese
Shutouts: 3, Franky Palazzese
North Division Standings
1. Toledo Walleye 79
2. WHEELING NAILERS 61
3. Kalamazoo Wings 57
4. Brampton Beast 43
Last Week
Fri. 3/4 WHEELING NAILERS 7 @ Reading Royals 4
Brace (unassisted)
Melindy (Kwas, Tabrum)
Wydo (Maione, Brace)
Biggs (McCarron)
Wydo (Brace)
Wydo (unassisted)
Kwas (unassisted)
Palazzese- 42/46
Sat. 3/5 WHEELING NAILERS 4 @ Reading Royals 3
Seymour (Krause, Wydo)
Maione (Wydo, Palazzese)
Seymour (Brace, Maione)
Krause (Brace, Maione)
Palazzese- 25/28
ECHL Stories from March 7, 2016
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- Grizzlies Roar Past K-Wings - Kalamazoo Wings
- Radio Recon's Really Glad He's on Our Sides - Reading Royals
- Upcoming Promotions March 9-12 - Alaska Aces
- Sauve Traded to Stockton Heat by Portland - Manchester Monarchs
- Steelheads Announce Donations After "Pink in the Rink" Weekend - Idaho Steelheads
- ECHL Transactions -March 7 - ECHL
- Stingrays Weekly News and Notes - South Carolina Stingrays
- Nailers Host Brampton Tuesday at 7:05 in Make-Up Game - Wheeling Nailers
- Thunder Weekly - Wichita Thunder
- Jackals Weekly - Elmira Jackals
- Mallards Weekly Update - Quad City Mallards
- Wheeling Nailers Weekly Report - Wheeling Nailers
- Dane Fox Traded from Canucks to Hurricanes, Assigned to AHL's Charlotte - Kalamazoo Wings
- Moose Re-Assign Serville to Tulsa - Tulsa Oilers
- Fuel still hunting ECHL post-season berth - Indy Fuel
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- Cyclones Weekly - Cincinnati Cyclones
- Kelly Cup Playoff Tickets on Sale Now for Thunder Season Ticket Holders - Adirondack Thunder
- Cyclones close gap in Midwest Division standings - ECHL
- Walleye Weekly - Toledo Walleye
- Condors Recall Defenseman Nick Pageau from Norfolk - Norfolk Admirals
- Fuel Make Coaching Change - Indy Fuel
- Nick Petrecki Returns to Indy - Indy Fuel
- ECHL Today - March 7 - ECHL
- Monarchs Weekly Preview - Manchester Monarchs
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