ECHL Wheeling Nailers

Wheeling Nailers Weekly Report

Published on March 28, 2016 under ECHL (ECHL)
Wheeling Nailers News Release


Last week, the Wheeling Nailers saw their magical run of 11 consecutive games with a point come to an end, but still picked up three points, as they moved into a tie for fifth place in the Eastern Conference. The week started in magnificent fashion on Tuesday night, when the Nailers took down the conference-leading Toledo Walleye, 4-0 at WesBanco Arena. Cody Wydo put Wheeling on the scoreboard in the opening stanza, with what turned out to be the lone goal in the first 40 minutes. In the third period, the Nailers put the game away, receiving tallies from John McCarron, Jordan Kwas, and Chris Ciotti, while Brian Foster preserved his first shutout with the team, denying all 30 shots he faced. On Wednesday night, JP Anderson was perfect during regulation in the Wheeling cage, blanking the Fort Wayne Komets on 25 shots, including a penalty shot with 4:34 to go. Unfortunately, the offense was unable to provide him with any support, and the Komets prevailed, 1-0 in overtime. On Friday night, things looked good for 26 minutes, as John McCarron, James Melindy, and Anton Zlobin staked the Nailers to a 3-0 lead in Kalamazoo. However, the second half of the contest was one to forget, as the Wings connected for six consecutive goals, before Riley Brace's power play marker cut the Kalamazoo lead to 6-4, which ended up being the final score. On Saturday night, the Wings picked up where they left off, lighting the lamp four times in the opening 20 minutes of play. Brace's second in as many nights was the lone bright spot for Wheeling, who fell, 5-1.

Prior to Friday's regulation defeat, the Nailers earned at least one point in 11 straight games - their sixth highest total in team history. The squad also collected at least one point in ten consecutive road tilts, setting a new record for the 24-year history of the team. Defense and goaltending were two strengths of the streak, as Wheeling limited its opposition to 19 goals in the 11 games, which included a season-best streak of 146:51 without allowing a goal. Brian Foster helped the club earn at least one standings point in six straight starts, prior to Friday. Wednesday's clash in Fort Wayne marked the first time since the 2010-11 season that the Nailers had a game enter overtime tied, 0-0. JP Anderson's save on Shawn Szydlowski's penalty shot that night was Wheeling's second penalty shot save of the year - both which have occurred in March. The Nailers have now completed 14 of their 17 season series in 2015-16, having gone 6-6-2.

This Week

Fri. 4/1 Reading Royals @ WHEELING NAILERS, 7:35

Sat. 4/2 Manchester Monarchs @ WHEELING NAILERS, 7:35

Sun. 4/3 WHEELING NAILERS @ Toledo Walleye, 5:15

This week, the Wheeling Nailers will play their last set of three games in three days during the 2015-16 regular season, starting with a pair of contests at WesBanco Arena, before closing out the weekend on enemy ice. On Friday night, the Nailers will play host to the Reading Royals, whom they will face three times over the course of the final nine days of the campaign. Wheeling and Reading are two of six teams within five points of each other, vying for the final four playoff spots in the Eastern Conference. The Nailers lead the Royals by one point, but Reading has played in one fewer game. That contest will take place on Tuesday, when the Royals host the Elmira Jackals. Last week, Reading went 1-1-0, falling to Kalamazoo and defeating Manchester. Wheeling has won five of eight games against the Royals thus far this season. On Saturday night, the Manchester Monarchs will set foot on West Virginian soil for the first time in their history, when they complete a brief two-game season series against the Nailers. The Monarchs were victorious, 6-2 on February 14th in the first ever battle, utilizing a three-goal first period to get off and running. Manchester currently holds a nine-point lead for the top spot in the East Division, and is one of four teams in the conference who has already secured a position in the 2016 Kelly Cup Playoffs. Last week, the Monarchs knocked off Adirondack, after dropping games to Brampton and Reading. On Sunday afternoon, Wheeling will make its final trip of the regular season to Huntington Center, where it will drop the puck against the Toledo Walleye. The Nailers have taken three out of four points against Toledo this month, and are 2-2-2 against them in six meetings overall. For the second straight spring, the Walleye find themselves leading the Eastern Conference, although South Carolina, Manchester, and Florida are all in their rear view mirror. Last week was a busy one for Toledo, who went 2-2-0, winning against Fort Wayne and Brampton, while coming up short against Wheeling and Cincinnati.

Upcoming Home Games/Promotions

Fri. 4/1 vs. Reading- Duck Dynasty Night Starring Si Robertson, Biker Night Presented by Valley Harley Davidson, Flat Screen Friday Presented by the Highlands & Bordas and Bordas, Frosty Friday

Sat. 4/2 vs. Manchester- Appearance by the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, Guns 'N Hoses Game

Wed. 4/6- Team Awards & Playoff Rally at Undo's in Elm Grove from 7-8:30

Fri. 4/8 vs. Reading- Fan Appreciation Night Presented by Main Street Bank, Pack the House Night, One Lucky Fan Shoots for a Car From Whitesides

Nailers Leaders

Goals: 25, Riley Brace

Assists: 40, Mathew Maione

Points: 61, Riley Brace

Penalty Minutes: 119, James Melindy

Plus/Minus: +11, Clark Seymour

Wins: 19, Franky Palazzese

Goals Against Average: 2.70, Brian Foster

Save Percentage: .908, Brian Foster

Shutouts: 4, Franky Palazzese

March to the Playoffs

X= Clinched Playoffs, Y= Clinched Division, E= Eliminated

1-Y. Toledo Walleye- 91 (5 GR). vs. MAN, at CIN, vs. WHL

2-X. South Carolina Stingrays- 87 (6 GR). vs. ATL, vs. ORL, vs. ORL

3-X. Manchester Monarchs- 85 (4 GR). at TOL, at WHL

4-X. Florida Everblades- 86 (7 GR). at ORL, vs. ATL, vs. ATL

5. WHEELING NAILERS- 76 (5 GR). vs. REA, vs. MAN, at TOL

6. Adirondack Thunder- 76 (6 GR). vs. NOR, vs. BRM, vs. BRM

7. Reading Royals- 75 (6 GR). vs. ELM, at WHL, vs. NOR, vs. NOR

8. Elmira Jackals- 74 (5 GR). at REA, at BRM

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9. Kalamazoo Wings- 71 (6 GR). at GRN, at GRN, at GRN

10. Orlando Solar Bears- 71 (7 GR). vs. FLA, at SC, at SC

11. Atlanta Gladiators- 69 (6 GR). at SC, at FLA, at FLA

12. Greenville Swamp Rabbits- 65 (6 GR). vs. KAL, vs. KAL, vs. KAL

13. Norfolk Admirals- 63 (6 GR). at ADK, at REA, at REA

14-E. Brampton Beast- 49 (6 GR). vs. ELM, at ADK, at ADK

Last Week

Tue. 3/22 Toledo Walleye 0 @ WHEELING NAILERS 4

Wydo (Brace, Maione)

McCarron (Stern, Wydo)

Kwas (O'Donoghue)

Ciotti (Kwas, O'Donoghue)

Foster- 30/30

Wed. 3/23 WHEELING NAILERS 0 @ Fort Wayne Komets 1 (overtime)

Anderson- 25/26

Fri. 3/25 WHEELING NAILERS 4 @ Kalamazoo Wings 6

McCarron (Wydo)

Melindy (Kwas)

Zlobin (Leen)

Brace (McCarron, Seymour)

Foster- 26/32

Sat. 3/26 WHEELING NAILERS 1 @ Kalamazoo Wings 5

Brace (Melindy)

Anderson- 8/11 (L), Foster- 23/25

Check out the Wheeling Nailers Statistics

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